If you like it you'd better put a roof on it!

After what seems like an epoch, the roof arrived today.

Here was the plan:

1. the roof would arrive on a small truck which could get down the lane to the house.

2. it would arrive at 10 a.m.

3. it would be unloaded by Russ with the telehandler

Of the above, what do you think went wrong?

Well, it arrived on a small articulated lorry.

At 8:30 a.m.

Mucho problemo.

Ryan, MD of Cladproof the company installing the roof, couldn't get there until 10. Oblivious, I arrived at 10:05. Russ, who'd come from another job quite a distance away to offload the panels, was already there. When I arrived the big hold up was a van parked on the opposite side of the road to the access lane - the lorry simply hadn't enough room to manoeuvre. On it, Russ knew the owner of the company van. The response to the call was that the guy who used it was going on holiday to India and might alrerady have left. Another phone call later and it was established that he was having a pre-trip haircut. It was now about 10:30 so not too bad.

We nattered...

and nattered...

The lorry driver was a great guy from North Wales. We had a good chat about walking and climbing in Snowdonia...and the time dragged on.

More phone calls. Nothing.

Eventually, at about 11:45, the van owner arrived back. I expected him to be scalped or have the sort of coiffure only availabel from some top-class hairdresser but, no, he'd been shopping - presumably to get some suntan lotion and Pepto-bismol.

Then the action started.

I consider myself a good driver, able to parallel park like the best of them; able to reverse in a straight line - IN A CAR!! The lorry dirver was amazing! At times he had 2-3inches in which to manoeuvre and yet he did it with no stress and superb good humour.

Pretty soon Russ was offloading and the panels were stacked.

As I write, they are due to be fitted next week as long as rain, snow, gales and fog don't get in the way.

Fingers crossed!