We’ve been having trouble with the drains at work. It started over a year ago when we ended up working in a shop that smelt like a sewer. Apart from the stench, which even I felt to be stomach turning despite a wide-ranging experience of septic tanks and poultry manure, I was also worried about the mixture being explosive.

It’s been much better since that day, though there is a definite low key smell hanging about the place after rain. It has, of course, been raining regularly for the last months.  Apart from the annoyance of it, we have also noticed toning on coins in the shop, particularly silver coins, but also some bronze ones. That is proof that we have something floating around  the shop reacting with the coins. It cannot be good.

Anyway, today we had a vehicle outside the shop from Severn Trent Water. It went up and down the street clearing drains. At one point we had a lot of gurgling coming from the sink as they seemed to be blowing air up the pipes. It then changed to a rather alarming bubbling sound as the toilet got some attention.

It is going to be interesting to see if it has made a difference when I open up tomorrow, as the smell seems to gather at the front of the shop during the night.

Meanwhile, the history of the Numismatic Society of Nottinghamshire has been delivered by the printers. It is our 75th Anniversary this “season” (2023-4). It’s mildly interesting, but let’s face it, the subject material (a dozen elderly men gathering together 8 or 9 times a year to discuss coins) isn’t going to inspire a series of books and a spin-off TV series.

1921 Pennies