"problem exists between..."

...receptionist and chair."

I do now once again have a working light switch in my living room. I think I found the source of the problem with getting the guy out earlier.

As much as I hate being "that woman" (the one who calls and "reminds," and one of the things I loathe with the most blinding passion are getting reminders to do things I was already doing, because I interpret that as a "I don't think you're sufficiently adult or responsible to remember to do this on your own"), I called the electric place this morning to "confirm" the appointment for midday today.

The receptionist said, "Wait, let me talk to the guy...what is the number I can call you back at?"

So I read off my office number. She read it back, wrong. (She had done the same thing before with my home number). I corrected her. She read it off wrong again. I corrected again. And I rang off, apprehensive - and decided if I didn't get a call back within 15 minutes, as much as it pains me to be a nudge, I'd call again, just in case she was calling someone else on campus and not reaching me.

But she called back. Said she'd get a message to the guy, he'd call me at home.

So I went home, tidied the living room a little. I was about to boil the water for my lunchtime cuppa when the guy called and said he would be on his way "shortly," he was finishing another job.

So I quickly ate lunch (and, heh, this is how much I care about appearances: I had sliced ham and cottage cheese (yes, it sounds gross, but it's actually kind of good together) and rather than just grabbing a slice of ham out of the package and then taking another if I decided I wanted it, I laid out the ham and cheese on a plate first, and then put the rest of the cottage cheese and ham away before eating.)

I finished my lunch before he arrived. Even got in 10 minutes of piano practice.

Finally, he showed up, very apologetic: "She told me 702 [my house number is 720]. I was knocking on a door and not getting an answer until I figured it out."

So, it sounds like a numbers-transposing problem in the person taking the phone message. That's not cool.

Also, I learned that my house had apparently been incompletely rewired when it was rewired (long before I bought it). The kitchen and bathroom wiring are updated, as is the wiring in the room where I have my computer - but the living room still has the old wiring (cloth covering and all) in the switches at least. Ugh. So I'm thinking this summer I will set aside some time between the spring and summer semesters to get guys out to rewire the un-rewired part of the house, because I worry about old wiring and its potential to cause fires.

(Also, at least some of my bedroom has new wiring; when I had the switch redone in there it was newer wiring. So I don't know.)

This will mean a thorough decluttering of some areas, maybe even a short term rental of a storage unit so I can cram some of my stuff in there and make it easier for the guys to work.

Yes, I had the house inspected before I bought it....but I've found the inspector was a bit lax in some areas, and this was one. I guess he checked the bathroom and kitchen wiring and said it was all good. The upside of a rewire is that I can probably also request a second outlet in the dining room - I only have one and it would be nice to have a second.