Heat

This amazing-looking contraption is not a TGV. It is not super-fast, nor does it magnetically levitate. This is our hot-water heater. And boy can it heat some water! Scalding, in fact, the only problem being that none of that delicious hot water has been circulating through our domestic radiator system.

"Oh, shit," Eleonore said back on signing day, when showing us how to turn on the heat, "the knob just broke." The knob to which she referred was of course the sole valve keeping our radiators from enjoying a salubrious internal bath. Until, that is, today.

Nice logo, eh? From the side of his truck. He came, and cleaned all the crap and gunk out of the TGV, fixed the valve, and installed a whole new chimney for it as well.

The old one, which you can see all taped up there in the fireplace, took advantage of the original kitchen chimney in the house. But it has two unfortunate side effects: the preclusion of our using that flue with a delightful wood-burning stove, and the dangerous possibility of spreading noxious and toxic emissions from the furnace below.

Tonight, our radiators are pinging back to life. Our house is cosier than ever. Not that it's cold outside, but it's nice to get things working.