Household appliance woe...

My washer-dryer has decided to embark upon an alternative career as a lighting display.  Whilst drying some towels yesterday evening the lights on the front which normally indicate which stage the cycle has reached decided to start flashing manically for no apparant reason.  Fortunately, the towels were dry by the end of the cycle which seems to suggest it is still working correctly.  I really hope it isn't about to conk out as good washer-dryers are expensive.  I think I probably overload it fairly regularly so I'll only have myself to blame if it does die :(

In other news, I returned from my lunchtime walk to find my colleagues and assorted service users standing outside.  The fire alarm had gone off at about ten to two and the building had been evacuated.  It turned out that it was a false alarm caused by a technical fault but it took quite a while for the investigators to figure this out.  In the mean time I stood in our lovely 'pocket garden' sneezing continuously as I seem to be having a hayfever relapse.  I know it's hayfever as my eyes are dodgy too but everyone else probably now thinks I have swine flu.  Wonderful!