Oh Andere, what a terrible 24 hours you have had. As you say, good thing the car chose the local area to break down, rather than the motorway. You are due for a restful week or two to get over the holiday and post-holiday troubles. I hope you are feeling better.
A week ago while my house frontage was being painted by the ever-reliable Jimmy, my boiler gave up. It was 13 years old and the average life span they are given is ten years, like most appliances nowadays. The plumber - also neighbour - (the ever-reliable Stuart) has completed installing the replacement boiler, same make as before, a Vaillant. He was working in the heat and this week I have kept the house breezy with five blower fans. Three are mine and two were left here by my daughter when they upgraded to new super-duper more attractive fans! Me - as long as household items do their job, appearances come second. Having said that, I must strip down and clean the two oldest fans because it must be three years since they were done. That will be after I make the balance payment to the plumber. Too many big expenses at once!
Feeling glad the boiler chose mid-Summer rather than mid-winter! Also, thank goodness for the immersion heater supplying hot water for the few days. Trixie has found some great shady spots, though instructions tell us to keep cats indoors in heatwaves! Some evenings I am watering the garden, and she appears from deepest shrubbery spots before she gets watered.