Adult Life

Alright, it's official. I'm an adult. I've been an 'adult' for the past year or so, but now I feel as though I've earned that title. You're not an adult until your gas gets cut off, the washing machine leaks everywhere and the electricity goes down as a result. Only once you've had and dealt with problems, then you're an adult.

I wasn't ready for any of that kind of stuff. I've only read about problems such as those in stories and fairytales; I've never had to deal with it myself. It all started last Thursday. Trying to cook dinner, and the gas hobs simply won't light. Nope. Nada. I pulled on my shoes and trudged outside to investigate the meter. Yep, £0.00 on. Fair enough, I've had this happen before. Off to the Co-op to top up. I go there, pay my £15, come back, and... £0.00 on. This isn't funny, meter.

So, I phone up British Gas, and they've sent a message to the Co-op. Perfect. Only, they haven't, because although the Co-op have asked to be taken off the British Gas database, they're stuck on there, receiving non-existent messages. Triffic. Another phone call to British Gas and they're sending a card in the mail. It should arrive tomorrow. That's one problem sorted!

Then the washing machine starts flashing. No, not like that, but the little red light that means there's a problem. Inside, the clothes are all sitting in a puddle of pink water. Lovely. Each one is at least two times heavier than it used to be. They drip all over the lino, the carpet, and eventually I just dump them in the bathtub to give the floor a break. The next few hours are spent handwashing all of them in the bathtub, wringing them out and hanging them up.

Everything's okay, though, as the landlord has ordered a new washing machine! They didn't even send anyone round to see what was wrong with the old one, or to measure the gap. They must be professional. It shows up, but the people from AO don't install it. No, they're only here to deliver it. It'll be installed by some other people later. So right now, there's a washing machine sitting in the middle of my front room, and it was only today I realised that it's 88cm tall, polystyrene inclusive. The old washing machine that doesn't work is 85cm tall. It's not going to fit.

It's not going to fit. But hey, at least the gas card turned up, working fine. Maybe the washing machine will shrink when the polystyrene is removed?