Restoring the Old Girl

The impossible dream
Yesterday I finally mustered all my patience, courage and determination to......(attempt to) get our phone reconnected through Optus.
Before we moved out I contacted them about maybe deferring our contract with them for a few months, as the phone would need to be disconnected, the wall was being moved that the connection was on, and we wouldn't be living here. Not possible! No wonder they had to pull that 'Anything's possible' campaign so quickly. How ridiculous!
However, we have had the pleasure of paying a mere $50/month over this period, for which we get, nothing.
Now that we are back I need them to come and put a new connection in for us. The wall that the original connection was on has been demolished and rebuilt, so it's no longer there.
The girl I spoke to on the phone was completely and utterly perplexed by this. Apparently, this has never happened before in Optus world.
A few people later, I finally had a nice chap who said that Optus 'don't do that'. I'd need to call an outside company who would come and put another connection in.
Of course, I called them immediately, however all they were interested in was my credit card number. They couldn't tell me how much it would be until the technician came out to see me, but there would be a charge for that. There'd also be a charge if I made a booking for the technician, then cancelled it. Alarm bells ringing, I hung up.
That was an hour of my life I'd never get back.
At this point in time, I've put it back on the back burner. How can this be so difficult? Meanwhile, we continue to pay Optus for something that we are not, and cannot use, and presumably will continue to do so until our 'contract' runs out with them in April next year.
It used to be that you made a phone call to Telecom to get your phone connected, then you paid for your calls as you made them. Obviously this system didn't work for the telcos.
Off my soapbox and onto something brighter. I've started to make the rest of my curtains.

Our large refectory table makes a most excellent cutting table. The dining room is a sea of white silk/cotton.

Most everything else decorative has had to wait this week. We are celebrating a very important birthday in the household. Supposedly a birthday lasts for a day but here, the celebrations can go for five, six, seven days!

 I have started by post-reno detox. No dairy, gluten or sugar. Let me tell you, that doesn't leave much. But good news! On my afternoon walks I am nearly hypnotised by the scent of star jasmine. That means that balmy Summer days are just around the corner....