I should know better

I woke at 4am, to the sound of a very loud clock ticking.

I do not have such a clock in the bedroom.

I put the light on to discover a large, loud drip beside me.....no, not an unfortunate choice of male companion. A leak. A puddle had formed, and a menacing ballooning swelling above on the ceiling was oozing water.

Solitiare and I got up and headed upstairs. The plumbing here, as I have explained before, is very basic. Fortunately, it is also very accessible. I dreaded a mains fault, as I would have to go out, prise up the manhole cover and turn off the water in the road....an exciting prospect, often involving going up to the shoulder into muddy water.

But it wasn`t. The water seemed to be coming from the little expansion tank. And I couldn`t see just where the leak was coming out. I peered about with the torch. Solitaire offered very vocal encouragement. Merlin sat worried at the bottom of the stairs. He could see that we would all be washed away...the very word "washed" is a traumatic one for him.

I put something under the leak and went back to bed. Then I sat up and said to Solitaire - "No, I really have to fix this." She gazed at me with her most intelligent expression, the one that makes me doubt that she has as much brain as a split pea. We went back up.

By the light of a failing torch, I jammed the ballcock, emptied the tank with a jug and managed not to fall off the steps. Solitaire was very impressed. Back down to a very anxious Merlin, and a fairly damp bedroom. I could see that both Paps felt that they alone had saved the day.

We await the plumber.

And the bill.....