W-Y-S-I-W-Y-G

Progress has been slow at the Cranfield flat which is hardly surprising seeing as we only got the keys back on Thursday. But still, its frustrating because had we of known that the tenant was leaving for definite at the pre-arranged date we could have got all the tradesmen lined up and ready to go from day one. We haven’t done to bad though; Phil has got out all of the kitchen, bar the kitchen sink unit and we’ve tipped all the old units. The lounge is cleared and is ready to paint and hopefully the plumber will arrive tomorrow and disconnect the sink and rip out the avocado bathroom suite. Once this is done we can get started on tiling the floors.

Betty from next door is already driving me bonkers after only 3 days. Ian the glazier and old friend came to measure up for the windows and with Betty and the youngest child loitering in the kitchen and her husband Adrian ear-wigging and smoking a roll up whilst leaning from his courtyard through our lounge window, it was difficult to talk to Ian. We haven’t seen Ian for ages and wanted to ask about his and Jane’s travel plans for Australia this winter. Never mind, I must phone Jane and arrange a date for dinner and then at least we can talk in private.

It was kind of Betty to take the bedding from the line that I’d washed and forgotten about. She’d taken it off the line and folded it up neatly and guarded it in her flat overnight. I suppose it was also kind of her to present me with two fairy cakes that she’d home baked and pushed on a paper plate through the lounge window first thing on Saturday morning. Phil was grateful that he had something to wash his coffee down with but pay back for the cake was 20 minutes of mindless banter with B through the lounge window. I can see that I am going to draw upon all my reserve supplies of patience if I am to get through these next few weeks! Least of all, because in a few days, we shall be without a toilet or any access to water so I must hang in there! Oh I’m know I’m heartless and she is harmless enough, but honestly you don’t know what she’s like.

We finished around lunchtime at the flat on Saturday and after a trip to the tip we went to David Lloyd to get cleaned up. Lunch was a selection of pre-packed sandwiches from Lidl, which in case you don’t already know, are tasty and very cheap. After the health club we went to B&Q to price up some kitchens with the plans that Phil had drawn up. We’d been through the same process for Claudia & Johnny last week so we already had an idea of what we wanted. Ages ago, we brought a micro kitchen which was in bargain bucket corner at IKEA and we have been waiting for a couple of years to fit this somewhere. Basically, it’s one unit with an integrated fridge, sink, tap and 2 electric ring plates.

We still need however, to buy other units and wall cabinets to fill up the gaps. The Cranfield kitchen will be a bit of ‘mix n’ match’ kitchen but fingers crossed it will all work out. We ended up in Wickes and found the ‘Houston’ off the shelf kitchen units, which we think will match up well with the IKEA unit. Phil priced up the units we need which come in just under 300 quid so we will order this later in the week. Phil wanted to go and order the carpet for the lounge but I persuaded him that it was far too early. I like to order the carpet when I know we’re on the home run but at Cranfield, I don’t feel we’ve even got off the ground yet.

It hasn’t all been all work and no play; on Saturday evening Harriet and Shane came round for a take-away. Phil had recorded the qualifying of the Grand Prix which Shane also follows, so the boys watched the laps while HH and I chatted and decided what to order from the Chinese. Harriet went back to pick up the dog when I remarked I was surprised she didn’t bring him with. The Chinese takeaway arrived and we all stuffed our faces then sat down to watch the X-factor. I think the kids enjoyed the evening, Coke, the dog certainly did and we sent them all away with a doggy bag full of leftovers, some DVD’s and a couple of beers for the road.

Yesterday Phil picked up Georgina and they went back to Melton to see his mum and dad. I went to Tesco for supplies for the week, changed the bed, hung out the washing, nipped to the city centre, made a Thai Green curry, picked up the step ladders from Harriet’s flat and went to the gym for a quick workout and a swim. Late evening was newspapers, some telly and of course a bottle (or 2) of wine.

I can’t believe I didn’t take any photographs of anything over the last few days so I have had to improvise with old photo’s just to give this posting some visual. Without a doubt, it’s going to be a busy week and we’re going need to be organised. Plumber should be in today (latest tomorrow) and Terry is coming out on Tuesday morning to quote us for a digital aerial and a price to sort out the telephone cables.

I must tell you about Terry; I picked him out of the classified ads from MK News and phoned yesterday to arrange for him to come out to us at Cranfield for a quote. I told him the address, gave him a contact number and arranged a date and a time for him to come out. Just as I was about to put the phone down he asked if I ever lived in Newport Pagnell? I said yes, why? He said that he knew a ‘Phil and Claire’ who lived in NP that had a load of houses. Funny he couldn’t remember how he knew us so I will be interested in meeting him face-to-face tomorrow, to see if we know him and from where.

A blast from the past maybe?? Who knows, either way, the whole conversation spooked me a little. Just like our new Australian house swap friend finding the naked bloggers on the Internet spooked Phil. I emailed my friend Jill this and she emailed back to say she didn’t know why Phil was freaked about the Australian finding our blog site. She said, and I quote from her last email “How funny and hey what would he find out about you other than you have several houses, are really nomads, drink a lot, eat nice food and spend the occasional hour in the gym!!!!!

And I guess she is right; what you see with me and Phil, is what you get, WYSIWYG. It’s weird though, this whole world wide web business. I don’t know why, me and Phil assume we’re invisible? Sometimes I wish I was.