Tales from The Shire

Fortune_Smiles

Cheery_Daff said:

Bed with the electric blanket on sounds like the perfect place to be! And remember you can always ask them to turn the radio down... 😉😁 Our lot have at least mostly got that bit sorted, as it REALLY bothers Mr Cheery, and there are no doors between where they are and where we are (a few days and we might just cope, but we're 2.5 months in now). Hope FDawg is ok, must be stressful for him too.

It is nice up here @Cheery_Daff.  I cleaned up the bedroom yesterday (before I knew the window fitters were coming) so it's a nice welcoming space and the only warm place in the house right now.  FDawg is a bit excited about everything but not as stressed as I expected so that's good.

I don't know how you're coping at 2.5 months 😲  I can't cope with 2.5 days 😆

Fortune x

Fortune_Smiles

Progress

I ventured downstairs to make tea for everyone and discovered that five new windows are now in place with the glass fitted.  The next steps are to replace the wooden arches which sit above them and to make good.  That will leave just the two living room windows to be done tomorrow.  They'll only be one fitter here then which will make the place feel a little bit calmer.

We had a little bit of an 'Oh Dear' moment when we discovered that all the windows have integral sills.  Three of our old windows did not have wooden sills but had sloping brick sills.  So now we have wooden sills over the brick sills which I think looks a bit odd. Mr F thinks it looks ok, however, and is happy to have the extra weather protection.  I'm still a bit unsure but will have another look later.

The place is absolutely full of dust now so I'm going to have my work cut out cleaning up when everything's finished.  For the minute, I'm just turning my back on it.  I'm back in bed with a cup of coffee and on my third cycle of electric blanket.  If I didn't have to go out later I'd curl up and have a nap and wake up when it was all over 😆

I've done the prep for my meeting tonight.  I'm really enjoying this group so am looking forward to it.  It's at another member's  house tonight so that will be another little escape from the chaos.

Fortune x

Cheery_Daff

Fortune_Smiles said:

It is nice up here @Cheery_Daff.  I cleaned up the bedroom yesterday (before I knew the window fitters were coming) so it's a nice welcoming space and the only warm place in the house right now.  FDawg is a bit excited about everything but not as stressed as I expected so that's good.

I don't know how you're coping at 2.5 months 😲  I can't cope with 2.5 days 😆

Fortune x

Not sure I'm coping at all! We're both going quite mad, Mr Cheery especially 😕 Nobody in for the rest of this week, but still doesn't feel like a rest, with tools and chaos still everywhere.

Glad you're watertight at least! Hope either you come to accept the windowsills, or you can easily do something about them. 

Maybe Mr F  and FDawg will magically clear up all the dust while you're out tonight 😁

savingholmes

Thanks for sharing the curtain details.

Hope book club went well. Upheaval nearly over for you and you can reclaim your space

Fortune_Smiles

Cat Amongst the Pigeons

Well I have really caused some upset this morning.  I had a good think about the sills where there shouldn't be sills and came to the conclusion that we should really have what we've asked and paid for and not be forced to choose between two options either of which would result in the lesser of two evils.  So....

I drafted an email to the MD this morning and caught the fitter first thing to let him know what I intended to do.  I am confident in handling conflict and can remain calm and assertive in the most challenging of situations (these are after all subjects I used to teach).  Unfortunately, our fitter was not able to do the same.  The sills are not his problem at all so I was only informing him of my intentions out of courtesy.  However, one of our kitchen windows is wonky and he was very unhappy when I brought this up.  Mr F described his behavour as 'petulant' and I would say he definitely threw his toys out of the pram.  He refused to do anything about the wonky window saying it was not wonky and then refused to carry out any further work until I'd spoken to the MD.  If I wasn't able to get hold of the MD he was leaving site 😲😲😲

I amended the email (whilst still trying to stay diplomatic),sent it, then followed up with a phone call.  Fortunately I got hold of the MD and was able to discuss things with him... although he did suggest that I shouldn't keep changing my mind 😲  We addressed that point and I left him to think creatively about a solution.

Sometime later...

a very subdued fitter came to speak to me about the wonky window which he had discovered was, in fact, wonky.  He has now put that right, as far as is possible because we have wonky walls too.  The MD had contacted him and asked him to continue with the work he is able to complete today.  Next week the fitters will return to remove the incorrectly silled windows, take them to the workshop where they will be re-fitted with minimal sills (they have to have something) and then put them back in.  Plus the two remaining living room windows will be put in.

Not that difficult is it 🤔  Fitter is my best friend now 🤔

I would say that I am trained and fairly skilled in dealing with situations like this.  Goodness knows how anyone a little less confident would fare.  I did feel there was an attempt, albeit subconsciously, to intimidate me and much talk was made of mess and delays.  I'm not backing down this time.  Some of you may remember 'Gate Gate' where I compromised and we ended up with an expensive gate that does the job but annoys me every time I look at it.  I don't intend to be annoyed by windows as well.

You're all probably asleep now 😴

I've started the clean up.  Mr F's study first so he can get back to work in a comfortable setting.  Then I'll sort out the kitchen.  Tomorrow and the weekend will be dedicated to the hall, stairs and landing and I'm really hoping to be able to set up my art nook too.  There'll be more dust and disruption next week but at least it won't be throughout the whole house as it is right now.

Everyone's left now so at least the house is quiet and I can get on with things in my own time.  Mr F is out tonight so I think a hot bath and some Bak£ 0ff is in order.

And relax.......

Fortune x

badmemory

It is one thing to compromise on a gate that you don't have to look at all the time, it is another for the windows which will be "in your face".  That is a reason why I don't like having jobs done, I just hate having to get things put right.

rtandon27

Fortune - you are of course quite correct to stand your ground!  It is a such a shame that you needed to do so due to an error and bad behaviour on the part of a company you have hired. Enjoy your peaceful time without the fitters - a warming bath sounds just the thing!

themadvix

Asleep?! I was cheering!! I wish I had your ability to be calm and diplomatic when dealing with such things - the adrenaline starts pumping, my heart starts going, my face gets red and I become a bumbling idiot who only thinks of the right response about half an hour later and replays the whole thing endlessly in my head! 

Fortune_Smiles

badmemory said:

It is one thing to compromise on a gate that you don't have to look at all the time, it is another for the windows which will be "in your face".  That is a reason why I don't like having jobs done, I just hate having to get things put right.

@badmemory.  I have to admit, I wasn't expecting to have so much to get put right.  The last time they put windows in for us it all went very well.

rtandon27 said:

Fortune - you are of course quite correct to stand your ground!  It is a such a shame that you needed to do so due to an error and bad behaviour on the part of a company you have hired. Enjoy your peaceful time without the fitters - a warming bath sounds just the thing!

@rtandon27

themadvix said:

Asleep?! I was cheering!! I wish I had your ability to be calm and diplomatic when dealing with such things - the adrenaline starts pumping, my heart starts going, my face gets red and I become a bumbling idiot who only thinks of the right response about half an hour later and replays the whole thing endlessly in my head! 

Thank you cheerleader @themadvix 😁  I feel like that too sometimes, particularly when faced with something I wasn't expecting.  My favourite response is 'Let me have a think about that and I'll get back to you' which gives me a chance to hide for a bit until I've got my ducks in a row.

Fortune x

beanielou

themadvix said:

Asleep?! I was cheering!! I wish I had your ability to be calm and diplomatic when dealing with such things - the adrenaline starts pumping, my heart starts going, my face gets red and I become a bumbling idiot who only thinks of the right response about half an hour later and replays the whole thing endlessly in my head! 

This. This.