:: catching up

Where does the time go? Today, it went in hanging around waiting for the gas engineer who never came. I waited from noon until 6pm -- his window of opportunity -- and he didn't show. I called Scottish Gas several times and got various stories about where he was: mostly he was "en route to your premises", but sometimes he had been called out on an emergency and was "doing his best". "He might be trying to call you right now ma'am!" said one operative snippily.

My final, very angry call, got the horrid truth: the engineer had been listed as "en route to your premises" since 2pm. In other words, it was all a big lie. By this time I was not only angry, I was also two and a half hours late for work. And Bertie was beside himself with frustration -- "Let's go for a walk! Hey, isn't it time we went for a walk?" So after a fruitless conversation with the Scottish Gas operative ("As you've had a broken appointment, we can make a two-hour window for the next available appointment, on 24 April.") I wheeked Bertie round the park at top speed & roared off to work.

My head still hurts.

It was a pretty full-on weekend too; I built shelves into the alcove in the livingroom but didn't get to paint the room due to difficulties getting the right colour. Went out for dinner on Friday night with Fiona and a friend. That was funny: I was meant to meet them in a bar, which was very crowded. I scanned the mob, didn't see anyone familiar and went on to the restaurant. I was early there, so sat at the bar with a drink. When Fiona arrived, it turned out the woman I'd been sitting next to for ten minutes was her friend! She's fun and interesting, so it's a shame we didn't figure out our connection while we waited. The food was good too, simple and tasty.

I've ordered a pair of varifocal glasses -- old age, sigh. They're wildly expensive -- the "frames" are titanium -- but what the hell. I say "frames" because they're hardly that, they're just thin little shreds of wire to loop over my ears and another shred to hold the lenses apart over my nose. But being titanium, they're very strong, hypoallergenic shreds. And light! Very light.

I've organised the car insurance for Andrew's Cunning Plan -- only £17 to add him right through until July! A bargain.

Thanks for the wedding photos, Mum, some lovely shots there. I have to say I don't agree with you at all about the fringe, I think your hair looks great. You're altogether stylish -- great bone structure, nice suit!