My head gets fuzzier and fuzzier. I am sick. Once again, Bernard has brought home some sort of nasty bug, and shared it with me. He still has a rattling cough, but mine is worse; apparently breastfeeding doesn’t armour him against infections, but does help him to get over them comparatively quickly. Still, if he felt half as bad as I do, then he’s a stoic little chap really.
It’s muggy in here and I’m fed up of looking at the screen, batting emails across the world to people with unrealistic expectations and impossible demands. Every day there is some new annoyance, some surprising turn-up like we don’t have any interpreters in France, or I’ve failed to notice inch-high letters on a fax informing me that we can’t do something that I’ve planned to do anyway.
Meanwhile people are overcharging me for postage on eBay; surely that should be stopped? Maybe I will start a facebook group about it. That’ll show ‘em. Bernard’s childminder keeps giving him lunch in unsuitable places like the pub and the cafe at Asda. We have to be in Hook by 7.30 on Friday, leaving him with a babysitter for the first time; it seems very unlikely that we will make it.
I have a party to plan, with the added complication of children. I have never had a party with children at it before. What will they want to do? Is the house safe for them? Can they eat proper food? Will everyone leave before I collapse with exhaustion? Three of my antenatal friends are already pregnant with their next baby. Madness. Utter madness.
I’m still having nightmares about weeping angels.
I can’t help with most of it but: What will they want to do? -Run around, mostly. You should brush up on your sunshine spells and chuck them outside. Is the house safe for them? -Yes and they are not coming without parents to supervise them, are they? Can they eat proper food? -Yes, or if not their parents will provide. I’ll bring rice cakes for T, for example. - Will everyone leave before I collapse with exhaustion Yes IF you make sure the finish time is clearly stated on the invitation.
JUST DON’T EVEN BLINK!
You can report excessive postage to eBay, or mention it in their feedback.
I do leave neutral feedback, and invariably get shitty emails from the sellers saying I knew what the postage charge was when I bid… which I think is irrelevant, as I can’t know what the actual cost is until I receive the parcel; unlike the seller, particularly in this case as they are a shop selling the same items regularly, so they know damn well that they’re ripping people off. Personally I send a refund when I get the postage completely wrong, and I’ve also sent an extra payment to someone who seriously underestimated the postage on one occasion. So I reckon I’ve got a few spare karma points which allows me to call these people when they hike up the price.
When I see a postage cost I don’t like (which is pretty much all the time!) I send the seller a message before I make payment querying it. Most of the time they get back to me with a lower, and hopefully more correct, postage cost. That way I then leave them nice feedback.