Double Glazing & Doubled Dutch

 

 It's been 'one of those weeks'...

We were due to have all our double glazing and doors replaced on Monday with the exception of our kitchen window, which was replaced 2 years ago, but alas they called on Monday morning to cancel.

Accordingly, I got on the old talking bone and set about them, pointing out that they were a 'big name' and I had, based on that, paid in full in advance. Furthermore I had three other contractors waiting in line to come in behind them. They apologised and rescheduled for the 24th... 

I hit the roof.

They rescheduled for the 20th...

I descended back through the roof like 747 with terminal systems failure.

They said, 'We'll see you Wednesday'.

Well, the arrived yesterday and brought the correct anthracite door and bay windows for the front, and also the same colour for the sides - which should have been white. 

AHA! So that was why they had rescheduled and not been honest about it.

A second hole appeared in the roof.

So, it was on the phone to the company and a simple ultimatum given - Sort this out or give me my 9 grand back.

They asked what I wanted them to do...

I pointed out it wasn't physically or indeed morally possible. And then I had an idea.

I suggested they supply a replacement kitchen window in anthracite, which they agreed was actually the best way for them. Resolution was reached and honour satisfied.

And so, amid the rubble last night, the memsahib and I settled to Watch 'Sharpe's Waterloo' and there was much sniggering from the good lady's sofa as the Dutch ran away and the Prince of Orange was made repeatedly to look like a grade a pillock. 

I took it in good humour and cheered when the French were mown down and 'Boney' legged it for his offshore holiday retreat again. All great fun.

And then it hit me that I had been called yesterday by a well known stalwart of the trade yesterday to ask if the 75 packets of Dutch militia was a typo...

Well, no, it wasn't.

Since my last post, I had decided to forgo the Brunswick contingent and instead focus on the Dutch-Belgians and so I ordered the 1 and second Netherlands divisions in their entirety and half of the 3rd division, as well as all of the Netherlands cavalry and artillery, with an eye to adding the other half a division at the end of the year if I have managed to control my spending at shows.

I have always liked armies which were the underdogs so to speak, the exception being the New Model Army, (but they were bible-blinded sheep shaggers, which offsets the frightening effectiveness on the table) and I have become quite taken with this approach to my fall into that disreputable state which is that of the decadent napoleonic gaming scene.

So, 16 battalions of militia are on the cards, and I think I may need to invest in some really good loaded dice.

But, I have to say that I am still probably as happy as I have ever been with my hobby direction and life in general in 30 years. Now I just need to get a handle on immortality...


TTFN

 

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