Minkyweasel World

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I used to dread the return of Monday after a weekend free from working but these days it holds less of  dread than it once did. I had plenty of rest over the weekend even though it was imposed upon me by my little ‘accident’, so in a way it was nice to be active again. I had but one job to do which was to replace a faulty motion detector in an apartment block. It was one of four detectors controlling the stairway lighting. not knowing which one was the faulty one I had to disconnect them one at a time. Typically it was the last one that I disconnected which was the faulty one! I had just visited the electrical supplier to purchase cable and a few other items including the replacement detector because I didn’t want to go to the job without one in order to save time although the supplier is quite near to this apartment block. A few minutes to change the unit and then test everything was in order and then I went by invitation to have a drink with the couple who deal with the maintenance of the building. I was back home by eleven o’clock. Whilst I was doing the job I mentioned that I was thinking of retiring from commercial work (meaning dealing with any work outside the domestic scene and that limited to very small jobs). I have not undertaken any industrial work for a few years now and the commercial work has been very much limited. I decided to specialise in domestic work as it requires less effort. As I am not getting any younger I now limit what I do and can pick and choose whatever work is offered. I don’t wish to fully retire but at the same time I don’t wish to be under too much pressure either. No sooner had I spoke of my intentions when my phone rang. It was a guy whom I’d done much work for in the past. He and his family have moved house a couple of times and have employed me to do any electrical work each time. The problem is the work he asks me to do is rather involved and takes days to complete because he keeps moving the goal posts so to speak. I told this guy last time that I may not be available if he calls again as even then (a year ago) I was thinking of cutting back on my workload. Well this time he is moving again and has a list as long as my arm of jobs he wants doing. I politely declined his request explaining that I didn’t want the volume of work. He asked if I could oblige him this time but I insisted that I wasn’t prepared to change my mind. There are plenty of other electricians about. I must confess that I do get weary of my electrical work sometimes when people are too demanding of me. So Monday mornings are no longer a problem to me in the same way as the rest of the days of the week.

Shirley Anne