The gas man and déjà vu

This has just happened again. It happens every year, and some years I mention it and some years I don't. This year's gas man was Gary. We liked Gary 😀

And we're still alive. And so is the boiler. I've just thrown away the "do not use this appliance" label, as I always do, but maybe I should have saved it for next year. Sigh.

Waiting in

I am waiting in. For the gas man. For the second day. He's very nice, apologetic when he doesn't make it in time etc etc. But there are things I want to do, and I can't do them.

People spend a lot of time waiting in - I have a rich friend who seems to spend most of his time doing it - and it occurred to me some time ago that there is a gap in the market for an organisation called, say, www.waitingin.com It doesn't exist yet; at least I hope it doesn't, because if the writing comes to nought, then I might start it myself. You phone up, and a nice person with excellent references and a hitherto blameless existence turns up, and waits in. For the new fridge, or the gas man, or the very large parcel, or even the visitor you're hoping to avoid ("I'm so sorry. She's been called away urgently, and won't be back for a fortnight"). A good idea, don't you think?

It might even make a plot for a novel, or a sit com (sit.com)?

You saw it here first.