test please delete

[ladymuck]

The chestnut tree seems to be enjoying the sunshine so much, it's starting to unfurl some of its buds

My hyacinth bulbs have flowered and are giving off a wonderful scent. I keep forgetting to grow scented flowers on my little patio. It's a shame I don't have a decent way to grow jasmine as that's a fab scent. Lots of places around here have it trailing about but I don't really have the right set up.

[NickFitz]

Part of one of the things I'm working on includes an interactive world map. I've just pointed them to this story about Microsoft getting into trouble with one of those, to explain why I'm so keen to use officially approved map data rather than just grabbing something off the Internet: Why isn't my time zone highlighted on the world map? | The Old New Thing

[DaveB]

So today has gotten very, very, weird.


Last day of the gig with what is now client A. Paper work for an extension was supposed to have been done but nothing turns up. Everything is disappearing into a black hole with Client Co. HR.

It all kicked off as they decided that all contractors were going to be PAYE or brolly, no PSC's allowed, from April.
Initially they said they would uplift the rates to cover the additional costs. This was in January.
In February they said they couldn't do that as they couldn't pay their permie staff any more.
2 weeks ago they said, OK, We'll pay the Employers NI etc. but PAYE is down to you, no uplift.

Now it transpires that the problem is that client co. are trying to pay me more money after all, an extra £50 a day on the rate, but hadn't told anyone. Paper work from the agency was sent across for £X per day under the new terms re. Brolly and PAYE, client were expecting £X+50 and associated costs so it didn't get processed and approved.

So we are in a position where the new schedule and agreements can't be drawn up in time to beat CoB today.
Agency are trying to get client to sign up to the lower rate contract as a stop gap while they raise the paperwork for the higher rate next week.

It's anyone guess what happens next, but I don't think I've ever been in the position of a client simply giving me more money without even talking about it first!


p.s. For those who are about to say "What about IR35 inside to outside liabilities etc, wait till HMRC find out" I've been in the gig for 3 months and I have the cash to pay any extra tax they decide is due should they actually take any notice. The chances of that happening are pretty slim anyway imo. There is no SDS, it's a policy statement on not engaging through PSC's and I have QDOS cover on the original contract. If it happens it happens.

[NickFitz]

It's anyone guess what happens next, but I don't think I've ever been in the position of a client simply giving me more money without even talking about it first!

Nice work if you can get it - or, in this case, get it sorted out in time

[ladymuck]

Logged off. That's me done and dusted for 11 days and a new project when I return.

[NickFitz]

Logged off. That's me done and dusted for 11 days and a new project when I return.

[NickFitz]

I just spotted a fundamental flaw in a key part of the User Journey, literally five minutes before the lead dev bunked off until next Wednesday, so now I have to sort it out while she's gone

Seems like a good time to log out of ClientGov for the day

[NotAllThere]

A week on Monday, we start shipping the latest support pack. The emails sent form one product sometimes don't substitute a value in the variables on the template.

Sometimes.

I have to fix it tomorrow as my tester knows where I live. Once this is done, I can start on the Eclipse plugin.

26°C max today. Was able to sit in the garden with some gin. Lunch was hot dogs in salad. Dinner is slow cooked beef stew. The beef was really fatty and I've added some bones so should be very very tasty.

[NickFitz]

Walk briskly walked, green ring closed

The temperature had been 23°C but has now plummeted to 21°. I dunno, first it was too cold to go walking, now it's getting to be too hot

[NickFitz]

Lovely tea tonight: roast gammon, chips, fried eggs and beans