Loose ends

It’s a while since I did a blog so just a short one today as I have to search for another contract, buy the ingredients for our stir fry, cook lunch, sort out 3 months paper work, go to the health club and look for a holiday. This is my first day off work again and I now have a new boss.

Claire has done a great job filling everyone in these last few weeks. Firstly just a couple of words about our friend John who’s funeral we attended last week. It was a very sad and quite emotional event but was very professionally handled making it even more memorable. Various friends and family offered some of their shared experiences with John. Christine had commissioned the rector from Willen Hospice where John spent his last couple of days. He had a lovely way about him and although very sympathetic of the occasion had a very cheerful way about him and a beaming smile that obviously reminded us of John. Our thoughts now go out with his family; especially Christine who I believe will be the hardest hit. I hardly dare to put myself in her position. It was nice to see Bridget again who is one of Christine’s MBA’s. She gave us a copy of her new book, “The Happiness Equation”. Lets hope it works and goes some way to making up for the loss of John.

A quick word and a picture for the Wednesday night crew; three out of the four of these at least are trying to support Movember (the fast growing craze of grow a moustache for November). George and Joan off for a couple of months. David (Moth) Brown supposed to be going to Bangkok where he was hoping to do the same. Not sure if the airport is open yet David?

Finally finished Claire’s Kebab flat off yesterday so we might get a short spell taking it easy before our next project starts. We have some new leather sofas coming today and they are those reclining sort so we can fall asleep in front of the tv rather than going to bed. I don’t seem to have to look for projects these days, they just pop up on their own.

While I was laminating the lounge floor poor Claire had to make the cluttered second bedroom her office. As I am a little overweight, my knees really feel the strain when doing floor jobs so I bought some new knee pads earlier this month but the straps were too tight and hurt the backs of my knees. How come there is no name for the backs of your knees? I ingeniously solved this problem by wrapping tea towels underneath the knee pad straps which Claire found quite amusing for some reason. We finished around lunchtime so I could cook our meal for the first time for ages. We had one of Claires favorites, smoked haddock, horseradish mash, minted peas and lashings of creamy parsley and spring onion sauce. At least it put a nice smile on her face.

Whilst fighting through the city centre crowds on Saturday we saw what looked like a giant one of those Christmas scene shakers where all the snow comes down slowly. In this one you could put your children while people took photo’s of them; what a great idea for a Christmas photo.

Our little Two Mile Ash studio still hasn’t sold so we decided to re-let it and try again next year or whenever the new tenant moves out. The main reason for this is financial; you only have 6 months grace from Council tax while a property is empty then you have to pay 90% of the full tax. So you actually have to pay more tax for nobody living there compared to someone living there on their own. I suppose someone has to pay for the national debt. Anyway we had to shoot down to sign the contracts at Morgan’s that have let it out for us. On our way back we stopped off at Lloyds No 1 for a quick well earned drink. They have some great food deals on at the moment; Sunday roast with a pint or glass of wine for £6.10. Or why not try the burger and chips with a pint for £4.65? Bang goes my diet!