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Good morning Elle, Joe Hill was a civil rights activist in US of A. I've a recording of Paul Robeson singing about him. You can hear it on you tube. Just type in Joe Hill Paul Robeson you tube and you'll find and hear it.The voice alone should warm you up!

Am about to light a log fire as my central heating has gone off. Need to change the batteries in the detector unit, I guess. Hope your chap comes Elle- bet he's busy!

Hello, Elle!
Jeepers! No central heating! I am sure the British Gas lads will get you going very quickly. Maybe a dodgy thermostat?
Do not panic!!!
My gas central heating is looked after by a local company and they replaced a circuit board earlier in the year when I was having intermittent problems. Fine now!
I am slightly surprised you do not know of Joe Hill, even from your student days?
I do not think I was ever at a folk singing night without someone requesting the "Joe Hill song"!
Joe was a Swedish/American, songwriter, and union organiser, who fell foul of copper mine owners in Utah.
He was "allegedly" framed for a murder, found guilty, and executed by firing squad in Utah, in 1915.
His last words "don't mourn, organise", and he asked his friends to make sure his body did not stay in Utah.
Joe's songs live on.
I will get several more books, that will be my Christmas gift to myself
It IS a tad chilly to have no central heating!.

Hi, Dandybandy!
Thank you for the info - and I shall check out Paul Robeson once I have warmed up!
Have a good day!

Hi, Rusty!
I am very impressed with the Home Care service from British Gas! The engineer has been and all is now fixed!
The fault was the Timer- it had "died" and consequently the c/h boiler didn't know that it was supposed to function!
A new timer has solved the problem and we are now gradually thawing out!
The engineer didn't have a replacement timer on his van, but drove out to meet one of his colleagues to collect one for us! Great service.
Thank you for all the information about Joe Hill - no, regrettably I knew nothing of him. I shall listen to Paul Robeson ( I like him) singing Joe's songs later on.
Right now, we shall leave the heating to warm up the house and take the dog out to the park.
She has been incredibly patient waiting for her walk this morning, as of course we couldn't go out until after the B.G engineer had been.
The sun is shining - and no we didn't have any snow! Has yours melted yet? Or is it sticking?
I shall do a "MacArthur"!

Joan Baez also made a version of the song

Good afternoon, Elle!
Well done, British Gas!
My snow is going rapidly. Yahoo!!!
You will be glad to get out with doggie for a brisk walk.
My favourite singing "Joe Hill" is Joan Baez, live, at Woodstock, I think it was. What a voice she has! Many have sung the song including Pete Seeger, Bruce Springsteen, Woody Guthrie, etc etc.
Now, a bit of useless information for you.
We have mentioned idioms etc in the past, so....
The phrase "pie in the sky" was coined by Joe Hill, in his song The Preacher and the Slave".
Yes, good old MacArthur, he kept his word, too!

Hi, Doglet!
It's great to hear from you - you have been away from the forum for quite a while!
How is the wildlife in your garden progressing? Funnily enough, we rarely get hedgehogs here - and it cannot be because of our dog and cats, as you have those too.
What happened to the grey stray cat that you were feeding?

Afternoon, Rusty!
Yes, hats off to British Gas!
I do believe it was warmer outside - all wrapped up like Michelin man! - than it was indoors! even now the temperature inside has not yet reached the level set on the thermostat! that's how cold it had got! but we're getting there!
I'm considering installing a gas fire that would work independently of the central heating system and would be on hand to use in an emergency.
We don't have any chimneys so would need a fire that works just with an air vent through to an outside wall.
Any ideas?
I like Joan Baez, and Pete Seeger too. We still have some LPs of Joan singing. (I like Julie Felix as well, who sounds somewhat similar)
I shall now hunt for some Joe Hill songs.......
Your "Idioms" book certainly comes in useful!

Hello, Elle!
My only advice on installing a gas fire is to get it installed by qualified experts. No cost cutting. Safety is paramount!
Julie Felix is good too, but Joan Baez has a great "something" in her voice. "Pie in the sky" is not in my idioms book.
Brewer's Dictionary credits Joe Hill with the phrase, though.
If you are interested, just type "Joe Hill" into Google.
Internet has loads of stuff on him.