Here we go again!!!

So, after just 5 weeks I'm back on the road. The plan is very fluid, indeed, I'm not even sure when I'll return.
My flight is not till tomorrow. I'm heading over to Manchester this evening to spend my last evening with my good friend Kelly. It will doubtless end with a hangover. It always does.

I'll try and be a bit more organised with the blog this time. I am conscious I have a couple of entries to complete. I'll get it sorted.

It doesn't seem like five weeks, not that I can recall much of it. Most of the time was spent either hosting or being hosted and most of that involved copious amounts of alcohol.

The weeks home have not been without drama. Most involving Severn Trent Water Authority. It appears I had a leaky pipe. I found it, had it repaired and gratefully took receipt of a water bill. Not a normal water bill. Oh no! A water bill for £6,749.37p.
Some fuckin leak!
It would have probably still been pissing out if, on looking under the sink for some cleaning materials I hadn't noticed the water meter spinning round like a top. It was actually hard not to notice it. There was smoke coming out.

To cut a long story short, I challenged the bill and got it reduced to £3,600. You may well think that it really generous, until you realise that the reduction was to take account that the water, rather than going into the sewer, had gone into the ground. I would argue that this was an adjustment to take off a service I had not utilised. I would also argue that the water board would eventually get the water back, in essence I had just 'borrowed' it.

This rather obnoxious man at Severn Trent was having none of it, insisting on immediate payment of £3,600. Of course, being currently unemployed I don't have that kind of money. Consequently I was put through to credit control who would set up a payment plan. The first offer was £900 per month. I politely told the lady, if I could afford to pay £900 a month I could probably afford to pay the £3,600 now. She graciously capitulated and we agreed on £50 per month.

I'm still pissed about it. Hey Ho. You win some, you lose some!

So the house is locked. I'm on the TransPennine express to Manchester.
I may be some time. Thanks to all my friends who made the last five weeks such fun. Some went to a lot of trouble to catch up.
I'll see you all when I get back. Whenever that may be.

I have turned off the water. Just in case.
I was quite tempted to tell the water board to turn it off at the mains and when I return I'd collect a bucket each morning from the lake. I didn't, there seemed no point.....

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