A friend in need...

Mike arrived tonight with our bed for the spare room and we struggled to get it upstairs. There was a time when I could manage a mattress easily. I don't know what they put in them these days but they weigh a ton.

We had to push it halfway into the bathroom and then out onto the landing before we could get it into the bedroom. As we twisted it out of the bathroom we heard a very loud hissing accompanied by a shriek. "Ken, the stop-cock!" It was only when I saw a fountain of water gushing in every direction that I understood what she meant, and while I frantically scrambled over the mattress trying to figure out where the heck the stop-cock was, Bev sailed by me and rushed downstairs leaving me to try and stem the tide with a few towels.

The water was now flowing through and down into the kitchen below.  One stop-cock didn't seem enough until we swapped places and I spotted a second.  We are all dry now but the problem hasn't been solved. I have the tools but I just can't secure it enough for normal use.

They say that a friend in need is a pest and, although I didn't really want to, I phoned the best friend a person can have...one who is skilled. I tried to discern if I really was a pest, but he seemed to disguise it as he cheerfully agreed to pop over tomorrow evening to help me.

Thanks David.

Oh, the mattress wasn't affected by all the water and the bed is now all made up in the spare room ready to accommodate  visitors...but they'll have to share a bathroom with my MIL if they turn up tonight.