Floating hub blues

A short while ago, I noticed that something bad was going on with the bike... the ride felt seriously unstable and when I looked down, I could see the rear wheel wobbling left to right.
Bugger, I said.
Took it to the shop yesterday to get someone to check it out. I was expecting one of two diagnoses:

1. Loose wheel; or
2. Warped rim

Had it been the second I would have been pissed, as the wheel in question is less than 4 months old.
Fortunately it was neither. What it was was a loose hub. Which explains the travel. And the fact that the tire and tube were both shredded to ribbons (yes, I was riding with an underinflated tire and yes, for that I deserve what I get but shit man... a loose hub on a new wheel? Whaddafuck...) by the moving rim.

Ah well. Tuesday I'll be back on the bike and I cannot wait...

With my luck I'll get packed off for 4 weeks in Sudbury come Tuesday.