With the TNT delivery service.

I have ordered two folding bookcases to deal with the overflowing mass of tomes in my book room, and was expecting them today, sort of, and looking forward to moving all my fiction on to them, thus leaving space for re-organising the history and geology and serious stuff into the spaces left.

After my afternoon nap between 2 o'clock and 3, I went downstairs to find the post and a card announcing that no-one was here to receive the delivery. The card was timed at 1:21.

At that time, I was sitting next to the door bell which is loud enough to wake the dead. I can hear it in my bedroom with the door closed. Not only was it open during my nap, but I also had the receiver of a wireless bell on by me, and there is a note in the window by the front door inviting people to ring both if there is no answer to the top one.

I heard nothing. I suppose the man may have decided to ring the wireless one, which was not on at the time he called, but he obviously did not read the note.

I now have to travel over the river into Essex to collect the stuff myself. I can't risk being in and not hearing the very loud bell again. This will either cost me £4 for the Dartford crossing, or I can use the free Blackwall Tunnel or the free Woolwich Ferry and a load of petrol.

I am going to make a new sign for the bell.

Why can't delivery companies deliver?

Penny