There's not a lot I get my kid to do to earn her pocket money, but washing the dishes is one chore that I make sure I save up for three days before she arrives...make her work for it. However, on Sunday night she complained there was no hot water. I figured I'd blown a fuse but didn't get around to checking it till tonight. This is what greeted me.

It wasn't just a blown fuse, the entire circuit was burnt out. I called an electrician & he said it's going to be a big job, which can't be completed till Sunday. So I face a week of cold showers. Gone are the days when I could just call the real estate & get them to fix it...why is owning one's own home still considered the Great Australian Dream??