YOU CAN'T BEAT A GOOD WORKMAN!

When it is time for our boiler to be serviced, usually about the middle of December, I just send a text to our lovely plumber, Mark Lewis, and ask him what date and time he would like his bacon buttie.  This has become quite a regular thing now so he never has breakfast before he comes to us and we are usually his first call.

However, this year, because of Covid restrictions, I waited until the letter came from him and then text him to say we would like our boiler serviced ASAP but sadly, there would be no bacon butties for him.  His response was that he would have to have breakfast before he came!  

When he arrived at the door, just after 9 o’clock, he was singing “Santa Claus is coming to town” in a very loud voice - I just hope that Lynn next door was already up - because if not, then his singing would definitely have woken her!

Whilst chatting with Mark, we were pleased to hear that he had been working all through the last few months and the lockdowns.  However, he did say that although people often didn’t want their boilers serviced during the summer months, now there is the prospect of a long and cold winter, they all want it done.  

I wasn’t going to Blip Mark today, but when he was writing out our invoice, he showed me the Blip I had done in 2017, and which he keeps in his folder.  Looking back, I have blipped him every year since 2015, so thought I should at least keep up this tradition, even if he couldn’t have his bacon buttie today.  However, I did buy him a Cheese and Onion twirl when I was in Marks & Spence yesterday, which he said he will have for his lunch and hopefully by next year, bacon butties will be back on the menu - here are Mark and Mr. HCB enjoying them last year.

Things that brought me joy today:

Seeing a smiling plumber, despite there being no breakfast for him - he is always a happy soul.

Our boiler is still going strong - it was installed by Mark 13 years ago, so he did a good job then and we are grateful that he does a thorough job every time he does the annual service.

Mr. HCB putting up my favourite pictures in my Quiet Room - I'm going up there for the afternoon, so looking forward to that.

“Men are more important than tools;
     if you don’t believe so,
          put a good tool into the hands
               of a poor workman.”
John J Bernet