Don't feel like it

I must admit to being a bit grumpy tonight.

My T-Mobile phone is of no use at the moment. The 2G signal has been unavailable since New Year's Eve and I've never been able to get 3G here. All very annoying. They say they are working on it but that ain't getting it fixed is it? Words is just words. I want actions. I don't want to be carrying around an expensive brick. My guess is that they don't have many customers off the transmitter and they can't be arsed to fix it. I'm giving them another week as I'm feeling kind - and because other than this blip, I've been happy with things. But if it ain't working by the end of next week then Mr Direct Debit is going to mysteriously become absent without leave - I ain't paying good money for no service - they can go whistle until it's fixed.

On top of that the bike is playing up - and this time there's no permanent fix. It's a Reebok bike and cost good money but by design it is poor. The main bearing on the fly wheel is sideloaded from the drive belt. It's not balanced so there is quite a twist force - too much in fact and the bearing is on the way out. I've given it a clean and some lubrication but almost no way to reduce the twisting force so it's only going to get worse until the day it seizes up completely - and I don't think that day is far off.

Next up my re-chargeable workman's lamp started to flicker. A shake here, a shake there got it going but it didn't last long. Then it worked no more. So I stripped it apart - it's all plastic these days and not built to be de-constructed once it's been put together. Suffice to say it isn't quite so waterproof any more. But after a bit of soldering it does at least work - even during the vigorous shake test.

Anyway, all of which means I'm off to put my feet up and laze on the couch. I just don't feel like it tonight...