A frustrating day with too many domestic distractions for me to turn my attention to the work needed to prepare for 'Plectronica.'
Emiko's car, which we took to the garage this morning, required quite a bit of expensive work on it to get it through the MOT. Cars are a regular drain on money, but a necessary evil these days. Anyway, I bit the bullet and paid the bill.
The British Gas salesman arrived and spent an hour or more surveying our house for the possible installation of a new boiler. He was nice and very persuasive and actually did a good job of selling the product and installation and who, incidentally, seemed to have a genuine appreciation of music, (which we discussed,) but I think the look on our faces when he revealed the price said it all. £4,500 is totally out of the question...
We have a few days to decide if we'll take up the offer but I'm afraid it's a no-go. Anyway, I gave him a couple of my albums in the hope that, perhaps he will forgive us when we finally decline the deal. I suspect he's on a commission basis, per sale, so I'm sorry to disappoint him. It's a tough world out there...
Tonight, after dinner and my usual 8 o'clock call to my mother to check on her condition, I finished the track I've been working on these last couple of days. It's essentially a backing track for the 'Plectronica' event but I've also overdubbed guitars on it so that it can be used on a future album.
The 'non-overdubbed' version has also been mixed to use in the live performance. It's tentatively titled 'The Institute Of Enchantment, Department Two,' (I have another track titled 'The Institute Of Enchantment, Department One')
which may also feature in the live set.
I really must start to sort through all this material and try to arrive at a set list and get it all mastered at Fairview, ready for the event.
Absolutely no artwork prepared for the merchandise stall yet. Nor have I found time to decorate the Eastwood guitar that will be auctioned for the 'Sara's Hope Foundation' charity which I support. Such a lot still to do, including equipment preparation and packing, guitar choices and what to wear, (always a problem.)
Have to get the new video components finished too and transferred to Paul (Gilby's) lap top to project on the day. The possibility of streaming the live event is still unresolved at this moment too.
Ok, it's nearly 11 pm but I have to get back to work...
Mr Nelson I sent a message yesterday but I had only just subscribed so you may not have got it.As a former heating engineer I know BRITISH GAS can be demons when looking at a boiler change.It does of course depend on the type of system (fully pumped ,combi etc) but it may pay very simply to go to your local PLUMB CENTER and ask for a recommended GAS REGISTERED heating engineer.They can give you an alternative price and as long as they are registered they can sign off the work with a valid certificate and that should not invalidate your BRITISH GAS cover. The boiler may also have a simple fault that can be fixed for a few pounds.…
Is there no other competitors to British Gas that you could estimates from? Here in (Alberta, Canada) there quite a few gas and furnace companies that have to be very competitive to get jobs. It tends to help get a better price. Hopefully there's something like that over there.