I spoke too soon...

Categories: life

Date: 20 July 2012 10:43:19

I got to the end of the academic year with no student related dramas. Much rejoicing and jubilation took place. Then it all got dramatic. However, we are on the way to sorting the Out of Term Time Work-Related Mess. Oh dear, oh dear... Let's just be grateful I am competent with a spreadsheet, and had kept my own records meticulously. My main comment on the matter will be, "Quarts into pint pots do not go."

So, I am finally into the long weekend season. It really started last weekend, but I could not be sure I'd only managed to get that one because I stated that I'd made arrangements based on the fact my OTTW days had been agreed as Monday-Thursday. (Great fun was had at both events, I can still play the organ, though some quality time learning more about that particular instrument is required, and I can enjoy an evening in a city centre pub on a Friday night!)

In the meantime, my quarterly series of conversation with the Utilities Company has taken place. They go something like this...

Billing Date arrives. I take readings, I either phone them in or a meter reader leaves me a card, and I leave the card for collection.

Bill does not arrive. I phone and ask where bill is. We agree they have the correct readings. They ask for today's readings. I refuse to give them, as I play quarterly, the readings they have were for a quarters worth of energy, they have a word with supervisor, they generate bill on my readings of three weeks previously. I wait.

Bill does not arrive. I consider phoning again... sometimes I do phone again.

Reminder letter arrives. I phone, to pay bill, and ask why I've not received bill before reminder letter. The nice person checks, and yes, meter readings were given, (on date I phoned them in) bill generated (on date I phoned to ask why I'd not had a bill.) suggestion made bill must have been lost in the post. I read list of the five times in two years I've had reminder and no bill. Silence....

Twice, when I've phoned for the second time asking for the bill, the reminder letter hasn't arrived and we've gone straight to "We are putting this bill in the hands of a collection agency if you do not pay immediately." and the call goes,

"I would pay the bill if I receive it."

"The bill must have got lost in the post."

"Really, every time you send me a bill? And, on this occasion, no reminder arrived"

Silence...."You know, I really do want to pay my bills, it would be so helpful if you could send them."

I would change companies, but my landlady would rather I didn't, (even after hearing these tales of woe) and I don't want to do direct debit with such an incompetent company. To say nothing of the irregularity of my income, which is better in winter than summer. Which is convenient, as bills are higher in winter!!

I don't seem to have trouble receiving any other post, other than the occasional parcel which has been returned to sender as "Undeliverable". Well, yes, it will be if I'm not in, and you don't leave a card to tell me to get it from somewhere.

In the meantime, I shall take myself off to purchase a new travel mug, (that was a dramatic demise all over the office floor) and some new work shoes. See, now the bill's been paid, I know what money I've got to play around with!