Hello August

Phil caught me out on Friday afternoon when he arrived home early.  Actually it wasn’t that early as it was nearly quarter to three when he walked through the door. Being Friday, the drive home was not an easy one.  Phil had checked with his line manager who said he couldn’t work over 7 and a half hours per day so at quarter past one he got his time sheet signed off and headed for home.   I wasn’t quite prepared for his early return but as soon as he got in I made him change into his work gear and took him round to the Oldbrook flat to assemble the single bed.  Whilst we were there he checked the double socket that wasn’t working to see what tools he needed to fix it.   There was no time to do it there and then because we needed to get to Morgan’s to sign letting contracts.   After we did the business with James we went to Newport to tip the old bed frame and then stopped off at The Red House for a pint.  I thought this pub had been refurbished but although the outside had had a paint job, the inside hadn’t changed.  It was a dump, a really tired interior as well as chickens, dogs and kids and their toys.  I won’t be returning there any time soon.  Still, it was a nice start to the weekend.  On Friday night, Phil stayed up to watch the Big Brother eviction but I went to bed not long after 8 o’clock; it had been a long week.

Unfortunately Phil forgot to turn off the alarm clock, so on Saturday morning I was awake at 6am.  I went downstairs to let Phil have a lie in.  He got up just after 8 to start on paperwork jobs and I went to the market to buy fruit and vegetables.   I met him at the Oldbrook flat at half nine and we tried to fix the power socket.  This entailed taking the whole kitchen unit out; we changed the fuse but the socket still wouldn’t work.  In the end we fitted a 4 way chocolate box, fixed the unit back, plugged in the microwave and gave it up as a bad job.  At least we tried but the new tenants will just have to live without the extra socket. 

Phil watched the Hungarian Grand Prix qualifying whilst chopping up the veggies for his curries.  In the afternoon I went to the tip to dump an old double pine bed that we’d been storing in the garage for ages.  Phil wasn’t happy because he wanted to keep it.  The bed was a present from him to me when I first moved in my little flat when I first returned to Milton Keynes.  We had some happy times in that bed but Simon my tenant had slept in it for 8 years and I didn’t want to sleep in it after him.   My sister went to a conference a few years back all about bed bugs and well after what she told me, the bed had to go.  When I got back from the rubbish tip I hovered the garage and cleaned the floor.  Neil, from next door came home and asked how the house sale was going. I told him that we’d had the full asking price and he said he’d be sad to lose us as neighbours.  Sandy from across the road came out to chat and she too asked if we were moving.  She too said she be sad to see us go, which was nice.   It’s funny, aside from Emma & Jason the other side of us,  I think me and Phil tend to keep ourselves to ourselves; I didn’t realise we were so popular.

Chatting to Sandy for nearly an hour made me horribly late.  I was meant to be picking up Jan & Steve at 6pm but it was nearly half five by the time I got in the shower.   Phil was busy cooking and after I got ready I had to jump in the car and drive to the Indian in Newport to buy the starters.   It was a rush but eventually I picked up Jan & Steve, only 20 minutes late.   Phil served up a tasty meal of onion barges, naan breads followed by vegetable and chicken curries with rice.  The veggie curry was a little on the hot side but I think Jan & Steve enjoyed it.   We had a pleasant evening, lots of wine and half a bottle of pink port which Steve had brought.  Phil said it was the best port he’d ever tasted.

We weren’t up that early on Sunday.  I wasn’t feeling too bad but Phil was suffering with a hangover.  I walked along the canal to the shop to buy the paper which helped to clear my head.  Sandy knocked on the door to ask to borrow a wallpaper table as she was doing a car boot sale.   I chatted to Jason & Emma who were cleaning their car outside and after lunch I went to the gym.  I really didn’t feel like a workout but had to make amends for my over indulgence the night before.   It was okay; the gym was quiet and I did a 5k 30 minute run and then finished off with a swim and a steam.   Phil watched the Grand Prix race and was still reclined on the sofa when I returned home.  He spent all day in the same position but I didn’t really mind, he deserved a restful day. 

This week should be a little easier than last.   I’ve still got a whole list of things to do but these are not so urgent.  This morning I’m off for a 2 hour workout and then I need to get lunch ready for Sue & Alan and also prepare the house for a viewing at half one.   Pretty uneventful really but that’s good.  Right now I need to post this blog, put the dishwasher on and get going right away in order to miss the Monday morning rush hour.