Monarch

Wow! What a stunning day.

Hard to believe that last week we were freezing our buts off then today an almost balmy 15 degrees with no frost in sight! It really did feel quite spring-like, especially when I spotted this Monarch doing the rounds around the garden. She kept coming back to this camelia - maybe because it's facing the sun or maybe becauseit's one of very few flowers aroud at the moment.

Yesterday I found that my new fire had a wee problem - the locking mechanism on the door had become very loose making it difficult to close the door securely. This morning, as soon as I could (around 10.15am), I called the company I'd bought the fire from to get someone to come and have a look at it and hopefully fix it.

I was told the guy who could help me had "just gone out for a few minutes". I left my number for him to call me when he came back in.

A couple of hours later I still hadn't heard from him so called again.

"He's on the other phone - would lyou like to wait?

"Sure - thanks"

A few minutes later . . . . .

"He's still on the other phone - would you like to continue to wait?"

"Um no - I'll leave my number. Could you ask him to call me when he gets off the phone?'

"OK"

Lunchtime I call back . . . . . .

"Sorry - he's out but I think he'll be able to come and have a look a little later in the afternoon - around 5-ish"

My timetable is free this afternoon so I can head home early and wait just in case he can make it earlier . . . . .

4.40 . . . . . I call the shop again and am greeted by the owner man who seems very irritated . . . . .

"It's twenty to five . . . . . if we keep doing jobs like this we'll never get home before 7.00 . . . ."

I'm gobsmacked.

This is not the first time I have felt like I'm getting in the way of whatever it is this man wants to do . . . . and whatever that is it sure 'ain't customer service!

A short time later I get a call from the man who was supposed to call me back this morning . . . . . .

"I'll be there in 10 minutes"

Great! Some action!

And the problem? It seems that a couple of screws had somehow fallen out leaving the locking mechanism loose and unstable. He says it looks like it's a design fault - screws too short and unable to reach far enough to hold things firmly. He'll call the manufacturers first thing tomorrow and get back to me as soon as he can . . . . . . .

I'm not holding my breath . . . . . but at least the fire can still be burned so I'm warm :)