You will remember, if you've been following this tale, that on Wednesday of last week, Martin (our builder) said we wouldn't be seeing him until Wednesday of this week or today.

However, last Friday morning we got up to find someone had delivered a large window. It was sitting on our front path. We first phoned the loft conversion company, who called Martin, who phoned to say he'd be around shortly to move it. Indeed he was. I lent a hand, moving the double-glazed panes as he removed them then helping him move the frame around to the back of the house - safe and out of the way.

Saturday and Sunday passed unmolested - if somewhat unsettled - and on Monday, as expected, the plumbers' merchant man turned up with a replacement toilet pan. However, this one had the same fault, being unglazed under the rim, so we decided we'd live with the one we had.

We heard nothing from Martin on Wednesday, so we assumed he'd be here today. At 8am, my wife phoned me at work, having chased him up due to his non-appearance, to say he wasn't expecting to turn up until Monday.

We've had three and a bit days' work done in the 12 days of the build... I admit to being not particularly impressed.