New Glass

I finally got my glass atrium roof panel replaced.

It broke years ago and I'm really not sure why now, but it never occurred to me to get it fixed on house insurance. And when I did think to get it fixed on house insurance, I'd changed house insurance companies several times and then it just didn't seem ethical to charge it to an insurance company, three insurance companies, maybe more, passed the insurance company I was insured with when it broke. Oh yes, I know, stupid me. Most people wouldn't give a shit. Stupid me.

It broke when Fergus tried to make some adjustment to the window box on the window sill above and it tumbled off.

How many years ago did Fergus die? More than I care to remember. Many years ago. Lovely Fergus, the first of my great best friends to die.

Anyway, last year I decided to get it fixed. So I got some quotes and they were astronomical. $4000. (Jasus! I just want some glass, I don't want your first born son) The big glass companies claiming safety measures being the reason for their eye watering quotes. $4500. (What? I don't want to buy your fucking company) And I started regretting changing insurance companies. Not screwing the insurance company...

Anyway, in the end, the cheapest quote was $1300, but by the time I got to that I was exhausted by the process, and I kind of faltered and didn't proceed.

Fast forward to recently, I emailed the $1300 saying I wanted to go ahead with it, but I got no reply.

Damn it!

Then I saw a glass van outside in the street one night and I went out and asked the tradie guy in the driver's seat if he wanted to come in a give a quote. "No, mate, call the office and make an appointment."

I was a bit miffed over that. Really? How hard would it have been?

Very recently, there was a handsome dark-haired, olive skinned guy fixing a a broken window on a shop around here and I asked him.

(Yeah, sure, I wanted to see him in his undies)

I had photos to show him. He said the $1,300 quote was clearly a mistake and said I would struggle to get it fixed for any thing near that price. He could do it that afternoon for $2,300. Says yes, sign up now, and he'd set the wheels in motion.

"You will never get it fixed that cheaply, they clearly made a mistake with their quote."

Hm, I see, a little too slick, Mario, I'll let your hot arse know if I want to go ahead once I've given it some thought.

Once, his handsome face would have got me to sign up, well, maybe, but not anymore. I guess that is called growing up.

Then Kim came around. He suggested the same glass people as the guy sitting out the front in his car that night who didn't want to come in and have a look, so I called them up. They said they'd come to quote in a couple of days.

They quoted $1300. I gave them the go ahead.

They arrived today at 8.30am to fix it. Bruno and Otto ran to the front door to greet them, before I could stop them. When I opened the door, the big strapping tradie took off for the front gate at the sight of them. "Sorry, mate," said muscles. "I'm scared of dogs."

Oh, really, I didn't even bother saying they won't hurt you. So Bruno got locked away upstairs and he was none too pleased about it. Otto got locked in his crate, from where he was heard to complain a couple of times.

And the new glass was installed after all these years. So its done. Something crossed off the 10+ year list. Lovely.