Getting plastered

On Tuesday morning I went to Sue’s house to grab her a few bits and then stopped off at the GP flat before driving to Oxford.  Phil had had a good morning’s work; he made good the wall edge where we’d ripped it out and he’d also put in some electric sockets in the kitchen.   Added to that he’d ripped off all the horrible skirting board in the lounge and took up all the underlay gripping.   I’m afraid time was of the essence for me, so I gave my boy a kiss and drove to Oxford to see Sue.  I’m getting used to this drive now and each time it gets a little easier.  It helps of course that I am using Sue’s sat nav but I pretty much know the way now without it. 

Sue was in good spirits when I caught up with her.  She said she’d had a lousy nights sleep but I thought she looked the best I’d seen her look in a long while.  For a change it wasn’t raining and we were able to sit in the garden with our takeaway teas.  It was a nice visit but as always it went far too quickly and before I knew it I was saying my goodbyes.  Sue is doing well; the injections are making her feel better, she is now up to the full dosage and is even able to do the injections herself.  She called me last night and hopefully (fingers and everything crossed) she should be able to go home today.

We stayed at Sue’s on Tuesday evening.  Harriet popped round and very kindly dropped us off at the Mysore in Newport so we didn’t have to drive.  Actually the plan was to walk but it started to rain a few minutes before we decided to leave.  Phil wanted to treat me to a birthday meal and it was agreed that even though my birthday was on Wednesday we’d celebrate on Tuesday.  This was fine by me; I know how much Phil enjoys his Wednesday nights with the boys and to be honest with everything else going on, I wasn’t much in the mood for celebrating.

The Mysore was quiet and without atmosphere and unfortunately the food was not good.  I just had a chicken tikka masala which was very dry.  I suspect it had been prepared at lunchtime and slung in the microwave. Phil had a balti which wasn’t great either.  The service was slow even though there were very few in the restaurant and I don’t think we will be going back.  We were disappointed the last time when we went for the Sunday buffet with Jan & Steve and Sue. I seem to remember we had to complain then.  Never mind, at least we went out and I didn’t have to cook and we finished the evening with champagne (well Cava) and chocolate. 

We managed to get hold off Tommy the plasterer from Cranfield on Monday; Phil met him at the flat on Tuesday and he said he would skim all the ceilings in the flat by the end of the week.  This was great news because we can’t start decorating until the plastering is done.  Luckily for us, he phoned to say he would start on Wednesday.  This meant we had to be at the flat early on Wednesday to get all the light fittings down and clear all the tools from the lounge and move them into the bedroom.  We’d just about finished when Tommy and his son Jo arrived.  Phil & I had several tip jobs to do, so after making the boys tea we gave them a key and left them scraping the ceilings. 

Phil and I tipped the lounge carpet for our first trip. It was a heavy carpet and it took a tremendous effort just getting it out of the flat.  We had to use all our might and as we were unable to get it down the steps we had to throw it off the step railing.  It was fine, it landed on the 4 ft high stinging nettles in the front garden and luckily Tommy & Jo helped Phil lift it into the landrover.  It was nice and dry when we loaded up but sods law, the heavens opened when we arrived at the Newport tip.  We did 2 more tip loads on Wednesday morning, one trip with the old bath and the last trip with all of the internal doors and a couple of abandoned suit cases from the flat downstairs. 

I stopped work at 11am as there really wasn’t much I could get on with at the flat.  I was meeting Jan for lunch so went back to Sue’s to get showered and changed.  I picked Jan up from the OU and we went to the Plough @ Simpson where she very kindly treated me to lunch.  Bless her she also gave me a lovely card and a travel pack with  Morocan Oil goodies for my birthday. I love these products and am looking forward to trying them although me thinks it’s going to be a long time before we manage to get away.

I did very well for my birthday this year and was very spoilt.  Phil got me wine and champagne and a shedful of chocolate and of course he treated me to dinner.   Harriet got me a rather sexy swim suit, a cropped cardigan and some fancy flip-flops.  Sue treated me to a new handbag, some Moulton Brown products and some transfers for me Kindle which I am really look forward to trying.  And Mads, who I haven’t seen for ages, sent me a whole bag of goodies with Steve last week.  Inside there was as a Radley purse, some Sisley hand cream, a bronzer, some perfume and some little beauty product samples. Yes, I did very well, not sure I deserve, but thank you everyone.

After dropping Jan back at work, I went to the GP flat to see how the plastering was going.  It was going good.  Tommy and Jo were doing well, now that we have knocked down the kitchen wall, it makes the lounge combined kitchen, a big area.  Phil & I were rather in the way so we decided to go to the DIY shops to pick up some bits and pieces.  First stop was Wickes, I‘d seen a display wall with a paint that I rather liked.  I asked the kitchen designer girl and she told me the colour was ‘Lime’ and it was their own brand.  I also got some big tubs of white emulsion, again their own brand which saved us some money.  Next stop was B&Q to buy a couple of new radiators.  We needed some slim line tall radiators, one for the lounge and one for the bedroom.  Again we were in luck because B&Q had a 15% off deal.  They weren’t cheap though, even with the discount, the white gloss rads that we selected cost £169 each.  As usual, we stayed at Sue’s on Wednesday evening; Harriet called round and very kindly dropped Phil off at the Ship Ashore which saved him walking. 

Yesterday we were back at the GP flat for 8am.  We were a little alarmed to see that Tommy had left our new radiators out overnight.  He had said that he would move them inside but he’d obviously forgotten. We were lucky that nobody had nicked them.  I opened my lime paint and starting paining in the kitchen.  Phil is not so keen on the colour, he thinks it is too bright but I think it’s perfect.  Once the kitchen and the worktops are fitted it won’t be so in your face.  Tommy turned up at half eight and started making his plaster mix ready for the bedroom.  He is a good guy; he works hard and cleans up after himself.   I can thoroughly recommend him.  Phil scraped the bathroom walls but had to leave at 11am as he was taking Harriet to East Midlands airport.  She is off to Jersey for 3 days to visit her cousin.  I worked till half 12 and left Tommy to plaster the bathroom.  I went back to Sue’s to shower and pack up my stuff and then went to Tesco’s in Wolverton to get some shopping.  Then it was back to Overstone to unpack and catch up with some domestics.

This week has gone fast and as ever we seem to be chasing our tails.  We are back to the GP flat today as we have Blue the plumber coming round to take all the radiators off the walls.  Normally we would paint round them but as its paper we have decided to take them off and do a proper job by stripping off all the wallpaper.  I also want to get starting painting the lounge walls.  The ceilings can’t be painted yet because they to dry out but hopefully I can get going on these on Monday.

We have to be back at Overstone by 4pm at the latest today as we have step-dad John and Marie coming for the weekend.  I have left the key in a safe place so they can let themselves in and unpack.  What a shame that its pouring down with rain and the forecast for the weekend is grim.    Overstone Park really comes into its own when the sun is shining. Not so though when it rains and you have to put all the heaters on in the caravan.  Tomorrow evening I have booked a table at the Oriental in Weston Favell and have invited Sue along with Anne & Jim.  There is a party in the Park tomorrow night and the plan was to set up a gazebo, take some wine and go along after the meal to listen to the band.  I don’t this is going to happen now and think we will have to revert to ‘plan b’ which is a drink at the clubhouse to see if the band is any good and then back to the caravan for birthday cake.  This weather is really getting me down. Will we ever get a summer his year I wonder.  It's mid July for f**ks sake.