Operation Dish Washer

I was told that the dish washer can arrive any time from 7AM to 1PM, so I got up early and disconnected the old one before seven. For the first time ever I've managed to do this without disconnecting the wrong appliance, cutting a hose that's needed intact, or flooding my flat or the one downstairs. Admittedly I've had to leave the old washer hose connected to the tap and dripping into the sink, because there's a trickle of water from the tap that I can't shut off, but I was expecting that - it's been a problem in the past, and I keep forgetting to get a plumber to fix it since it only arises when an appliance is disconnected.

Now I just need to wait for the new one to arrive...

later which it did at about 9.45. Got it plumbed in without too many floods - the tap is dripping slightly at the moment but by past experience it will stop in a few hours - and so far it's apparently working well as it does the first wash.

Fingers crossed anyway...

Crossrail update

I just found an artist's impression of the Crossrail portal on line, which makes its location and layout clearer. It looks like the actual tunnel entrance (at the back of the curved bit, next to the front of the red underground train) is located more or less opposite my house, but trains won't actually be visible until they have come out of the cutting further to the west. This is annoying from the viewpoint of not being able to train-watch, but probably a good thing from the noise point of view.



Having built the deep retaining walls, they're now excavating the big underground "box" which will be the starting point for the tunnelling machinery later this year - they've also set up the travelling crane that will remove a few kilotons of soil as the tunnel is built, but I don't think it's ready for use yet, I think they have to lay more track or something. At the moment the view from my flat is a bit dull, I think that for the next couple of years most of the activity will be to the East and West, not directly opposite.

More (sporadically) as it happens.

Later = I was wrong about the big crane, it's moved a couple of times today though I haven't seen it lifting anything. I was also wrong about nothing much happening opposite me - there seem to be several excavators in the "box" area now. I think that as they go deeper most of the soil will be coming to the surface there, to be loaded onto trucks. I really don't understand why getting it out by rail isn't an option, presumably it would disrupt the railway too much.

Cheap Deathly Hallows

Nearly forgot to say - I was in Tesco today, they're selling the two-disk DVD of Deathly Hallows part 1 for £7.00

Doubt it'll stay at that price for long - I had a load of coupons today including £3.50 in credits and £2 off if I spent more than £20, so I ended up getting that and most of my shopping for about £15, which was very handy.