26-Oct-2011 14:26

You Just Can’t Get The Staff…

After years of dithering, frightened of change & hyperventilating at the proposed costs, over the last few months the decision has finally had to be taken…

We have a pretty large front-drive to our house and the old ‘crazy-paving’ brickwork inherited when we purchased the house in early 1990’s has really become both an eyesore and quite dangerous.

The crumbling flagstones, circa 1950’s I guess, are now lifting badly due to encroaching tree roots from beyond our property and the holding cement is becoming softer than even the value of the Euro…

So, I agreed to the (ridiculously high) quotation and gave the job to a well-referred builder who has done fine work locally, and awaited his team’s arrival last Monday at 7.45am… and Tuesday 7.45am…

Today, Wednesday, two burly non-English speaking Albanian chaps, who are definitely not candidates for the Brain of Britain quiz show, turned up at 9.15am & began bashing the life out of my poor old, tired paving…

As I’m remaining at home today I took the opportunity to check upon their progress.

Thus far:
9.15am - Began work

10am - Found ‘em sitting on my doorstep having a fag or three

10.30am - Received ring on front door requesting (in sign language) 2 x strong teas & biccies (I responded, again in sign language, to ‘eff off and do some work!)

11.15 - Once again sitting on my doorstep having a break and not a sign of sweat on them

12.00 midday - On my doorstep once more eating (what looks like) wurst & mustard sandwiches with hard-boiled eggs and tea from an industrial-sized thermos flask (why the heck did they ask me for a cuppa if…?)

The ‘boss’ reckoned, when we agreed the job, that the works would apparently take maximum 3 weeks…

OK - hold your breath people and let’s hope for an X’mas completion!

'You just can’t get the staff these days' :-)