It's not all work, work, work ...

...although I kind of wish it was. It seems I needn't have worried about the local paper because I heard back from the lady and she said she hasn't got the budget to employ freelancers. So you see I was right - all that worrying and planning I did about how to persuade her to hire me was a complete waste of energy because she came out with the one thing I can't argue against.
It was a very nice email though and she did imply that if she had the money she'd hire me, which is encouraging I suppose, and also said she'd keep my details in case the situation changed, which might be true I guess, although it might also be double-speak for "I'm going to file your email under W for Wastebasket".
To add insult to injury, Prince Charming sent out a load of emails asking for work to the Bristol-area electrical companies listed on the NICEIC website and this morning at 9.30 he got a phonecall offering him an interview. So, even bearing in mind that people in the construction industry start work quite early, he effectively got an interview for a job two hours after applying - and he'd only got up to C on the list of companies. That'll be the skills shortage that we're always hearing about, I guess.
Now he's stressing out about whether he might get a better offer somewhere else. The jammy git. And I'm about to catch another bloody bus up the M4 to work in London, again, although at least this time it's working with Sundried and the old Housing Today gang - I've been away long enough now for the office to have gained a sepia tone of nostalgia, which I'm sure will disappear at about 9.35 tomorrow morning when I have to sub Case of the Week.