In the path to getting to the hotel/hospital on Tuesday, I was pretty pissed off with Black and White Taxis.  I phoned for a taxi at 11.50am to go to Clarkson Station as it was raining so heavily and persistently.  By 1.30pm nothing had arrived and I phoned again.  “Oh, sorry sir, we’ll get one for you asap.”  But by 2pm still nothing had turned up, after more than two hours. I phoned again and told them and they said do I want to cancel, and I did.  Grrr.  Obviously there are no taxis this far up the coast, or they don’t want the fare.  Lucky I didn’t need to get there at a set time.

So I got my brolly and walked to the bus stop (about 230m) in the heavy rain.  Not far but with two bags and a brolly and rain …  I had actually thought about driving my car around and parking next to the bus stop and leaving it there for the two days, but I didn’t.  Once I got there, I realised that would have been easily possible. There’s a parking spot off the street.  Maybe next time, if I have to.

So bus to Clarkson, train to Esplanade, walk about 550m to the 950 bus stop in the Esplanade bus port and get dropped off opposite the Mount Hospital. Not that hard, except for the rain.

Boring stay in the hotel.  No alcohol, no solid food, only the V8 juice I’d brought with me.  Old, cheap fittings in the room.  Nice bed, and immaculately clean and neat.  $175.

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There’s another point about the operations I was going to have.  This one was $1,500 (already paid and I suspect it will be non-refundable – I’ll have to ask for a rebate at least), but the subsequent one was going to cost $5,000.  Not covered by HBF or Medicare.

So that’s $5,000 I won’t have to pay and available for something else.  Maybe I can buy that new $1,000 camera now!

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My landscapers are back and working right now.  They were on another job.  No real apology, just …  Oh well.

PS:  They’ve just left and the job is considered done.  I’ll pay them the last 25% now.  It’ll be interesting to see if they want any more.  They didn’t say anything about payment when they left.

Just like the lawn, I’ve ended up with a paved path which is very nice, but not what I wanted.  Admittedly what I wanted was going to cost $61 per square metre, and they talked me into the ones they usually lay at $32/m2.  They’re very nice, but …  They also didn’t put sand over them to fill the joints.  I can easily do that, but it’s a little annoying.  Would I use them again?  Probably not.  It’s a bloody lottery when you employ tradesmen.

PPS:  I’ve just realised that I can easily use these “not what I wanted” pavers in another location on the side and front of the house.  Ideal for it. Just what I need.  That way I can have the tiles I want instead.  Money not wasted.