Is that a Light I See Before Me?

So here we are again, after a short interlude. I seem to have been very busy for the past couple of weeks, but not really getting very much done!  Still, before we commence our thought for the day is 'Be who you are and say what you feel. Because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind'. Not sure who came up with that one, but it's very true for me.  Although I have to say to my cost, openness and honesty have not stood me in very good stead this year. I rather feel that I should have chosen a different set of rules, but I'm hopeless with them as well!  So our song for the day?  Oooh, difficult choice today 'Go Gentle'  maybe, not really cheery enough, 'Holes'? possibly, 'Magnetise'? could be.  I think I'm just going to pick......., hmmmm....., to pick..... (just texting Joe to find out what it's called and who it's by, hang on... any second we'll know .. ) ready? Ellie Goulding 'How long will I love you'.  Actually I think I might change my mind. I think I'll have 'Wings' Little Mix, or maybe 'Riptide'.  Very undecided today, haven't considered all the possibilities yet. Will get back to you on that one. Take you're pick in the mean time!

Anyway, it has been brought to my attention that this blog has wandered away from it's primary mission. I will endeavour to rectify that today by talking to you about sawing.  That's saWing with a 'W', as opposed to sawRing with an 'R' in it. My pronunciation was corrected by someone whose accent I found a little tricky to understand (that will account for my huge misjudgement), and for whom English was his second language. Bit of a cheek! Never mind, back to the sawing (with or without the 'R').

Now, when I require a piece of wood of a certain length and I am faced with a piece of a different, but longer length, I find that measuring and marking the required length is the first step. Then I select a saw (it doesn't have an 'R'). It could be any saw, but most likely it will be the first one that comes to hand. Unless it's a hack saw. Or a mitre saw. Or one with a PPI of more than 8. See you're impressed now with my extensive knowledge of saws.  That is the extent though. There is no more where that came from!  So having selected said saw, I place my misproportioned bit of wood on a stable surface, put my foot on it, or if necessary kneel on it (as if in penitence), position my saw and saw merrily away until I am left with a bit of roughly the desired proportions. There is sometimes some rather heated language to accompany this operation, sometimes I even have to remove some clothing.  But I do usually end up with a satisfactory out come.

This, apparently, is not enough. There is a required technique. A strategy even. (Not dissimilar to the 'strategy' required to play cricket. Wallop the ball as hard as you can and run as if someone undesirable is chasing you, sums up my strategy in this case. Apparently that's not right either, it's a whole lot more subtle than that. Maybe that's why we lose so often. A rethink maybe required).  But I digress, back to the sawing. Seemingly, after having measured everything twice, marked the wood once and checked that everything is the right way round (?), we can begin.  Having placed the wood on a suitable workbench, we introduce the saw to the wood with a gentle rasp (have they tried internet dating I hear you ask!), then we hold the saw as if it were a child.  Firmly enough to guide it, but not firmly enough to cause it to fight against you. Then it glides though the wood, like a knife through butter. Of course you have to be careful not to lay it over (back to the internet dating then!). The outcome? A bit of roughly the right proportions. Anybody else feel that some people have too much time on their hands?

So,  if any of you would like to help me 'repurpose' a cupboard - considerable sawing skills required - let me know. My skills are not up to standard.  I pay a very good day rate, but make awful tea, coffee being my drink of choice!

Back to the job in hand, then. Monday last week I finished painting the attic, cleaned it and shut the door. Then Deb took me out for lunch ( not this Deb, my other friend Deb), so sadly I didn't get much done in the afternoon. Too bad!  Monday evening I had to go to a Peer Review session with Anita. Well! We were celebrating her divorce for an hour beforehand.  As many of you know, half a glass of wine and I'm anybody's. Consequently we didn't get an awful lot out of the learning experience. Wine really is NOT recommended beforehand, especially when trying to impress others with your professionalism and subject knowledge. Least said soonest mended I feel.  But the attic looks great!

Tuesday was work, I believe. Then Wednesday I spent most of the day laying flat on my back in the bathroom with Chris the builder. Why? We were putting the shower tray in.  There has to be a simpler way. Still it's done now. So is all the tiling in there.  And the walls and ceilng have been painted. The lights have been fitted and Chris the plumber is coming tomorrow (7.30 groan) to finish off.  Then the bathroom is done! Hurrah!

What else? I've filled and sanded all the walls in the front bedroom, and given it its first coat of paint, so  tomorrow I'll top coat that. So we're moving on!  John demolished the back porch so that the new one can go up.  The plasterers have finished completely now, and the electrician has done most of the second fix.  So just the landings and downstairs now. And the garden and the painting outside. And I've to reconnect the water to the sheds.  The very bad cutting off type behaviour regarding next doors water also resulted in a loss of supply to our outside loo.  Teach me to be so rash!  Not much left to do then!

This week I don't seem to have achieved much. On Wednesday I did the Proud Mother bit, in that I went to Sheffield for Thoms' graduation. Lovely day, good lunch, long ceremony and .... I got to see Harry Styles in the flesh (so to speak).  I have to say I was a little underwhelmed, but my boy did good!

Today I've been ferrying Joe around. We've had to be back to the knee man.  Now Joe has to have an MRI scan to try to find out what is going on.  We also had a rather illuminating visit to a tattoo parlour. Thankfully it was very clean, man, and smelled of TCP, man. Why the chappie with rather large hoops in his ears, but no sign of a tattoo himself, felt the need to keep calling me 'man' I will never know. He didn't even look as if he came from the Caribbean and his accent was otherwise distinctly East Midlands, man.  Did I succumb to the lure of the tattoo? Well you'll just have to wonder! Joe is booked in for January.  The debate over the size and design continues. Anyone wishing to contribute with advice, please say your piece.

What else to tell you? The police have given up trying to find the tools that were stolen. They very kindly wrote to tell me. I also had a very poor experience at parents evening with Alf.  He now has a Saturday morning detention (at school) for his efforts (or lack thereof).

Have any of you seen the George Clarke programme on Channel 4?  Well I love it ! I have always had a 'thing' for tree houses, so would love to go to the tree hotel in Sweden (should anyone wish to offer to take me!). Or better still, anyone wanting to help me build a tree house, preferably near a lake, or loch or some sort of water so that it could hang impossibly out over the water and just be a fabulous fantastical place, let me know. Always up for an adventure!

Now don't forget, our programme goes out next Friday 22nd 11am Channel 4. I am VERY apprehensive now, having seen the others. I think ours will be really boring and we'll look completely stupid. I think they've shown clips of every other programme in the series apart from ours, so that must mean that ours is dreadful and that the transformation was less than impressive. Perhaps we need to congratulate them on their acting skills, in persuading us that we were any good. Perhaps a BAFTA is in the offing.  Still we shouldn't judge too soon. We must wait and see. This maybe the last you hear from me, my shame will be too great.

So that's all for today. I'm sure it's quite enough, if you've made it this far.  The song for the day? I think  'The Gambler' might be the best bet!  Hahhah!!