Sunday 10 July 2011

OK but not great

I’ve had an OK week.  Only OK, not great.  Work has been difficult, looks like \I’m going to lose my best contractor and my best permie.  I can’t compete with what they’ve been offered but it will leave a massive hole I’ll struggle to fill.

Mileage is mainly just work and back, not even every day.  Friday I satyed in to get my hands free kit fitted in my car.  This has been a nightmare to arrange.  I put the order in Christmas!  First of all they sent me a Parrot kit.  I rang up to arrange installation only to find that it wasn’t certified with my phone.  It would work with it and Parrot recommended it but Vodaphone didn’t certify it.  So I couldn’t have it.  So I ordered a different kit and was sent a Berry Uni-8 kit.  I rang to get that installed.  Sorry you need a de-install as well as an install voucher to take the old kit out.  Another order for the de-install, for which the voucher eventually arrived.  I rang again.  Sorry the separate de-install and install vouchers are only valid if you’re taking a kit out of one car and installing in a different car, you need a combined de-install/install voucher!  Eventually I got sent what should have been the right voucher, I rang again.  Have I got all the necessary parts?  Well I think so, I’ve been sent a box load of stuff.  Not so!  When the engineer arrived I handed him the box and he asked where was the rest of the stuff!  I said that’s all I’ve got, so he told me to ring the installation order line.  The woman there was really snotty, saying that I’d confirmed I had all the kit when I booked, I said I had a box of stuff, how was I to know it wasn’t everything I needed.  The engineer took the phone off me and said “Just sent the stuff” and hung up.  He could use some of the existing kit and all I needed was a snap in cradle I can fit myself.  6 months and I still don’t have a car kit fully working.

Jayne and I had a lazy weekend, we went out on the tandem yesterday, just into St Anne’s to go to Apple.  Liam got me a £20 voucher for fathers day, so I thought ‘d get a new rear mech for the Ribble.  I’ve put the compact double from Jayne’s Boardman on it, but the 105 rear mech doesn’t quite have the capacity, so I bought a Sora long cage mech.   Fitted it this afternoon and went for a couple of short trial rides.  Seems pretty good.  I was worried that the 9 speed mech wouldn’t work well with the 7 speed chain and cassette, but it seems fine.  Need to try it out over Boundary Hill.  When I first bought the Ribble it had a 21-12 block and 42/52 front rings.  I could get over Boundary Hill on that without much trouble.  Now I’m wondering if a 34 front and 28 rear are low enough?  Old age!

I’ve not reached my weekly mileage target again.  Need to do better next week, but I’ in Bristol for 4 days so probably a poor week again.  I need to go and do some long days, 70-100 milers to get back on track.

Miles for the week – 101

Year to date – 2973

Shortfall – 132

Cheers

Tim

1 comment:

  1. Looks like a case of "sometimes you get the bear, sometimes it gets you". At least I can get my mileage up for awhile. Good luck filling your employee slots. No fun.

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