Boiler; bunnies; Big Lunch

The main event of the last week is the sheer fabulousness of our new Worcester Bosch boiler (pictured) and its willing dispensing of hot water on request. The workmen from Aqua-King Ltd completed the work very efficiently and tidily in two days. In addition to the boiler we have four lovely new radiators, three of them repositioned more efficiently under the windows to free up wall space. A larger than necessary number of showers have been taken, simply because we can ... The new boiler’s silence when at rest is also disconcerting us. When a hot tap is turned on, it emits a restrained hum, nothing like the ‘Dear-God-what-are-you-making-me-do’ noises that the old one used to make.

I continue to be surprised by Harley the Bunny’s spiritedness and agility, especially in comparison with Ruth’s previous rabbit Jake, a more nervous creature who disliked the outdoors and never to my knowledge even attempted climbing stairs. Harley has now completely mastered the staircase, which is steep even by Victorian terrace standards and is treated with some respect by visitors to the house. He also eagerly escapes into the garden at every opportunity and we are discovering by trial and error which part of the perimeter isn’t actually rabbit-proof. On Saturday he disappeared into a clump of bamboo and vanished from sight – Ruth’s calling of him resulted in the reply of “Are you looking for a rabbit?” from over the fence; she looked up to discover our neighbour Terry standing on his lawn looking down at a tiny adventurous rabbit. She went next door to fetch him and carried him back with some stern words, but he appeared not noticeably chastened.

Harley has also displayed some impressive jumping ability to get a better purchase on the leaves of a houseplant both bunnies seem to have taken a particular fancy to. Ray and I were given the plant some years ago but never succeeded in actually identifying it - am mildly concerned at the rabbits’ consumption of it given that I don’t actually know whether or not it’s poisonous. Let's hope not. Anyhoo ... Lola, who favours the brute force approach to things, is big enough to stand on her hind legs and forcibly yank bits off it, but Harley, being smaller, more agile and favouring the more strategic approach, jumped up onto the shelf (a good foot or so off the ground) giving him a better vantage point to munch without expending too much energy.

Spent Sunday afternoon at the park at the end of the road taking part in our street’s Big Lunch. Despite the valiant efforts of Sarah at Number 124 and her organising committee, it unfortunately wasn’t very well attended, which may represent general apathy or might just be the fact that the weather was a bit iffy – the rain held off for most of it but it was overcast and very windy (causing some initial problems in securing the gazebo). Despite this it was a nice opportunity to meet a few new people and there was some nice food to be had from the communal offerings – in rather true-British fashion I had produced sausage rolls and (dry) fairy cakes, but some of my neighbours had been rather more creative. We were entertained by a display of fire-eating from one resident, accompanied by prudent warnings to the children present not to try this at home.

Having a bit of an anniversary to celebrate on Monday, Ruth and I went for dinner at Myalacarte, the local restaurant owned by recent Apprentice-winner Yasmina. For a number of months after it opened I hardly saw anyone in there, but The Apprentice certainly seems to have improved its custom as it was almost full even on a Monday. The food was very good although I’m tempted to say I’ve had equally good food elsewhere for rather less money.