Thank God it's Friday...............

These early morning starts were okay to begin with but the novelty is already beginning to wear off.   If I get up at 5, I can keep going for about 8 or 9 hours but come mid afternoon I’m totally bushed.   Still, the pressure should be off next week so I can hopefully relax a bit.  It’s been pretty busy all week; it was a good job that I dedicated the whole day on Wednesday to flat stuff because when I got back from Cranfield I had phone call from Morgan’s to say that they had tenants moving in at the weekend to both Harriet’s flat the Cranfield flat. Brilliant news and Morgan’s, as always have been very professional and wasted no time in getting a let.   This was good news of course because it’s monies in the bank to cover the mortgages but it did mean that I had to really pull my finger out to get things ready in time.  Still not quite there but should be by tomorrow morning.

I went round very early to Oldbrook yesterday with the intention of doing a couple of jobs and painting a couple of doors.   Trouble was, I painted all the downstairs doors and the door frame paintwork looked a little yellowish against the newly painted bright white.  So, I decided to do the door frames as well and then somehow, I ended up with my paintbrush in the both the upstairs bedrooms.  Why oh why do I do it to myself?  As I was halfway through I wondered to myself why did I ever start this.  I only repainted this whole flat a little over 12 months ago so it didn’t really need doing again.  Still, 5 hours later I put my paints away and was pleased with the results.   I managed to get the Fridge Freezer out of its hole in readiness for Phil to go in and change a fuse in a socket and good job I did.  It was really dusty and dirty behind.  I then decided to pull out the standalone cooker because I could see dirt in the gaps either side.  Oh my god, it was disgusting, grease and grime everywhere.  I didn’t really have the proper cleaning materials but I managed to get most of the shit up with half a bottle of bleach and 2 kitchen rolls.   I can truly say now, that there is no surface that has not been touched by bleach.  It’s as clean as it can be. 

I was really tired when I got home but still decided to go to the health club because I hadn’t yet had a shower.  However when I got through the turnstile I couldn’t summon up the energy for a workout so I had a swim, steam and Jacuzzi.  Phil decided to do a long day yesterday; he left before 7 and didn’t get home until gone 7pm.  He’s so tired when he gets home he doesn’t even want to talk which is a shame.  He likes the company he his working for and after only 4 days, he already feels part of the team.  Which is good news.  Next week I have promised to go down with him and stay the night in a Travel Lodge.  It will save him a couple of journeys and I guess it will give me the opportunity to explore Abingdon.  I’m not sure there is going to be enough to occupy me for 2 whole days but I shall have a go.  If all else fails I suppose I can take my laptop and find a Wi-Fi connection.  

Although I moan about the early mornings, it does give me a chance to get loads of things done before the rest of the world awakens.  This morning I went to Tesco’s at Bletchley; I haven’t really shopped there much but it was okay.  Having decided to go to the gym every single day it makes sense if I concentrate on doing all of my shopping in the vicinity.  There are lots of outlets to choose from, Asda, IKEA, Next, Matalan, Tesco’s, B&Q to name but a few.  I don’t like the double roundabout very much but its okay if I go early and can miss the traffic.  I’m getting a bit more used to Phil’s car but I much prefer my KA. 

After Tesco’s I went to the gym for an express workout; 5k on the treadmill, 4 minutes on the vibrating plate and 20 lengths.  The pool was busy this morning and it made me grumpy.  Still, I persevered with the lengths but skipped on the steam and the bubbles.  After my shower I drove back to Oldbrook to dismantle the single bed.  It was a bit wobbly because we’d lost a couple of screws so we decided that we would swap it with the single spare bed in the garage.  Unfortunately dismantling the frame wasn’t as easy; Phil had cemented one of the fixings and I couldn’t get it undone.  Finally I got the bedstead off and managed to get it down the stairs.   I tried to get into the Land Rover to dump the frame at the tip but I couldn't work out how to get Phil’s back seats to go down.  Very frustrating.  Last stop was a quick shop at the Oriental shop to get Thai sweet basil, coconut milk and green curry paste.  Phil could spend hours in this shop and buys all sorts of weird things when he goes there but when I’m by myself I can be in and out in a jiffy.

I unloaded the shopping and then loaded the bed in the garage into the car to take to Oldbrook.  It was a bit tricky and it was hanging out the back window and I had to hold on to the frame sticking above my head whilst driving.  I got it all unloaded and up the stairs but couldn’t manage to assemble it, although it wasn’t for the lack of trying.  Never mind, it will be another job for Phil to do tomorrow morning.   He’s not going to have the luxury of a lie in because we have to be in the flat very early to do the last minute jobs before the tenants move in at 10am.  No rest for the wicked!

I’ve had a couple of nice emails in my inbox this week.  One from Mick & Lynn to say ‘hi’ from Kula Lumpa.  For some reason I thought they’d be back in Byron Bay but I’d forgotten they were having a last stop in Asia before going home to Oz.  I also had an email from Christine to say that she’d completed on her cottage in Surrey which must have been a huge relief.  She should have completed by the end of July.   This morning Sally our solicitor emailed to say that we’d completed today on our shared ownership house in Great Holm.  My express trip to London on Tuesday was not in vain. So again, more good news.  It’s all positive at the moment.  Let’s just hope it stays that way.