Sunday. I read until about 1.00 am last night before turning off the light and trying for sleep. I’m not sure how well I did or how long it took to attain it but I do remember sitting up very distressed after being out with Ju and losing her somehow. It was very vivid. What else is a little odd about last night is that I woke at 5.10 am sitting upright in my chair in the lounge. Being there isn’t strange, it’s not remembering going there that is almost as though I sleepwalked like I did as a child.
It being Sunday, very dark and grim with the rain from Hurricane Bertha, gifted to us by those kind Americans, bouncing off the pavements, I knew not to expect Michael up anytime yet. At 7.00 am I went through to feel the very grateful and friendly fish, make myself a piece of toast. throw my meds down my throat and make the first coffee of the day. I answered those messages that required it and made comments where necessary on my blog and others and amazingly was done by 8.30 am. Truth to be told I felt tired so decided to go and nod off in my chair again. It turned out to be more a case of resting my eyes than sleeping so I was still awake when Shock, Horror, Mike walked into the room under his own steam at about 9.00 am. I’m afraid I let him make his own coffee and didn’t really engage in much conversation though I did answer him. I just couldn’t open my eyes and didn’t want him asking what was wrong with them.
Last night Mike’s mood had been a bit off. He listed problems with the world, laid the blame where he wanted it and did everything in a raised voice. I’m not going to say he’s all wrong, he’s not, but his manner brooked no argument and unfortunately I’m a bit of a devil’s advocate ( even when I agree with him) trying to be calm and getting him to look at two sides. Perhaps he thought my quietness today was as a result of him flying off the handle.That was OK. Anyway, with the rain belting down outside, he asked what I wanted to do and I wasn’t bothered. Neither was he it seems. I did come up with some options but he thought maybe I’d prefer to work on and keep up to date until lunchtime. I decided to give it a go and returned to my room, but first, EBAY. I found something I thought Mike would enjoy and called him to see it expecting him to look and go. He made space on the edge of my bed and stayed so by the time it came to dress ready to go out for lunch he was still there and so was all my mail. We set off for lunch at 12.20 pm.
Traffic was slow and there were some small floods on the coast road where drains couldn’t keep up the pace. The weather was obviously good for The Ivy as the car park was well used. Luckily though our favourite table was free. Shella was cooking and Tariq was helping her as well as helping Angie wait on tables and make drinks. Their very pretty daughter Amber was helping in the kitchen area too. Angie made our drinks while Mike and I decided on food. Mike, pork, leek and chilli sausages, mash and peas with an apple and chutney dressing and gravy. Coward, pork sausages, mash and peas. While we were waiting we checked to see if Tariq had been able to dismantle Mike’s coffin for transportation. He had so fingers crossed we wouldn’t need he roof down while the rain is bouncing down. Dinner was lovely but there was no chance to chat to anyone today Tariq being so busy especially.I paid the bill and we prepare to leave. Tariq came flying out to help us transport the load to the car and even I did my bit, carrying the head part of the coffin which should go in the boot. Everything went in with the roof up. Yay, only I’d have to sit in the back behind Mike. Tariq gave us hugs and we left.
Mike dropped me off at home, rang his Dad to say he wouldn’t visit today with such a bad storm and then set off home. I was turning the computer on before he’d turned the corner and spent the next four hours there until I was practically straight. I had some toast and a tiny portion of BFG which I shall be forced yet again to finish on my own and then watched antique shows until 8.00 pm. I’m now caught up on mail, post finished and I’m going for a read. Night All.
Oh Mummy, you didn’t?
A Picture of Innocence
Monday. 3.07 am this morning and I wondered if it’s worth going to bed anymore, not that I do go to bed since I only lie on the top with the heat as it has been. I worked until almost 6.00 am then found I was tired so I headed for my chair. The fish would have to take a chance on me not being too long. They were lucky, I was up again at 7.10 am. I was even luckier as they didn’t seem to notice the extra few minutes I pinched. I didn’t bother with breakfast as I remembered the sacrifice I was having to make with the BFG. Having to eat the whole thing myself, I thought I might have some for tea. After all, I’ve got a full lemon meringue in the fridge too that has to be eaten. Still, I have broad shoulders and can take up this load.
I brought my coffee back to the bedroom and played catch up with the mail again. I made such headway I even managed to play with a couple of pictures to send to my niece being very careful this time not to send anything that would make her cry. Her boss would find it odd when she leaves crying on a Friday and returns crying on a Monday. When playtime was over I went back to work. I hadn’t bothered to get dressed as I’d no intention of going anywhere but a message from my friend Lis saying she’d pop in changed my mind about dressing. One look at me in my lounge pants and I wouldn’t see her for dust. She was coming at about 11.00 am so I had time to make myself decent and to make a real dent in the mail. I managed the mail anyway. Lis is coming because I let her know there’s an invitation to a birthday party waiting for her.
She arrived almost on time, just fashionably late perhaps by ten minutes. That’s OK as I was able to have a cigarette. Though I spray the room, Lis doesn’t mind too much as she was a smoker herself some twenty years ago and the smell doesn’t offend. I passed her the invitation ( once I’d let her in and seated her) then went to make her a coffee. She was delighted to be invited to Reuben’s 1st and was talking about kidnapping her grandchildren to take. I’ve openly admitted I’m not looking forward to it with all the strangers and their parents too. What if they don’t have jelly and ice cream? I’m hoping to go for lunch first that day and perhaps Mike will drop me off there on his way to his Dad’s, though he is a party animal and might stay a while. My nieces will be there too and may protect me. We had a good old chin wag as we both worked for the same authority and know people in common.
Lis left me at midday and I decided to have lunch and watch my antique programme. I wasn’t especially hungry so stayed with ham and coleslaw sandwiches. See, I still managed my meat and two veg. The programme was quite interesting, two teams of two people and an expert each given £300 to buy three items from an antique fair to then sell at an auction. It always struck me as being the wrong way about as they’re buying at the most expensive venue. Still, the teams bought their items today and each spent less that £100. A good move as the winner is the one who makes the most profit or loses the least. They didn’t seem to spend well today at all and yet one team made 3 profits and one 3 losses. The profits were £47.50 which they get to keep. I should have mentioned that the experts can buy a bonus item with what hasn’t been spent. One made a small profit and the other wiped her face. Sometimes the experts are atrocious including one I understand has now been shipped off to the U.S. to serve as expert on one of their shows. That causes much hilarity over here.
TV over I returned to work for the afternoon. Taking things easy until at 3.30 pm I decided it was time for a siesta which lasted till 4.30 pm. I watched quizzes then until, 6.30 pm and came back to get stuck in so I can skive off at 9.00 pm to see a programme where children or parents find parents or children they were separated from very young. For the children they often need to get answers as to whether they were deserted and unloved while the parents want to know how the children they had to give up have fared. I had my tissues at the ready. So I worked hard to leave me free and hopefully wouldn’t have too much post to do. But as is often the case the gods decided to have a chuckle. I came back all red eyed as you’d expect. It was a mother, pregnant young, desperate to find the daughter she’s been made to give up almost 40 years ago and a man of almost 50 who wanted so many answers about why he’d been given up for adoption, from his mother…the upsetting part in this one was that though the girl had given her son up, she’d gone on to marry the boys father and then had two more boys. In both instances the reunions were touching and the answers satisfactory to the children. There was a ton of mail waiting as though the post van had watched for me disappearing before dumping a sack load. It’s taken a long time to catch up and I’m tired so it’s off to bed I go.
Tuesday. 3.56 am Today. I decided to conduct a survey of all the occupants temporary and otherwise to see how long it takes them to become fully awake and functioning after waking up. Well, there’s me, and I’m fascinated to see that the moment I wake I’m functioning.No ‘coming round’ time, no ‘I need a coffee first’ time, it’s zero to hero. The fish I had to interview en masse as they were all waiting at 6.00 pm as though they knew food was coming.They said they’re always on the ball as they don’t sleep. I’m not sure whose voice it was that said “Unlike you who wastes all that time every day” but I’m considering short rations. Sarcasm, because it’s no longer legal to beat someone up. I wonder if the fish wrote that. Michael was the last to be interviewed and all I got was a couple of grunts. So much for the intelligent species.
I actually did well this morning and had the post cleared for 6.00 am when I went to the fish. I even had time to write a piece on the new blog about Robin Williams, another tortured comedian to go far too early. The same age as me in fact.I couldn’t be bothered with breakfast but decided I’d have some toast when Yvonne and I meet up for coffee. I can take my food tablets then. So, I just shoveled the normal meds down and took my coffee through. I got dressed for the weather since the internet and my phone app both show Chester and here as having a bright but showery day with heavier outbreaks this afternoon. By 7.20 am I was up to date again . Time to struggle into the backpack and pick up the bag of Ugo’s birthday gifts for tomorrow.I got as far as the crossing and who should stop to let me cross but my bus. As soon as I was over it shot off and carried on uphill to the stop. I mention this because I’m heavily clothed, laden with bags, using crutches and about to start slogging uphill to catch the bus that was just next to me. When I finally got there the driver said,” You should have stopped me I’d have let you get on there”. He sees me take the bus almost weekly? I texted Yvonne to let her know I’d made it and would be there in three quarters of an hour and I’d meet her half an hour after that. I hadn’t done half the journey when I got a text to say she was there early, how far away was I? A bloody long way was my answer.
We met up at 9.00 am in the cafe and Reuben saw me coming and broke into a big grin. He knows a victim when he sees one. I drew the short straw and had to hold him while Yvonne went to order. She came back with the drinks and put the wriggling monster in a high chair, he wasn’t happy and his lungs clearly told us so along with the rest of the City. Then toast and jam arrived and you could hear a pin drop. I enjoyed mine but of course totally forgot about tablets. Ah well, I’ll just have to have some of that lemon meringue for tea that I’been left to eat on my own.( sob). We moved on from the cafe to see if we could find something for me to give Reuben to unwrap on his birthday. Since his real gifts, a ball pool with balls is already at their house it won’t be going to his party. He has some nice coloured trousers I got a few weeks ago so Yvonne suggested a top in complimentary colours. I agreed so we went to look. Naturally today there was every colour but or his size was missing. I ended up getting a nice teddy bear with something like ‘A gift from Grandad’ on it.
We trogged around another shop and bought a few small gifts and odd items before heading off to Tesco’s to get some fresh bread and a few other items. That seemed to take a while so it was lunch time when we got out. By the door there was a man with a bucket on which was written abandoned dogs. I threw £1 in and do you know he didn’t give me one. I should do him under the trades descriptions act.
A place we’d eaten at in the dim and distant had closed down. Today we found it had reopened under new ownership and decided to give it a try. Very spacious inside and with a very helpful member of staff who took our order for drinks to give us time with the menu. When he came back decisions had been made. Yvonne was going to have a duck wrap, “Oh sorry, I think that’s off the menu today,” odd, because that’s where I found it. Ok then, Yvonne will have the prawn wrap on wholemeal , side salad and an order of chips. I will have the beef sandwich with a side salad and chips, hold the horseradish but yes to onions and mustard. He came back twice to check whether Yvonne wanted white or wholemeal, we were the only customers and he forgot! He asked how I wanted my steak sandwich and I reminded him I’d ordered beef sandwiches not the steak. When it arrived they’d held the horseradish, the mustard and the onions and I got crisps not chips. But the beef was glorious, so thickly cut and succulent all it needed was a little salt.
We left there and went to pick some milk for Reuben and intended to go our separate ways then. Unfortunately I saw the word Reductions written across the window of a shop so be fair, we had to check it out. In the end all I got was a teeshirt for Mike. We hugged and Yvonne headed off to change for work. Reuben was looking a bit bewildered and waving to me as they left. I crossed the road for my bus stop but realised Yvonne forcibly dragging me into that last shop had made me miss the one I’d intended to get. Gritting my teeth I faced the crowds and headed for the bus station to catch an alternative. I only had to wait 20 minutes.As it was the bust that took the longer route it took an hour and twenty minutes to get me home. The rain that I’d dressed for was bright, warm sunshine and I was very uncomfortable. I was also uncomfortable dropping off on the bus and then the driver would stop and I’d move forward and be woken up. And a little girl and mum got on. The mother parked the pushchair just in front of me in the space available. She was a bright smiley little thing but every time I nodded she shouted “Yerch” or something and that brought me back again.
I was in at 4.00 pm and spent until 6.00 pm catching up before having a ham sandwich ( with tablets) and a portion of lemon meringue while I watched Law and Order. Straight back in here to attack the other 100 or so messages with more coming in all the time. I was up to date before starting this and now it’s back for a last assault before bed.
Tit for Tat- He started it!
Wednesday.This will of necessity, If I’m to get any sleep tonight be a very short post. It was a 3.05 am start followed by a 5.20 am finish. A few Zzzz’s floated through the lounge from my chair before starting afresh at 6.50 am with the ritual feeding of the fish and the other morning routines. At 9.30 am I went to Pauline’s for baps and cigarette supplies before tonight’s visit. I worked all morning to lunchtime at midday and had some TV treats till 1.30 pm. Again I started work and was kept going until 4.40 pm when I got to see the end of a quiz.
The card sharps arrived at 5.30 pm and watched the end of a quiz while I made drinks. Then started the games. Two of scrabble. First blood to me and the second game to Matt with me being placed third. Oh the shame of it. Nomination next which Dil won easily with me languishing in third again. Finally Crazy 8’s where despite a great start I completed my hat-trick and came last. They went home grinning. Wash up, tidy up.
187 messages between finishing on the computer and getting back here which has made it difficult to catch my breath. It’s gone midnight and I want some sleep so I’m off now. I’ll try and get back to leave a music video tomorrow but I’m off out with Mujo so don’t hold your collective breaths.
Thursday.3.17 am today so maybe things have settled again. I’d hoped for longer as last night was fairly late but maybe I dropped off quickly. I don’t remember. The landing didn’t hurt either. (Sorry, it’s been a day for terrible humour today, and the day’s not even over). I paid a visit to the loo and decided to sit this morning as my hand was shaking a bit. Mike would say I’m letting my feminine side show again…too much, though I notice the seat is always down in a morning when he’s here.
I started work and since there was a smaller gap between me finishing last night and starting again this morning there weren’t as many messages as possible. I was able to delete three straight away from my main account as they were all headed ‘Please keep confidential’ which is the latest title used by the Nigerian con artists. One ‘Your account is suspended’ went the same way too. Just before 6.00 am I’d caught up and sat back in my chair for a cigarette. Big mistake, this chair isn’t as stable as my old one and I almost went a*** over elbow. I had to decide whether to face the fish early or to take a more leisurely approach. Since I swear they know what I’m doing before I do I thought it better to feed them first. The three plecs were waiting stuck to the glass like sentries so I wasted no time and with a cheery “Good morning” I fed them.
I went to take my food tabs and prepare for toast and coffee then took the rest of my morning meds. By the time I’d smoked another cigarette it was time to turn the toaster on and crisp up some bread from Tuesday rapidly going hard. As the coffee brewed on my wonderful Tassimo ( Kenco medium roast today ) the toaster shot my breakfast six inches into the air and I played catch. All I caught were three burned fingers. At least it was hot enough to melt the butter nicely. I bit into it, or maybe I should say I tried. The crust was like rock and I nearly lost my remaining tooth. And that’s the tooth, the whole tooth and..well you get the picture. I had to go all dainty and find the chain saw to take the crusts off. What remained was small but perfect. I swallowed the after meal tabs and took my drink to the lounge where I wriggled a comfortable place on the cushion with my bottom, drank my coffee, closed my eyes and nodded off. Bliss.
I recovered consciousness at 7.45 am and went back to work with a new lease of life. As I did the work more came in. Nothing too much but I knew the box needed to be clear when MuJo arrived as it would be a while before I got back to it. I got dressed about 9.30 am in case they arrived early and nearly had to get changed again when there was a huge THUD. The postman had delivered a thick Christmas catalogue. Knowing I had no time to look at it I put it on the arm of the settee unthinkingly. I was up to date at 10.40am when I went through to the kitchen and saw Mujo approach.As it looked fairly warm out and John was in teeshirt I prepared cold drinks. John took one look at the catalogue and tore off the wrapper to see what special offers there were. Muriel told him off saying maybe I’d like to be the first and then picked up some photographs off the table and started looking through those until John finished looking at the ‘special’ pages and handed them over to her. For a few minutes I might not have been here. John was very complimentary about the photo wall and Muriel commented how much my father looked like his mother until I pointed out it was my mother’s mother and they didn’t have a car.( Go on, it’ll come to you. lol).
Not long after they got here there was a sound outside and Muriel asked if it was the binmen. Before I could answer there was a knock at the door and it was the gasman come to read the meter which was supposed to have been changed for a smart meter at least 6 months ago. Next time he’ll have to do his own scrambling to reach the meter and maybe they’ll get the job done. Two minutes after he’d gone a large delivery van drew up and Muriel said it was coming here. It turned out to be the bookcase I’d ordered earlier in the week for delivery tomorrow. I shouldn’t have carried it. We left about 11.15 to head towards lunch but also because I wanted to look for some postcards to send to a friend in Spain. I can’t believe how hard it is to find postcards in my town where there is a sacred well centuries old. Eventually I found some and took them to the post office to get stamps for them. A flight to Spain to deliver them would be cheaper. We went to John’s favourite chippie for lunch where he and I had liver and Muriel just a piece of chicken. It was very filling. From there John went to a charity shop ( where I bought a lovely magazine rack two weeks ago) and bought himself an oil painting of two galleons at war. Then Mu who I think had been buying some potatoes joined us and we went to the car and headed for Flint. The first job on arrival was to visit my favourite shop to buy chocolates for Temptations. As soon as I’d done that we could go for a drink. Ceri was in and she was grateful as they were all in a chocolate mood she told me. Lucky it was a big box then.
After drinks we did a few more shops without buying much and then headed back to my place. Once in I opened a small tub of ice cream and shared it between the two of them and had one of my dark choc ices. We nattered on for a while until they decided it was time to go at 4.45 pm. I waved them off and from that time on I was glued to the chair until 7.00 pm when I went to watch two old episodes of MASH. The humour is still as crisp as ever even though the war isn’t Korea these days. After that I took my evening meds and came through to finish my night’s work, which I haven’t forgotten means I owe a song from yesterday too.
Friday. When I woke at 3.07 am this morning I knew I was still tired but I wouldn’t get back to sleep just then. Fair enough, perhaps I will after doing some emails, I thought. I worked until 5.45 am and decided since I had the upside down imprint of my keyboard across my forehead that I’d give it a go. It took a while to do it but I dd . I nodded off in my chair and didn’t wake until 8.00 am. I knew this fish weren’t going to like the delay but I still hesitated and took my drug drawer through with me. After taking my morning meds I started filling the boxes with meds for the next week. I replaced empty boxes with new ones I’d ordered Monday and turning round to dispose of the empty foils what did I see? The fish, I’d forgotten them again. That became my next job and they studiously ignored me by sticking their heads against the end of the tank furthest from me. Stuck up little beggars I thought but wasn’t about to voice it. I took my food tab next and had a cigarette to time me for making the toast and eating it. I made a coffee whilst the bread toasted. Having eaten the toast I took my after food meds and took my coffee through.
As it was now 8.45 am it was time to be dressed which I did before doing some more mail. At 9.45 am I took a walk to Pauline’s for milk in case Mike is coming this weekend and renewed my lottery tickets. I also sent off the first of my three postcards to Espana. Coming home again I put the milk away and decided to clean my Tassimo that had shown the red light at breakfast. It normally takes about 20 mins and I was getting rather worried at 40 mins before it finally finished at 45 mins. Then I had to rinse things and set the machine to clear itself…. at least 4 times it said so that the whole job took over an hour. By now it was fast approaching lunch time so I cleared up my post and at 11.45 am took some micro-chips through to the kitchen. Again I took a pre food tablet them placed some ham on my plate and finally had a cigarette to time myself. Finally I was able to put the chips in and butter myself a bap. Ham. chips and petit pois was a nice meal especially since the bap was nice and soft for a chip butty.
I enjoyed my lunch and was ready to watch my antiques show. I must have been halfway through when I found my eyelids needed checking again. I wasn’t away for long as I was awake for the auction but I thought of how embarrassing it could have been just 15 minutes sooner. I’d have an impression of my face in the peas and funny green buboes all over my face. I turned the TV off and came back to work. Strange , no message from Mike, it must be that he’s gone to his Dad’s first to help him find shoes so I’ll probably see him about 7.00 pm. I worked steadily through the afternoon and finally got a message at 5.00 pm to say he’s on his way but from Rugby so it’ll be three hours before I see him. By 6.15 pm I’d had enough so grabbed an ice lolly and went to watch some of the European Athletics. I felt so sorry for the competitors performing in the rain. At 7.00 pm I went for a shower and shock, horror, I had to was my own hair this week. If you’re not eating and don’t have a weak stomach try to imagine a 6ft fella bending double in a very small space so he can wash his hair upside down and try to keep his balance at the same time. Mission successful though very uncomfortable but no angina attack. I did however have an Olympic swimming pool on the floor outside the shower. Drat! I may need to work on this a bit.
Mike arrived at minutes past eight and was in annoying mood from the start.”Whoever it is has won the bet” he said pointing at my Mr. Men lounge pants. I heard all about his battle with the coffin bookcase and felt guilty about mentioning mine. Mind you, he hasn’t mentioned any help yet either. I watched an NCIS episode with him though I didn’t hear it as the mouth was on top form. I listened to him say he’s got a lot of time off in the next two weeks and threaten me with spending it here. He knows all about low blows. Then I came through to start work and he’s been in three times to disturb me and stop the creative flow ( or that’s my excuse anyway). He mentioned that he has been convinced for a long time that the Bjork song It’s oh so quiet is a remake but couldn’t remember who’d done it. Today he finally found out and I had to be treated to a listen. My mistake when I said surely whoever it was wouldn’t scream like Bjork. So, dear friends, guess what piece of music from 1951 I’m going to leave you with tonight. A song as old as me!
Saturday. 4.45 am came the rising of the lark this morning. It must have been a little foggy out as he came to the surface coughing and spluttering though being the perfect gentleman he is, he did keep one wink over his beak so as not to disturb other little birdies. Excuse me while I roll round the floor in merriment and mirth for a minute at that thought. Armageddon wouldn’t disturb certain little birdies. I checked my lottery first and once the tears had dried started on the mail . There was quite a bit but I was in high hopes of finishing before we went out by using the old formula eeny meeny miney moe to decide which ones I binned. I settled on anything with a vowel in the first word.
At 6.30 am I was quite close but decided to break away to get dressed ready for depositing the rubbish outside. I couldn’t face breakfast so went straight into battle with the fish who I’m quite sure knew it was Saturday and a no feeding day as they were swimming round in circles with little placards saying ‘Eekwul Rites 4
Fush
Fish’. Look I know they go round in schools but I never said they were intelligent, just sly.I could see the bubbles coming from their mouths but mercifully could not hear the chant so gave up and fed them. I had my meds and grabbed the food waste to take out, collecting the paper, tin and plastic on the way then deposited them at the end of the path. It was approaching 7.00 am so I put the stuff in Mike’s cup and boiled the kettle. It’s not true what they say by the way, a watched kettle does boil, and just as it did the alarm rang. Just as Mike turned his alarm off and before he could fully regain deep sleep I announced his drink quite cheerfully (and loudly).There was a definite OK in the grunting somewhere so I grabbed my own drink and went back to work until the alarm rand again or until I threw a cup of water, whichever came first. I brought the mail up to date, YAY. My timing was perfect, the alarm sang again and I called in his door about not letting his coffee go cold. “Ohyesohyesohyesohyes” he said and the legs swung to the edge. Hard luck for him that I’d already departed before those toenails could pin me to the wall like a butterfly.
I know you’ll be shocked to hear that we left the house a tad later than 7.45 am and were well on the way to our destination before the eight o’clock warning came on the radio. At five past I was at the cash machine hoping the bank manager was off duty today.It didn’t take very long to do the shopping. I thought putting food in the basket would just encourage him. We stopped for coffee as my mouth was very dry and I hadn’t brought any pastilles out. Then as I stopped for cigarettes Mike who was desperate to smoke one went outside and loaded the bags into the car. This break in routine was to prove costly later.
We headed for Flint so Mike could drool over and banter with Ceri at Temptations. I have to say there are few men who wouldn’t drool. First though we walked over to buy chocolates for the girls and to pick up a few odds and sods here and there.That was when we discovered Mike had left the rest of my shopping bags on the handle of the trolley at the supermarket. Ceri wasn’t on the counter when we went into Temptations but young Kyle made our drinks without having to ask what was wanted. We’re like furniture in that place now. Ceri appeared from upstairs where she’d been making sandwiches and immediately began saying hello to everyone. So many regulars now. She was telling us she’s due to go away soon on an activity holiday and has to use a trampoline which sen Mike into paroxysms of delight at the thought. A lot of laughter later we moved on. I picked some choc ices up from the frozen food shop then we headed home. I mentioned to Mike I’d found out a road we knew connected with another road we knew…unbeknownst to us. We detoured and followed it. We unpacked and put away then Mike did Ju’s flower while I tried to catch up on mail…the Internet WAS DOWN (sob). It took ages to figure out I’d knocked a wire and to get things going again so that when we left for lunch I had still got a long list.
We arrived at the Ivy to find someone (Tariq) had started putting up a fence either side of the entrance to make it look nicer and more welcoming. It was an excellent job. We sat down inside and it was fairly busy. Angie was serving at the counter and it seemed Tariq was assisting in the kitchen as well as serving the food. Angie made our drinks and as we got them Tariq brought an order out and came to say hello. He asked Mike about the coffin bookshelf and whether it had gone up OK and as per instructions. So began a saga that included visual representations by knife and fork. It seems the sides had attached to the top fine and the base to the sides.It appears the first three shelves from low to high had gone in nicely but when the last shelf had to be forced into position and Mike had started screwing ( I really shouldn’t use that term in connection with him) it appears the top had sprung on one side leaving the screws in the wood and the top split where the screws had been. My eyes glazed over but Tariq being the nice man he is offered to redo that section again. We had the company of an elderly gentleman at our table for lunch which meant that for 5 minutes the conversation was a lower key than it often is. It didn’t last long and he was soon joining in.
Lunch over we came home again and I had no excuse not to start work again. I stayed at it until about 6.15 pm then made some tea for us and watched a bit of TV but at 9.00 pm I had to excuse myself again and come back. I’ve done as much as I can for tonight so I’ll just wish you all a Great New Week and send Hugs Galore.
First Shoes
How do they look Mummy?