As opposed to the Forsyte sage.
We have been attempting to get father in law a new telly. He broke his old one when he knocked it over then the one he was given as a gift gave up the ghost.
So yesterday we went to buy one and were warned that we may need an SCART to HDMI adapter, as FiL's old Sky box is SCART and nearly all new tellies now are HDMI.
"No need for that" says son in law, "I've got a newer model Sky box, you can have that".
Excellent! So we get the newer Sky box and trot off to Curry's to buy the new TV and HDMI lead.
We get the TV to FiL's house and unpack it.
There are no screws in the pack to hold the legs on to the TV. MrsC phones Curry's up. No, they can't give us the screws as this would mean breaking into the packaging of a new TV. They can however ask Samsung to send us the missing screws.
At this juncture I imagine various Korean assembly workers dashing around to get four screws safely loaded on the next supertanker bound for Blighty. But no! MrsC has a brainwave and we go to the village hardware store who give us 4 screws that fit - and refuse to take any money for them! How nice is that?
So, back to cheerful charlies gaff and we put the legs on the telly and stand it up. I notice that the stand bought last week by sister in laws boyfriend is shall we say somewhat wobbly.
I won't lie. At this point the old Crommers blood pressure needle did start to rise a little. But I know that VVers are all refined and genteel people, so there will be no swearing here. I may however use the word "rhubarb" occasionally.
Right. Newer Sky box set up and connected to TV. TV turned on, set up.
After several minutes of rhubarbing around I get the telly on. Sky news. Hooray!
I try and get Sky sports on. Error message comes up - old Sky card does not work with newer Sky box - Boo!
"Rhubarb me" says Crommers, "fancy that!"
So we work it out. We need the old Sky box, the old Sky card, the old SCART lead and... a new SCART to HDMI adapter. Which is what I said we needed yesterday...
So, back to blinking rhubarbing Curry's we go, again.
Annnnnd, they don't have an adapter. "Not much call for them" they say. Argos may have them however.
Do Argos have them? We go there. No they rhubarbing well don't. "Not much ca.." "Yes I know", says I through gritted teeth.
Back into the car, back to FiLs to inform him of the situation.
Then home to order an adapter from Amazon.
Hell's bells and buckets of blood. Five hours this took us and the telly still isn't set up right. I have informed MrsC that she can call me a wet old liberal if she must, but imo her family are all a curse and should be taken out and shot.