I know it’s only been a short week, but for me, it’s been action packed. There just aren’t enough hours in the day to get what I need doing. My ‘to do’ lists have gotten plain ridiculous; I now do them 3 times a day, morning, noon and night and I have added timings to each action. I need to stop doing this because it just adds to the pressure when I get to a certain task and I am lagging behind. Need to stop this at once; it just stresses me out even more. I don’t feel sorry for myself and I don’t expect anybody else to either, I bring the pressure on myself and I have only myself to blame. Plus, I always knew what it was going to be like with 2 flats on the go, it was always going to be hard going. No, if I am honest, its Phil I feel most sorry for; poor sod, he has to work full time, he works himself to the bone all weekend, the accounts still aren’t finalised and he has no time to write his book, actually no time to himself whatsoever. Plus, he has the delight of 7 and half weeks of daily radiotherapy ahead of him and I know he is scared. He doesn’t say much but I know; the tossing and turning at night and the early morning awakenings say it all really. But we will get through it all, we always do and besides, what is the alternative?
I made time on Wednesday morning to get to the gym, I only did a 3k run and a few weights but it was enough after 2 weeks away and I was glad I made the effort. Afterwards, I went to IKEA at 10am to get some bits and pieces that I needed for revamping our old bedroom units. First stop though, was the café for a very naughty hot dog and a paper cup of coffee, a real treat but don’t tell Phil! I didn’t plan to go into the showroom because it wasn’t on the list and I hadn’t allocated the time, but in the end, I couldn't resist and allowed myself a 20 minute zip through. And so glad was I that I did, I got some really good ideas and found a piece of furniture that will gave me inspiration for the main bedroom in the Caldecotte flat. Which from now on will be referred to as the CF; it’s amazing how a colour, or a painting or my case a simple piece of furniture can create the setting. On Wednesday morning it was a bright orange laptop over the bed cover unit that is on wheels and rolls up and down the bed, that did it for me. I can’t explain it very well but combined with the grey striped new bedding that my sister gave me a few months back that I have washing and ironed and a print that I have set aside in the garage, the CF bedroom will be contemporary and funky. I can’t wait to get started.
After lunch, which was veggie chili and rice, it was back at the flat for some touch up emulsion in the bathroom and fence painting. Normally I don’t mind fence painting, it is one of my issues and I can’t bear to see bare fences, but with 21 panels to do, I was a little overwhelmed to say the least. But as usual, I forced myself onwards and got 11 panels done in just 2 hours. I have to say it is quite rewarding and I was pleased when I got halfway done. I got home not long before 5pm only to find a very stressed out Phil. The signed deeds for the CF flat had gone missing in the post and needed to be with Sally our solicitor before Friday so that we could complete. Now, I sent them back last Thursday and this is the 3rd time that important documents have been posted and gone astray. With Phil on hormones, every minor issue is a complete trauma for him these days but it wasn’t such a big deal to me; worrying I know, because we would incur a fine if we don’t complete but Sally emailed the deed, Harriet signed again, Emma witnessed and I drove them over to Winslow yesterday morning at 7am. Problem, or should I say, situation (and fine) avoided.
After an early morning drive to Winslow, I took myself off to DW for a swim, a steam and a Jacuzzi. The place was deserted, which was great, probably because it is half term and I had the pool and everything else to myself. I was in Asda at quarter to eight and had shopped paid and after DW was back home by 9.30am. It’s true, I’m an early bird rather than a light night chick and shopping and gymning without many others around, is true bliss.
After Asda I went to Wickes and B&Q to suss out the kitchen prices. It’s amazing that there are so many deals on but they are not what they always seem. I have decided for the CF flat to go for the ‘off the shelf’ modern gloss white slab from Wickes; it’s the cheapest and we can jazz it up with tiles, kickbacks, splash backs and worktops. It will be fine. We are hoping that we maybe be able to use the base units but that will depend on whether we are happy with the current design. We’ll see; our strategy is always to save money but if it comprises the end finish then it’s not worth the economical saving.
As usual, Thursday’s lunch was fish and chips; it always goes down well with Phil when he is hung-over and jaded. And grumpy and even shorter tempered than usual, he is not great company and I was quite relieved when he took himself to bed last night at 6.45am. After fish and chips and mushy peas, which I always enjoy at the time then wish I’d never had them after I’d eaten them, I went to the OB flat to paint the finish off the rest of the fence panels. All 21 of them are now done but I can tell you it was a challenge and I had to push myself real hard. What a boring job, but in the meantime I got talking to the neighbours at the back of us who were putting their washing out. They were friendly, I told them my plan about lobbying the council to get the conifers chopped down and they were very encouraging, which is good because 3 of the blasted trees are in Tracey’s garden and 2 are in Marks. They both said that the conifers cause them great misery, they make their flats dark and it makes me wonder why they have never challenged the council before. I have taken a copy of my surveyor’s report which says the trees are causing subsidence to our kitchen and I have also pictures of the offending trees. I am going into the council this afternoon so I shall let you know how I get on.
The new carpet and the fitter arrived at half three to fit the main bedroom carpet whilst I was painting the fence panels. Worst luck, it was the little grumpy bald headed, bad tempered little chap that fitted our stair carpet at home. We always use CarpetRight because they are the cheapest and I pretty much, over the last ten years, know all the carpet fitters. This one is my least favourite, he drinks only water and conversation is a no-no. If it had of been one of the nicer fitters then I would have offered more money and asked them to fit a bit of carpet in the airing cupboard but there was no such chance with the small guy . I will do it myself and plus the paint was still wet. Carpet fitters don’t take the rubbish away which is fine, I can do that quite easily but at least the bald guy hovered, which is a first for me. I tipped him £3.26 which probably sounds mean. He hovered but his bad temper lost him points plus he referred to me as ‘missus’, another no-no in my books.
Today, all being well, we should complete and get the keys to the CF. Phil, I hope will finished @3 and we should, fingers crossed, if the 2 solicitors haven’t gone to the pub for a TGIF lunch, be able to have those keys in our hands well before 5pm. It’s an easy day today for me I confess; I am going to the gym first thing, going to get a John Lewis voucher for our agent (we’re nice like that) then I am going to the library, then the council offices, and then, after putting Phil’s baked potatoes in the oven I am picking up Jan from the OU and we’re having a a catch-up over lunch. I can’t wait. I don’t mind working hard but its good to have a break especially as its a Friday and the start of the weekend.
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