Same-same.... but different

 When we lived at Carwoola water was a constant issue for us.  We either had plumbing problems (too little water); floods across the road due to storms; or a watercourse running from the dam overflowing and flooding the garden (too much water).

I thought we might be past all that.

However today I was quietly reading, while Frances was out for a walk when there was a rumble from the general direction of the ceiling or roof.  My first thought was the chimney had fallen over but that wasn't the case (and the solar heater and panels all looked OK.  Then I walked past our water meter and it was going berserk, when nothing should have been running.  I turned it about 90% off and started looking for what could be the problem.  

Then Frances returned and went to check her bathroom.  She described it as like Niagara erupting from under the basins.

Turn off of water goes to 100% and our plumber is contacted. He arrives quickly (he is sort of retired but helps people out) and diagnosed a broken pipe.  The broken pipe is very obvious.

Because he is good, he checked all the other pipes and found 3 more that were likely to break at any given time in the future.  Also replaced.

This was all sorted in about an hour.  At the gates of Heaven there is - or should be - a side door to let the Good Plumbers in easily.  

It was interesting (major malapropism) how far the water spread.  It flowed into the ensuite and then under the skirting board into another room and then under another wall into the hall,  Fortunately we discovered this and were able to a) mop it with towels and b) leave doors and windows open (on a fairly warm day) so I think all is pretty dry now.

The washing machine got a fair workout (in fact 2 workouts) the next morning with all the towels used to mop the flood.  We are hoping they will dry before the forecast showers arrive.