HEATHER ELIZA WALKER
  • JOURNAL
  • RECENT WORK
  • SMALL DRAWINGS
  • LARGE DRAWINGS
    • BRAVE OLEANDER
    • FALLING FROM TREES
    • BEFORE THERE WERE SATURDAYS
  • CONFUSED FLAGS
  • ABOUT+CONTACT

11 DECEMBER: mid-week special

11/12/2019

 
Picture
Before and after: the old fuse-board in our house was modernised at the weekend.

​My wonderful godson Theo (my partner's son, I know it sounds a bit Fleabag but it is the case) came to stay last Thursday with his friend and work colleague Alex. Theo's mission was to replace the ancient fuse-board in our house as his Christmas present to us, and Alex came along to help. They made the long drive from Buckinghamshire after work on Thursday evening, arrived in the early hours of Friday morning, got in a few hours sleep, and started work early on Friday morning.

​My writing is about to get very untechnical now because I don't have a good vocabulary when it comes to matters electric, but he had to strip out all the old fuses (the sort with wire wrapped around them) and install a complete new board with modern trip fuses. Verbatim from Theo's Instagram: "Old dodgy wiring ripped out. New board, new trunking, cables rerouted and an isolator added so the board can be worked on safely."
Picture
I cannot believe how he worked. When did he get so skilled and strong and grown up? He put in hours. It was a big job, but his pride in contributing to the family home and determination to succeed shone through. Our house was built in 1931, commissioned as a large family home to show-case the wonders of modern electricity and was only the second house in Dunfermline to receive electricity. There are sockets and gadgets in every room which over the years have been added to. My father did a lot of rewiring (he was an architect and designer) over the years since my parents bought the house in 1971, but until Theo breezed in with his electrician skills the old wire fuses still remained. They had been restored a few times, but we all knew modern trip fuses would be a lot safer.

Naturally, we were without power for a part of the weekend which meant I couldn't post The Weekly at my usual time. I had hastened to get the Christmas decorations up before Theo and Alex arrived so we could have a celebratory festive dinner together on Saturday before they left to make the journey home on Sunday. As soon as the power came back on we were in full Christmas mode with crackers and everything.

I have to say, though, a little part of me loved the power outage on a dark Scottish day approaching the winter solstice - candles and lanterns everywhere! Alex was sitting crimping endless amounts of cable by candlelight in the dining room, while Theo worked by torchlight on the board. It was quite Dickensian.

What a team, and I can't thank them enough. I am so proud and touched that Theo wanted to contribute generously with his time and skill to our beloved family home, and what a marvellous Christmas gift. My parents would be simply brimming with pride and gratitude. It's another historical milestone in the life of the house.

Thank you, Theo, Alex and B!

Comments are closed.
    Picture
    Picture
    Welcome to my work journal. I usually post here once a week on Sunday, but there are often 'bonus' posts in between of interesting things like growing carrot tops and avocado pits, the odd piece of work I do as Binky, and news items.
    ​Thanks for stopping by!
    <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
    Picture
    >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
    Picture
    >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
    Picture
    As well as the work you see here, I illustrate under the name of Binky McKee (my mother's maiden name was McKee, Binky was every single one of my great grandmother's many cats!)
    If you would like to visit my Binky website, please click the picture above.
    <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

    Dissolving People

    A symbol on the footpath outside a local primary school gradually disappearing, photographed at intervals of several months.
    ​(My shoes look so new in the first pic!)

    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
    Picture

    <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

    All
    100DaysProject
    Advice
    Artobotic Vending
    Asemic Text
    Binky McKee
    Christmas
    Discovery
    Drawing
    Etsy
    From Life
    Gallery
    Life And Times
    Lockdown
    Materials
    Play
    Poetry
    Template Drawings
    The World
    WIP
    Work

    <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
    Picture

    <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014

    RSS Feed

    (Sorry the archives don't nest!)
    <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
    Picture
    >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
    A 2013 work book, still very much in use
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture


    Please note all images on this website are ©Heather Eliza Walker 2013 - 2020, and may not be used or reproduced without prior consent.
Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.