Seems I have just witnessed the company make another little step nearer that elusive goal of 'success'.
Three cheques gone out which completely use up all the bank loan we received last week. But we are still in some considerable credit (nearly 4K) which is unprecedented by our humble standards, especially when I look at the files and see that we are carrying nearly 5x that amount in invoices owing! We did get lectured a bit by the nice man when he realised that we do actually carry nearly 105 of our turnover at anyone time, and that we are still owed nearly £5K from before Christmas...
But what can you do?
Phone people, they say yes, the cheque will come. they are dealing with it. Or we have to send the invoice again. Or the business has changed hands. Or this. or that.
We still have ADR chasing Chilton for £1600. That's gone beyond annoying into the realm of ridiculous farce now. Since he phoned me personally in january whenn the first threat of bailiffs arrived, and promised to sign a document guaranteeing to pay the money owed personally we have had nothing. He suggest payments of about £100 a month over a year. We rejected that, offering instead six payments of £250. Which isn't alot of money for a "successful businessman" living in a "new development" of apartments in Staines.
Obviously his lifestyle was a lie too. Why do people do this.? It's quite fascinating.
To actually ring me, personally, after six months going through courts and warrants etc, and still talk crap?
I actually find him quite an interesting character. Wonder what goes on there to make this all necessary.
All he had to say two years ago was - I'm sorry, I'm having to fold the business up and we probably wouldn't have done anything about it. But the constant promise of the money in a minute, and indeed sending and bouncing four cheques on us, has always suggested to me that he has means to pay, he's just being an idiot and playing for time.
What is frustrating tho is that the debt recovery Agency don't seem to have any means of getting the money back either?? We paid them in August to chase this guy after winning a court case and even getting a warrant in place by the court. That turned out to be a complete waste of time and money. But ADR say that "he's told us we will get a cheque by registered post on 27th February". So that arrived.
We have to await for it to clear through the bank
It bounced. no surprise.
We have to contact him and tell him it bounced (he will have got it back in the post) so that he can make alternative arrangements.
No - he's a lying bastard.
What's all this about "the benefit of the doubt" these days going in favour of someone for whom we have provided two years worth of evidence - bounced cheques, stopped cheques, dead mothers, lost cheques, dead budgies etc??

I do wrestle with the pursuit of this money and feel I should let it lie and move on.
D is less forgiving (ha ha...pun intended!) and I do think he's right about this.
It's the feeling that we have been lied to and taken for a ride that's annoying, more than the money.
And of course, if he does pay, would I consider doing some work for him again...

Ten teams took part yesterday afternoon, which was a great response, especially for something of which no-one really knew what to expect.
No-one got lost and there were no clues or questions that at least two teams didn't answer correctly, so i think I pitched it just right.
Everyone was very enthusiastic and kind afterwards and I am really please with how it turned out.
There will almost certainly be another one next year.
I stand corrected about the meal afterwards as well. That really brought people together and everyone was able to have a good old rant about "did you get this one' and 'what did you find for "the letter P" for instance. CB did a wonderful job getting all the food together (I know how stressful that is!) and again we had several comments about what a good idea it was.
Can't ask for more than that.

But it woould be nice not to have toothache. Or is it earache? Sometimes it's one, and sometimes it's quite clearly the other.
On my left side, which is wierd because my hearing is noticeably getting worse in my right ear.
I can't hear on that side on the phone hardly at all now.
I have never had toothache before, so it scares me a little. Haven't been to the dentist since I was 19 and it stopped being my Mum's responsibility.

Typical tho, because I'm scared too of going back to the clinic and having another sperm count. Not of that exactly, but of the implications when it comes back positive and I will have to go in for some "investigative surgery'.
The pregnancy has rather put my head back in the sand about this because obviously we are 'safe' again for the rest of this year and hence I have a tendency to put things of.
Brinkmanship, I suppose they call it. And while it has worked for me for so long in so many situations, it doesn't feel natural to take action earlier. I have always tended to be reactive, rather than pro-active.
Makes me smile to think that - the vasectomy in April last year was obviously a pro-active decision. And look how that turned. Some things are just meant to be the way they are...