Dab doesn't deliver

After Derek Dixey's visit last week I've been chasing his technical man at Dab and finally spoke to him on Tuesday. Bad news - they don't have a suitable pump so its back to the drawing board with our sprinkler supplier and the usual 3 day wait for responses to emails/telephone calls. Our other potential supplier has simply vanished - no word from them at all. Obviously business is so good they don't need any more.
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Stove man (well actually, stove woman) called on Monday to say that they couldn't make this Wednesday to fit the woodburner, so its now Wednesday next week. Its not a particular problem but is does seem that few tradespeople can give a date and stick to it. Talking of which, Andy, our electrician, failed once again to turn up last week to finish off the few remaining jobs and has now promised to complete the work on Saturday. I've got the weekend off as I'm going to a big classic car event at Silverstone in "The Gnat" as my three wheeler has been dubbed by our neighbour, so Jan will be keeping an eye on Andy.
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Jan and I have continued to make good progress and I'm delighted to say that we have finished the decorating, and started to clean up. Next job - mastic all those nasty little gaps (and big gaps thanks to the screeders) to make sure that we pass the air pressure test.
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On Monday we witnessed something you don't see every day - a 26 foot sailing boat being lifted over our house by a mobile crane. Clive, who lives at number 4 Brookvale, decided to have his boat trailered to his garden so he could renovate it. Despite much planning, measurement and deliberation, the articulated lorry couldn't even negotiate the drive entrance, let alone get as close to Clive's garden as needed. After 20 minutes of huffing and puffing it was obvious the lorry couldn't get into the drive unaided so the crane had to be deployed to lift the trailer. This was much to the relief of a number of cars, lorries and the bi-weekly bus that had waited patiently as the lorry jiggled this way and that, blocking the road as it did so.
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In the end, with the lorry and boat as near as it could get, the crane parked on our parking area and lifted the boat over the house and garage. Not too sure what Clive thinks will happen when he's finished refurbishing the boat but I'm not going to be too keen on a ruddy great crane parked on our newly surfaced hard standing.
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John Lewis did turn up on Wednesday as promised and duly measured up for carpets. We've now got 4 or so weeks to wait before these will be laid. Next visit - vinyl flooring and sisal man - Tuesday next week. We must now get down to the serious business of sorting out fitted wardrobes as this will doubtless take a few weeks.
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Stop press - the sprinkler company have found what they believe is a suitable pump and will order one and fit it. If it doesn't do the job they won't charge us. Service at last!

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Jan & Rog