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I dshould like to see a pic of your boots, Shyheels; they sound great (even if costly). I tend to agree with Freddy about shoe 'collections' (although I do tend to amass all sorts of other stuff - or 'clutter' as it is sometimes misnamed). A couple of pairs of comfortable and satisfying boots or shoes would do me too - but the problem is that (unless one is very lucky) it takes a number of attempts to find the near-perfect pair, so an unwittingly growing collection is likely. Yes, the unwanted ones can be disposed of ... one day soon.

My interest was in boots rather than heels per se - going back to the late 60s and a very pretty red haired girl who often came to school wearng leghugging go-go boots. I fancied the girl, and as something of an introvert myself, envied her chic qualities and sassy extroversion which was richly suggested, in my mind, by her stylish trendy boots. I wanted a pair too, in my own rather puppyish way, and nearly blurted out this fact without thinking and was crimson faced with embarrassment at this near miss when I woke to the fact that what I fancied were girls boots. I buried this for many years. Boots were never a fetish or an obsession, just something fashionable that came back to mind each autumn when boots would come out and I would feel wistful that such things were for women only. Last year I said the hell with convention and bought my nice suede OTK boots. I only wish I'd done that earlier. A lot of confusion built up over the years. Tall fashion boots are so strongly feminised these days that wearing them, heel or no heel, is as fraught for men as wearing the spikiest stiletto - or nearly so. I more or less assumed my liking for these feminine boots had something to do with heels - often a salient characteristic of the boots I liked. It has only been since I bought and wore my boots, with their three inch chunky heels, that I began realising that I woukd be just as happy with flattish OTK boots. Heels were just an added spice. I'd like to get another pair of tall boots, and I am happily looking at low heeled ones. It is the style that I like, the elegance of them. Heels or no. I hope that doesn't make me a fraud here. As I say, tall boots run neck and neck with heels in terms of riskiness in being worn by men

A fellow cyclist, I see. Bicycles would be my most expensive treat as well. I have three with hand made frames - tourers, not racers, and with rather old fashioned, but to me elegant, components.

The sink tap replacement project (as usual) isn't going very well. They don't build them like they used ..... thank goodness. I can get an isolation valve fitted in place of the obsolete washing machine branch on the 'hot' feed, probably by draining down the tank, or getting enough of a vacuum from partial draining to stop further flow .... Not sure about the cold feed stop-cock. I'll try loosening off the gland first, to see if it's been done up too tight. It might be overly tight to help prevent a leak, and effectively stop the handle rotating.... What doesn't help is its location. At arms length at the lower edge of a unit. From the little I know about 'check-valves' I'm pretty sure they are to stop back-flow into potable/drinking water. The location of the 'check valve' should be on the outlet side of the branch so no dirty water can travel back into the mains. That valve being where it is, dirty water can mix with mains water held between the taps and the check valve. I'm pretty sure there should be one somewhere for the washing machine too .... Just found this ... I spent close to an hour gawping at this, wondering how to make it work ..... When I used to install small networks, and small telephone systems, I used to follow a regular/written protocol for everything I did. Not so much that I had (or have) a need to do things right (though I do), but if things are done to a recognised standard as it were, when maintenance is required no-one has to work out what they are looking at. It would be wrong of me to assume only 'bodgers' worked on this water system, but I am reasonably sure the people that did, managed to do the least necessary, with no care for any further work that might be required. "Take the money and run" springs to mind ... eg. Why are there no pipe clips? Everything is hanging off the sink taps.... So: First job, isolation valves. Then: source and change (the very nice) supplied rigid tap tails, for flexi's. (Proximity problem with straight ones.) And: source new check valve. (grrrr.) More to follow.

The incoming mains (that the local water company couldn't find), looks to be copper, as unlikely as that might seem. It then separates with a 'T', running uphill to the water tanks (cold then hot) with the mains water going left to the kitchen sink. There is a mixture of old/new pipework winding around until eventually the taps are met. The homeowner has agreed the £38 replacement taps, and I will be buying them today. I may also find out if the isolating valves function with the deft use of some small adjustables. If the valves can't be made to function, they will need replacing. I might get some first hand experience of a freezing kit if that is the case. I too have some sympathy with the notion, "if it works, leave well enough alone", but my sympathy stops when the fitted kitchen was installed. At that point ANY real opportunity for further maintenance ended. The kitchen fitter should have priced in a plumber/builder to 'make good' the plumbing behind the units. As it stands now, any problems (and old fitting increase the chance of problems) will mean removing half the kitchen. This is such a big job, the water company who want to fit a meter in the house, have shied away from installing one. I remarked a few posts ago about the hot water in my bathroom being slow? Well it's a veritable torrent compared to the hot flow in this kitchen. Mindful the soil pipe shown has a direct route to the loft (and the hot water source possibly) why not install a better supply while it was easy? The lazy bathbuns didn't even sweep the floor or remove odd bits of wood leaning against the corner....