The Bowler Family spends their first week inside the 1900 House mainly getting frustrated at Victorian technology, and having spats with each other.
The family's main issue is with the cooking range, which, despite restorer's best efforts, is still not producing any hot water for the upstairs bathroom. While the water is still ice cold, the blazing fires in the range make cooking a very precise hobby. Joyce's efforts at making her first Victorian meal result in undercooked pasta and scorched rhubarbs. Joyce has a spat with Paul about 'too many cooks spoiling the broth,' which in turn upsets youngest child Joe.
The girls of the house, sisters Kathryn, Ruth and Hilary, are getting used to bedpans, pig-bristle toothbrushes and bicarbonate of soda toothpaste. The twins get to miss a day of school, but only to help Joyce with the demanding task of washing the laundry.
Joe goes on a hunger strike, living off of the only two things he finds edible, bread and cheese.
Paul, meanwhile, is doing