The Road is Long ...

So here we are again, after another short interlude. I have been trying to collect myself, rationalise my thoughts, marshal my courage, amongst many other things, shall we say? Our thought or should I say thoughts for the day are 'When a person can no longer laugh at himself, it is time for others to laugh at him' and 'Isn't it nice to think that tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it yet?'  Those two thoughts have fortified me over the past few days following our rather unusual edition of 'Beat My Build'.   Anyone any comments? I was a bit perplexed.  I do feel, however, that prolonged close-ups require their air-brushing techniques to be improved, at very least, and are probably strictly unnecessary in any event!  Still, we did win.  I don't think my spatial awareness is at all at fault, it's the old 6 inches/ 2 inches conundrum that men seem to face on a daily basis that caused the confusion!  Any tactfulness that may have been evident, or otherwise, on my behalf, was entirely down to some radical editing.  I had quite a lot more to say!

But Hey Ho! back to the current project. I have been painting, painting and more painting. Interspersed with a bit of filling and sanding for light relief.  I try to do at least one inside job a day, and one outside.  I have only one window left to paint outside, and the porches of course. I have finished the front bedroom, all we need is the carpet in there.  Isn't the fireplace lovely?  Sense of deja vu (as my Maths master used to say, whilst banging on the board with his rubber, beneath a proof of something I was really sure I'd never seen before in my life! No euphemisms involved) with the mirror and light fitting, anyone?  So the door to that room is shut, and I've moved on.

I've painted the ceiling of the landing and stairs, no mean feat for someone of my stature, but only involved limited acrobatics!  I am, however, contemplating a feature wall.  The only wall that we didn't have plastered is somewhat rubbish in the smoothness department.  I will see what my filling and sanding skills can offer next week before resorting to the (same) cityscape paper as before.  Imaginative aren't I? Still, if it worked once, it may work again!

The bathroom continues to frustrate.  Chris and I have constructed a cupboard around the boiler, or should I say, recommissioned the old cupboard following some cosmetic surgery?  Then we moved on to the challenge of the shower enclosure. And boy! what a challenge that was!  Shall we say the instructions were somewhat limited, and clearly translated from another language with little regard for actual English.  I thought Chris was going to be reduced to tears at one point.  I was fairly close myself most of the time, but it had little to do with the shower enclosure!  But we prevailed!  Persistence overcomes resistance and all that crap! But you will have to wait until next time for an actual photo as I was so overcome with relief that I forgot to take one for you.  The moral of the tale, however, is never to buy a quadrant cubicle. When constructed it closely resembles something that should beam-you-up-Scotty.  If only there were sound effects too! The other Chris will finish the plumbing in there next Saturday, then that's another room finished. Hurrah!

We've at last managed to buy a kitchen, and I have painted it. Both the units and the kitchen itself, Deb did a great job on the walls. So Darren is also coming back on Saturday to finish the electrics and fit the units. I'll be busy that day, won't I girls? Tea and coffee all round!  Such a skill!  I also have to fit in going to work that day as well!  I'll take a photo of that for you (the kitchen that is. Work isn't interesting enough to warrant one, although Kelly and I do our best to have a laugh, and make a bit of money.). Such a lot to look forward to.  How will you contain yourselves??!!

A lot of the rubble is now gone from the garden, thanks to (yet another) Chris and Connor, so I will have to contemplate that soon. Let's hope the mild weather holds!

What else have I to tell you? Oh yes! I was watching X Factor (I know, I'm ashamed to admit it, but there we are) and I was very surprised to learn of an alternative use for suspenders!  Apparently they can be used for holding your kilts up, lads!  I was under the impression that braces were more suitable, but I stand corrected.  Either way, I am VERY partial to a man in a kilt.  Of course, it rather depends on which man it is in the kilt! So glad I shared that aren't you!

I also read a very interesting article on what makes us human.  As many of you know, I'm not sure that I am, in fact, from this planet.  I spend most of my time feeling that I must have been really bad somewhere else and have been beamed down here as punishment for doing something really terrible. What, I'm not sure. I just know it must have been really bad for punishment this great.  Perhaps that's what the shower cubicle is for!  My punishment must be nearly over, I will be departing soon.  No need to cheer quite so loudly!  Anyway, the interesting thing was that doing silly things for no apparent reason other than fun, playing in effect, is what makes us human.  Perhaps I'm closer to humanity than I thought!  So with this in mind, Anita (yes, we had another CET thing this week, which was more interesting than the last, and the fish and chip supper was great. No wine was involved. Relief all round!) and I have hatched a plan.  We're going holiday, but we're doing it under the guise of yet another CET, sorry this ones a CPD, event.  I don't think we've any intention of actually doing any CPD, but we're looking forward to the apres!  God alone knows what will happen, and I'm fairly sure we can keep even Him guessing!  Don't watch this space too closely!  What a jolly good use of that prize money, don't you think?!

So I don't think there's much else to tell you today, other than one of my peacocks has died. So if any of you has one looking for a good home, or have one in the mood for romance, please let me know.  Lucy (the one that's still with us) is getting a bit lonely. Join the club.

Our song for the day (ah-ha, thought I'd forgotten didn't you?),  Nell Bryden 'What Does it Take', because I have no idea how to re-establish communication, much as I would like to.  Anyone know if you can use the words 'implacable' and 'disingenuous' in the same sentence without giving offence?