It's not Rocket Science ...

... probably more like Domestic Science

On the work front I finally buckled down, completed my preliminary analysis of the latest project and wrote a lengthy e-mail asking for a huge amount of pretty fundamental information. Basically my colleagues in India appear to have chucked some numbers together with minimal input from Europe. The next phase of the project will be to provide a price open to acceptance and we are going to need something a whole lot more concrete than a "best guess" if we are to actually make any money on this deal. Fundamentally I do not have a lot of faith in the lead team's ability to estimate European costings and I also have a raft of questions about how their solution will actually work ... and don't get me started on how they will manage to resource it.

It is probably time for an analogy. I like analogies.* It is as though the Indian have told the client that they can provide a banquet and have provided both the menu and the price. What they haven't done is checked the price and availability of most of the ingredients or the availability of specialist chefs to cook them. If that wasn't enough they haven't actually specified what my kitchen team are required to cook.

Away from work the Dining Room is now boarded out and the bonding coat has been applied. Andy & Steve will be back in tomorrow to start the finishing coat. We also had the chimney sweep in to deal with the three most frequently used chimneys in the house.

As part of our ongoing clear out of "stuff" we have taken to advertising some of the surplus goods on eBay and one of these is a new Towel Radiator that we acquired a good while back due to total cock up by a DIY Chain. This was advertised last Saturday in an attempt to regain garage space and someone has actually bid on it. This was a joint cause for celebration as a) I get some space back in the garage and b) it had a £200 starting price ... Result!

On the subject of matters pecuniary, I also took a call from a Government Department this evening that has a special place in my heart on my hit list. It appears that they have reviewed my recent communications, made their enquiries and done their sums... I should be getting some good news in the next couple of weeks.

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* I have a strong suspicion that it is my brain's way of telling me that I have reached some sort of intellectual barrier.