Tuesday, May 28, 2013

...Press 5 for Emotional Meltdown

It seems there's a knack for maintaining your sanity. Follow this simple tip and you'll never reach for the vodka bottle again.

Never, ever try to get hold of any large institution/business/government organisation by telephone.

It's so simple.

I wished I'd have realised this years ago.

As you may remember, I'm in the midst of remodelling my flat, ready to move in at the end of June. Unfortunately, my administrative system has struck again. The blasted Paperwork Elves fed my receipts/paperwork to the dragon and I can't find out when new flooring is to be delivered. I spent the last hour and a half trying to get hold of the Norwich store to find out the details. Can I get through? Good grief no. Not only that, I have an automated process to go through every time before being told, they can't take my call right now.

For the sake of my own peace of mind, I removed the telephone from my ear and went and did a work out. I'm going to have a shower, get dressed and drive over there to get the information in person. It'll be more pleasant for everyone concerned.

And yes, you did read that right. I did a work out. I have been working out at least once a week. I've been taking it very slowly...I'm very unfit and my knees and back being what they are...the idea is not to make it worse. There is improvement, but it's very small yet. I'm now doing more of the workout and working harder at it. This pleases me but in the grand scheme of things - I have a long way to go. 

We spent the weekend working on the flat. Which was great fun. Last week was hard going. I had a lot of writing to do and then the office job and frankly, my brain was mush. I don't know what was going on, but jeez Louise, I found it nigh on impossible to get anywhere with anything. If I could have, I'd have gone back to bed for the whole week.

Helping demolish my kitchen was a fantastic antidote. As was removing 4 years of limescale from my toilet. Kids, it's important. Do as the chemist says, not as he does. 

There's one more unit to be taken to bits, but that requires plumbing tools. The nasty vinyl is up, the worktops are out, the tiles (and most of the plaster) are off. Once I know when the flooring will be done, then we can finally get somewhere with it.

Of course, this is the fun bit.

Every job seems to have 6 jobs behind it and one thing can only be done, once something else has been done.

The electrician is booked in to start moving sockets and lights around.

I'm not stressed. Really I'm not. Just because when I lie down to sleep at night I've got 3,000 things going on in my head...it's to be expected.

I keep telling myself how much it will be worth it and that in 3 months time, we'll be settled in and comfy.

I keep pinching myself as to how lucky I am to have an awesome man who gives up a perfect weekend to bike around Norfolk to demolish my kitchen and haul dead appliances to the tip.

8 comments:

  1. There's no logic to contacting organisations by phone. Sometimes you get straight through to a helpful human being, sometimes you get one tedious number-menu after another - and then get put on hold for half an hour. Yes, if you can go round in person, that's ideal, but when it's an organisation that's hundred of miles away (like HMRC), you just have to fight your way through a pile of shite.

    Anyway, glad the remodelling is coming along, slowly but surely.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The trouble is Nick, sometimes you need to talk to someone fairly urgently...and then you are stuck....*sigh*

      Yes, it's happening...I'm going to be so glad when this is all over.

      I keep telling myself, if I do a good enough job, I won't have to do it again for another 25 years.
      xx

      Delete
  2. When our internet was down a few weeks ago, I had to contact an organisation urgently. There was no one to take a call so I was asked to leave my number - I did, but later I decided I couldn't wait and went to the library to get on their website. Just as well, I never did get a return call.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's ridiculous! Arrgh! Just as well you rang them back.

      In the end, I drove up to the carpet place and strode in ready to demand why they hadn't picked up their phone all morning. It turns out the phone listed on the web is routed through head office. Their in-store phone hadn't rang all day.

      They did however, give me a print out of my receipt with all the contact number etc and checked my order.

      I was very pleased I'd take the time and drove up to see them rather than stew on the phone.

      Delete
  3. I'm looking forward to some project pix! Who do I call for that?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ghostbusters?

      :)

      I will start taking pix from now, so you can see.

      xxxx

      Delete
  4. Anonymous1:44 am

    "Work Out" - ?

    They have landed, abducted Roses and left behind .. something ...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. :D

      I know.

      I'm just tired of feeling stodgy.

      xxx

      Delete

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