Flats, films and the start of radiotherapy

It’s been hard work but I am happy to report that we are bang on schedule with both of the flats.  I hesitate to say that we are actually ahead of schedule because that would be tempting fate but suffice to say that I have been able to bring the delivery of the kitchen forward by two weeks.  It should be delivered on Friday, fingers crossed.  I haven’t worked alone of course. Sue very kindly gave up a whole day and came and worked with me on Monday.   We started at 9am and pretty much worked continuously, only stopping here and there for a few cups of black coffee. Tea would have been preferable but silly me forget to get a new carton of milk.  Turns out, that Sue is a bit of a whiz with gloss and painted all of the door frames and the whole of the handrail. I got a second coat of emulsion done in the bathroom and also in the airing cupboard.  I also got a second coat on the kitchen walls and between the two of us, we got 2 coats of black painted on the white mirror.  It looks so much better painted black.

Chris Waugh popped by to have a look round the CF and was quite surprised by our progress.   He approved of the work and the kitchen design and remarked on the size of the bedroom.   Normally he is quite negative about our properties but no, on Monday afternoon, it was all positive.  Chris lives at Walton Park which is just around the corner from Caldecotte.  I hadn’t thought about the close proximity to Harriet when she moves in.  Not sure if this will be a good thing or a bad thing.  I suppose only time will tell. Sue & I made good progress and we finished work at half four.  We work well together and once again, it was nice to have some company.  I hadn’t realised it was a month since Alan passed away so I was pleased that I was able to give Sue a distraction. It’s good to have friends and in this life you’ve got to help each other.

Tuesday wasn’t as busy but as usual I wasn’t idle.  What’s idle?  I went to the OB flat first thing to hoover up.  Phil had left it in a bit of a mess after working there on Sunday but it didn’t take long to clear the floors and tidy up the tools.  From Oldbrook, I drove over to the CF to do some more tidying.  Again, it didn’t take long; I put out the rubbish, tidied paints and tools and had a good hoover round.   After Caldecotte I went to the gym.  I didn’t do much; some rowing and a 3k run followed by a shower and change.  I can never visit the gym without a trip to Asda for some supplies then it was back home to answer emails, sort paperwork and make some phone calls.  After lunch I went back to the OB to clear out the guttering.  They were absolutely full of mud, sludge, leaves and god knows what else.  Obviously they haven’t been cleared for some time.  A dirty horrible job and I was glad when I was finished.  Last job was to mop the floors in readiness for a viewing with Adam.

I managed to track down Adam who used to work for Morgans but moved to Prestige Estates just before Christmas.  We’ve known Adam for about 12 years and he disappeared from Morgans all of a sudden.  We’d been wondering where he went and it was only when we met up with Aaron who also used to work for Morgans that we learnt where Adam had gone.   Phil has decided he wants to put the OB flat with Adam at Prestige and we met up with him late yesterday afternoon.  It was good to see him again and catch up with all the news and gossip.  We chatted for well over an hour and at the end we signed a contract and handed over the keys.  We are marketing the flat at £675 pcm which I don’t think is a bad price considering the beds are small and except from the white goods, it is unfurnished.  Adam thinks £675 is achievable so let’s just wait and see.  Phil & I still have to plane the doors because since he fitted the aluminium strips they don’t close but that’s pretty much about it.

After seeing Adam, Phil & I went to the cinema to see the film Senna.  I knew that Phil was getting anxious about his radiotherapy so I thought it might provide a distraction.  Plus we have got into the habit of getting in our pyjamas at tea time and going to bed early so I thought it would be good to beak the routine for a change.  I thought the film was very good; funnily enough I didn’t think it would be my bag but Senna struck me as a lovely man and his passion for racing and his compassion for people really came out. The one thing that struck me though, was that Formula 1 hasn’t changed much over the years, it’s still about money and politics although granted, the safety has improved.  Phil was a bit disappointed with the film, he thought the film didn’t focus enough on the actual racing and the movie producers missed an opportunity.

Today is the day when Phil starts his radiotherapy.  It was a very anxious boy that went off to work this morning with his fruit and sandwiches.  I think it is the fear of the unknown rather than the treatment and I think it will be much easier after today.  When Phil gets zapped he needs to have a full bladder and an empty bowel, so as from today, we are changing our eating habits.  Phil will have a sandwich for lunch at work and then we will have our main meal in the evening after his radiotherapy.  I think this will work out okay; we can but give it a go.  Our first appointment today is at 4pm.   I have got bottles of water chilling in the fridge which he can drink on the way to the hospital and money ready for the parking meter.  I am just glad his first zapping has happened to fall on a Wednesday because this is Phil’s night out with the boys and at least afterwards he can have a few beers and chill out with his friends. I will let you know how we get on.