STRESSED OUT!

Oh what a week it’s been; and there was me thinking all of the stress was behind me when it’s all starting up all over again, only this time it’s even more intense. But more about that in a bit and I really shouldn’t moan because bottom line, the stress is mostly Phil-induced. Monday was manic which was only to be expected after a fairly lazy weekend. I got up, had breakfast, put out the rubbish, posted a blog and then drove over to the CF to finish off the last of the glossing. I have had just about had enough paint and if I am truly honest, the doors need another coat, but a basic undercoat and 2 coats of white gloss is all they are gonna get.

After the glossing, I went to the health-club for a run. I hadn’t realised how much I missed my fitness regime even though I find it a complete bore but I do have the belief that if you don’t use it then you lose it and although a fag at the time plus a strain on time resources, I always feel better afterwards. After the gym I went to Caldecotte to have coffee with Sue at her flat. She’d been away for a few days and it was an ideal opportunity to have a chat and a catch-up. Phil didn’t go with me to the gym because he had some paperwork jobs and also he had a big appointment at the dentist in Wolverton. He is finally having his front teeth sorted out. I hadn’t realised how much they had been bothering him. He is having big work done, old teeth grounded and new veneers fitted. Phil did say he was worried about the pain and I did offer to go with but as it turned out, it was pretty painless and he was glad he went for the appointment. He goes back again on the 18^th for the new teeth and well, I just hope it all goes well for him. At the moment he is grinning with wide smiles and looks totally stupid; stupid but cute and when he is not grinning like a mad Cheshire cat, his temporary teeth look much better than his old yellow ones.

Tuesday was another manic day. Phil was up half the night and had me awake at 4am, I wasn’t able to go back to sleep and got up at 6am but Phil did go back to sleep so I made the executive decision to leave him and went to the gym. I was a little worried because I knew the heaters for the CF were down for a 8am until 6pm delivery, but fortunately they came after I’d left, but whilst Harriet was still at home at half eight, so she took delivery and signed the form, which was just as well, because Phil didn’t wake up until gone 9am.

I did an hour at the gym and then went to ASDA for supplies and then went on to IKEA to get a clothes rail (it’s a temporary thing) and a cutlery tray for the CF flat. The clothes rail was from Bargain Corner and was already assembled and I couldn’t get it in to my Chevrolet. Sods law, I didn’t have a screwdriver or an Alan key to dismantle, so I had to phone Phil who was already at the CF. He wasn’t a happy chappie but he came and got the clothes rail and put it in the Land Rover with no problems. I followed him back to the CF to hoover, put the boxes outside for the rubbish and left him fitting the heaters. They look good and I am pleased with them and Phil. As we had 2 cars I left Phil and went home to let in Rachel, Harriet’s friend who was coming round to cut my hair. Rachel did a dry cut but it turned out good even though Phil said it looked like she had put a basin on my head and cut around it. Thanks Phil, I love you too!

When Phil got back from the flat, we washed up and drove over to Overstone Caravan Park to view some caravans before going on to the Luke Radiotherapy Unit. Unlike Billing, we liked Overstone Park immediately on entering the park. Julie, the sales girl was helpful and gave us keys to 3 caravans and we viewed them alone, which was good. The one we liked most was the cheapest at £11K; the caravan that I thought I would like most from viewing on the internet was £26K but actually the cheaper one was my favourite. We went back to the sales office and asked some questions. Julie asked for a 200 quid deposit but we declined and said we’d come back the following day. I always think it’s best to discuss and take stock; I do believe on acting on instinct but we’ve been caught out making quick decisions many times before. Like they say, a wise head is normally an old head. Is that a saying or I have I made that up myself??? I don’t know.

Radiotherapy was running late on Tuesday but we got on the M1 and were back home by half five. We spent the evening watching the last of series 8 of 24. It’s been stressful and I am glad it’s all over. We’ve watched the whole series of 24 over the last 8 days; I’ve enjoyed it but I am pleased it’s all over now. I like watching happier things and don’t like going to bed stressed. Please, I have enough of that in my real life!

Wednesday was not a relaxing day; I drove over to Cranfiled and was there by half eight. Mad Betty-cum-Emily was there at the window, all ready and waiting. Because she is half nuts she is a girl with no friends so my coming to paint and sort the flat was probably the highlight of her week. I opened the lounge blinds and the windows and she talked to me whilst I worked; it wasn’t a big deal, Phil can’t understand why I tolerate her but although she does test my patience sometimes ( and I don’t have an lot of that) she is lonely and at heart, she’s not really a bad person. She had the not-all-there screaming (and I mean screaming) 7yr old in tow so she was a bit tied up and in the end how to go inside play the X-box. This was good for me because otherwise she’d have been round, actually in the flat, stopping me working.

I made good progress. I painted the lounge walls although not the ceiling. There were scuff marks and it wasn’t my best paint job but it looked loads better when I’d finished. I also paint the kitchen because there was some mould residue and a few scuff marks. Whilst I had the paint tray I also painted the bathroom ceiling but had to stop when the plaster came away in a couple of places. The agent had had a cleaner in the day before for a ‘sprinkling clean’ but it wasn’t to my standards so I cleaned the place from top to bottom. I replaced the shower curtain with a new one; put down a bathmat raided from my airing cupboard with matching grey towels and cleaned the outside windows. The place looks good to go and now I am comfortable for happy viewings. Really, I should have done this last week. Procrastination is not good for the soul, well, certainly not mine anyway.

It took me 4 hours at the Cranfield flat and I got home just after half twelve. Phil had been busy whilst I’d gone; he’d cleaned out the whizzy-dizzy shower and he had also shaved the kitchen door so it now shuts. All in all, good progress for the both of us. Phil also managed to book us a 4 week holiday to Malaysia which I really am not happy about. I know he has been talking to friends about this for ages but I never thought he would actually go ahead and book. But book he did and we’re going. Normally I’d be over the moon about going away and island hopping our way around islands with back-packs. But the timing is pants. I can understand his thinking, after going through weeks of radiotherapy he wants to reap some rewards and have some fun time but 4 weeks? There is so, so, much to do and with a completion date set at the end of September, f**k this only gives me 9 days to make good, sort out storage and the caravan and move lock stock and barrel. OH my god! It really is no wonder my wine intake is so high and my weight is plummeting.

On Wednesday afternoon, before going for radiotherapy we decided to go over to Cosgrove Caravan to pick up some sales literature. We didn’t want a tour because we’d already been on site to visit step-dad and Marie when they stayed with their campervan. We did ponder going to look at a few of their used vans but in the end we decided against. Cosgrove Park is not really an option because it’s only open 7 months of the year and also they do not let you rent out your caravan plus I think our hearts were already set on Overstone which is where we headed to next.

Julie, the sales girl that we saw on Tuesday, wasn’t there but her colleague Mike gave us the keys to 3 Martins Court and we went for a second viewing. And you know what, we actually liked it even more than before. The caravan plot is really well situated, it’s in a kind of cul-de-sac which lessens the passing traffic and the neighbour vans and plots look very well kept. The real bonus about this caravan is that it comes with a decking already in-situ and skirting. The boundary needs to be defined at the back of the plot but this is easily sorted. We decided we wanted to buy the caravan and went straight back to the sales office to pay our deposit. The inside of the van has been recently redecorated and re carpeted. I can’t say the décor is to my liking but I am going to TRY (no promises DH) and live with what is already there. Our plan is to live there when our house sale completes and then buy something to do up and sell; we will go probably go somewhere hot for Jan and Feb because the park closes and then rent out the caravan for holiday lets when we get home. That’s the plan, whether it all works out is another thing altogether.

We had an hour to kill before Phil’s zapping so we decided to go to the pub next to the park, Overstone Manor for a drink.

http://www.pub-explorer.com/nhants/pub/overstonemanorsywell.htm

They had a carvery and I was starving so I had some roast beef, £3.99 which was cheap as chips. Phil wasn’t able to eat but he had a pint and a half and we talked about the caravan. Overstone Manor serves the usual pub grub and obviously caters mostly for the park residents but the prices are reasonable and the setting is stunning. Phil had been told that his treatment might be delayed because his machine was being serviced but actually there was only a 20 minute delay and we were back home just after 6pm. Phil picked up Steve from home and brought him back to ours for a drink and then they walked to the pub to meet up with the rest of the Wednesday night boys.

As usual with Thursdays, Phil was tired and hung-over.   It didn’t help that I was wide awake before 6am and consequently work him up.  Thankfully it didn’t stop him getting on with jobs although I’m sure he would have liked to lie on the sofa with his book. With so much to do and so little time with this holiday, I think he knows that this is no time to be idle, treatment or no treatment; with his treatment coming to an end, Phil has been hyper this week.  He’s got projects and ideas oozing out of his pores.   Most of them are ridiculous and I am trying my best to ignore them because it’s just adding to my stress levels. After jobs all day we over to Northampton General for the last time.  Par for the course, the Luke unit was running almost an hour late but we didn't mind too much as it was our last time.  I felt bad as I meant to take the zapping team a card and some chocs but it clean went out of my head.  Its not surprising really, my head is full up at the moment.   As a way of celebration, we stopped off at The Lamb in Stoke Goldington for steak and ale pie.  The pub was desserted but no worries, the pie was delicious.

So all in all a productive week I guess; the CF is finished and Harriet is ready to move in. The Cranfield flat is done except for a window board that Phil needs to chase Ampthill Glass up to fit.  A holiday is booked and if our house sale goes through, we now have a place to live. Of course, the best thing this week is that Phil has finished his treatment.  Two months of daily radiotherapy has not been easy.  Phil has suffered a little, mostly uncomplainingly but thankfully it has not been that debilitating. We can only hope that the cancer has gone and hasn’t spread.  His PSA levels cannot be tested for 2 months, so for now there is nothing else to be done but to get on with life.