Gas

Early this year I, and all my neighbours, received notification that a country-wide update of all gas piping will take place.  We were warned that gas to the road would be turned off all day and that on the same day access to our homes at 8.00 a.m. would be needed in order to turn gas off at the meter and later, and more importantly, to reconnect.  Fortunately for us, however, we would be granted five days notice in order that we could make 'arrangements'.   

Time dragged on and it was almost time for my hols ~ when I would be away for 12 days with no-one in for either the 8.00 a.m. access or the switch back on when the work was completed.   When I called the office, they confirmed that the time frame for the work included my holiday period. I alerted the daughters who would be kindly feeding Tully in my absence so they could at least tell me if and when the work would be done and be present if possible.   

Well I returned from the Fjords and the Northern Lights ~ and there had been no work and no advice that it was imminent.  Which was just as well since England suffered a particularly cold, snowy February.   

On Sunday I went away for three days staying with friends in Devon.  Lo! and Behold! on returning home through wind and rain late afternoon on Wednesday I found a card in the mail pile (obviously posted through the door) letting me know that work would start at 8.00 a.m. that day.   No heat and no hot water!  Which is bad enough but what about the five days notice?  The card hadn't arrived by 9.00 a.m. on Sunday when I left!  Needless to say I had not even asked Frankie, who had been on Tully Duty, to look out for it.  

The most irritating things: 

i)  all companies these days seem to have 'partners' and there seems to be little or no communication and one gets passed from pillar to post with minimal result.  I made two calls on Wednesday night and five during the day on Thursday in which the person on the phone promised that I would be called back with a time for re-connection ~ which never happened.  And it was always the 'other company's' fault.  It was such a shambles that in the end I took the 'complaint' option rather than the 'enquiries' and that seemed to do the trick.  And the fitter chappie was a speedy, neat worker and even put back the things he had to move from the meter cupboard.
ii) everyone I spoke to kept saying 'you didn't give them access'.  I couldn't give them access because I didn't have the promised five days notice!!!
GRRRRHH

The road is a mess!  It and our driveways been dug up and will need to be re-tarmacked, there is mud everywhere and temporary fencing is preventing access to some drives so that parking is even more restrictive.   It's all rather unpleasant.  The photo (I nearly didn't post it because it is so horrid) of my drive and part of the road shows how ugly it is with the mud and all those yellow boards covering the holes but, of course, it will be cleared up ~ eventually . . .

P.S.  One the bright side: my home and I are toasty warm . . . and I shouldn't be such a moany old biddy.