The catfish like it too.

It would be quite appropriate to sleep late on a Sunday, but I'd been thinking about the hot water and getting around the obstacles in the way of fitting it so we woke sometime round eight and didn't lie in for much more than an hour after that so we could get an early start.

I thought that perhaps with a bit of ingenuity, if I played my cards right I could have a hot shower before heading off for lunch at two, so I played my cards.

Sure the missing fittings did prove to be a challenge, and there remains a largeish gap between ends of the pipes carrying the engine coolant and the actual heater itself, which may make it more difficult to get the coolant to pass through than would be ideal, but we don't need the engine for a week or so. Not long after when morning coffee would have been had we not been so preoccupied, I had the water and electric bits separately connected and the thing turned "ON" two hours before I'd be requiring my pre- lunch tidy up.

Barely able to contain my excitement and with less than fifteen minutes before we were due at Maggie and Jacques', I disrobed and triumphantly turned on the hot water tap.

Nothing.

The water pump had taken a leaf out of Mr Perkins' book it seems, deciding to snooze at exactly the time it was called upon.

After reducing my nakedness, I wiggled some things and wobbled some others and kicked my toe on the toolbox which seemed to evoke some sort of sympathy, and miraculously water once again started to flow.

I showered, and shampooed using one of those special ones that stops hair tangling and tames nasty fly-away hair at the same time, then stood there under the shower for longer because I could.

Seven hours later I still feel clean.

We could get used to hot running water.