Been swapping texts this week with a chap selling a pair of lovebirds. Very frustrating.

I’d send a message like: ‘Would it be ok to come on Thursday during the day, and if so, could you please confirm and let me have your address?’, only to receive in return: ‘hi mate yea the brds are stil avalble ok’

Discussing this with a friend who’s been running a website for a decade plus, and he said that he realised quite early that, in his words, ‘when you’re communicating with someone by email or text, you should only ever try to make one point or ask one question. Any more, and it throws most people into a flat spin.’

Sad but, I suspect, sage advice. Ah well, it was worth it in the end….