And now there's so much

OK, I've now got so much to say I'll have to list it:

1. My tenants were a pain, they have caused all sorts of problems in the house and it needs a total redecoration. It was decorated throughout last August. The tenants will shortly be histiry for afresaid reasons. The house is now For Sale.

2. This hosue is a hive activity, as I write the utility is being plastered, we have a new cloakroom, the porch is being built and the last 3 'extra' kitchen cupboards are in place.

3. Because of note 2 I am daily running out of milk, sugar and tea.

4. Also because of note 2 I have retreated to various county records offices and to meeting with geanealogy friends in coffee shops in order to avoid the noise and dust.

5. I now provide a daily meals on wheels service for Mother in Law. I am rapidly running out of ideas for old fashioned home cooked stodge. Already WH is craving curries and stir fries, if I give in then I have to cook 2 separate meals a day.

6. Our grandkids suddenly want to sleep over, come for meals and spend even more time here. It's no big deal but it requires even more cooking, supervising school projects and keeping tabs on the numerous friends who come to call.

7. I can hardly believe I am writing this but the weather has been gorgeous. Sitting out on the south facing patio has become a must. It's sheltered, sunny and you could almost believe you were by the Med if you didn't have to open your eyes and survey the building site which STILL occupies the back garden. The fig tree is growing leaves though.

8. The majority of my plants are still in pots and tubs so daily watering is imperative in the month long dry spell we ahve had. I have to fight the builders for use of the hosepipe though and I don't always win.

9. An elderly friend is in hospital in the midlands. We have been visiting and it looks like he is in for the long haul. The car is getting used to the weekly treck up the M5 once again.

10. It's only 5 weeks until we go back to Kalamos. The work here should be finished then, just the garden left for our return. It will be wonderful, almost 3 weeks of utter peace. Can't wait.

All packed up and ready to go

Well not quite but getting there. It's amazing how much stuff I have accumulated over the last 23 years. Considering I was half packed last October, this week I have moved an incredible amount of boxes, most of it single handed ad therefore rather slowly. WH of course has most pressing work elsewhere even to the point of doing a favour for someone last night and working until 10pm. This did not go down too well with me as you might guess. With no kitchen, not even a temporary one as yet, and no proper bathroom, we have a lot to do before Friday.

At least the office is all set up and reasonably shipshape. All I have to do is move the pc and connect to the internet when the phone line is switched on Friday. It sounds simple but I bet it won't be. Meanwhile I have a couple of new bookcases to assemble and a tv stand. Of course you can do them I was told, you did the last lot. OK, OK but that was 26 years ago.

So tomorow my lovely helper Ms T is coming again for some serious kitchen packing and the we get to move it all down the road and annoy the depressed painter whilst we unpack it all again in the new place. Getting it all to fit will be no mean feat as only half the place is habitable as yet. The rest as they say is still a work is progress.

Houseful

My living room is ablaze with flowers. Saturday brought 4 separate lots and a plant. Unfortunately 3 of these were delivered in person so I had vistors for the most part of the day and was dishing out cups of tea to all and sundry. One set though, made their own tea, tidied my kitchen, put the remains of my disturbed lunch in the fridge and commented on WH's lack of housekeeping skills all the while marvelling that I wasn't in bed like they thought I would be. As these relatives have never visited in the 17 years of WH and I being together I should think myself highly honoured. This was in addition to taking 2 little walks to the new house, alone.

I really am doing much better than last time. Yesterday, to celebrate that fact, we went to Kingsbury May Festival. Our short trip turned into a marathon involving a stand-up burger lunch, afternoon tea in a village coffee shop on the Somerset levels, an electrical part fest in B&Q, 2 supermarkets for cat food and other urgent needs and finally dinner in a local pub.

I was hoping to have a rest today, still being only 6 days post-op, but I started well by having to make tea for the workforce at 7.30am while they chewed over their respective weekend's events and tried to summon up enough energy to plod round the corner and actually DO something. I've just had a phone call to tell me that the breakfast delivery is late. Oh, were they expecting me to take it then? Er... YES.

Maybe I should just go back to work, I might get waited on then.