Not a bad weekend

It’s been a pretty okay weekend with the sun showing its head FINALLY.  We headed to MK reasonably early on Saturday morning and headed straight to the flat.  I don’t think we are making ourselves very popular with the neighbours, using the circular saw, hammering and hovering on a Saturday morning before 9am but hey-ho needs must and all of that.  Phil worked hard and he managed to finish the laminate flooring.  I finished up with a final hover up and it looks okay, a bit bland if I am honest but far better than the previous flooring and I will rug most of the laminate anyway.   About 11ish we packed up tools, loaded the land rover for a tip run and then we stopped by at Sue’s for to pick up Phil’s ipad and then we had a quick whistle stop shop in B&Q.  We managed to pick up new lights for the GP flat but couldn’t decide on the skirting.  Time (as always) was of the essence so we deferred the skirting and headed over to Caldecotte to pick up Harriet.

We have been neglecting Harriet of late as we have most of our friends (and family for that matter) and we had offered to take HH out to lunch at the pub on Caldecotte Lake.  It wasn’t ideal because we were out to dinner in the evening but we needed to have a snack and as it happened the sun was out.  Harriet was in good form; she had collected her new iPhone4S the day before and was keen to show it off.  I don’t think she had really got to grips with her new phone in just one day but Phil showed her a few tricks.   I am a little worried if I am honest, because the plan is that Phil will get the new iPhone5 when it comes out and I will have his old iPhone 4 but if Harriet is struggling to operate the new iPhone4S what chance have I got???  At the moment I am using a cheap Nokia 10 quid phone which suits my purpose but it’s impossible to pick up a signal at the caravan and mostly I can only receive text messages the day after they are sent.   And even then I have to make sure I power down each night which mostly I forget to do.

We dropped Harriet back at her flat after lunch then went back to the GP flat to pick up my car.  We also had to pick up some tools and it was gone 2pm by the time we got back to Overstone.  Unfortunately there was no time to dither because we had promised Steve Pem that we would give him a hand with his decking.  There was only had time for a quick shower and change and even then, we didn’t get to the cottage in Olney until half 3 in the afternoon. 

Steve had been working on his new decking all day and looked pretty knackered by the time we arrived.  Phil helped him screw in the posts but I spent the time catching up with Mads.  I hadn’t seen her since Boxing Day so lots of catching up to do.   Mads was manic as ever and the same crazy girl that I have know for 12 years now.  It may have been a while since we saw each other but some things and some people, never change, certainly no Mads.  She is deeply involved in her new job as area manager at the airports and now has 5 if not 6 London airports under her belt.  I personally wouldn't want the responsibility or the drive or the long hours but for the most part, she seems to be thriving on it.  Good for her and well done my friend.

Steve and Mads new decking is massive.  I think it will look rather palatial when the job is finished and I hope that we will be invited to a dip in the hot tub and a celebration opening of the decking when it is unveiled.  We went for dinner at the Anya Indian restaurant in Olney where we have been before. It was really good, but as ever, too much food.  Tramp that I am, I insisted on a doggy bag which Phil and I took back to the caravan with us.  Mads and Steve did say that we could stay but I hadn’t brought overnight stuff and to be honest ,I don’t think an overnight stay coupled with a boozy night would have boded well with a pre planned trip to Phil’s parents on Sunday morning.

Yep, we did the right thing, Steve was knackered after a day working in the garden and Mads was suffering from sleep deprivation after a 10 day shift.  But it was a nice evening and we were tucked up in our own bed by 10.30pm, knackered after a long week and sleep came easily.  We were awake at half six but lay in bed with tea and our respective books, not getting up until 8am.  I had a shower, bunged in some washing and we were on the road to Melton Mowbray just after 9am.

I hadn’t seen Phil’s mum and dad in quite a while so I was very pleased to see them and they me, thankfully.  Unfortunately we had forgotten to bring the tools so that Phil could finish off the new loft hatch ladder because they were in the Land rover but Phil did fit the new door chime bell.  Mum cooked roast pork with all the trimmings followed by raspberry crumble and custard.  It was lovely I have to say.   I don’t know quite why but food is so much tastier when its cooked by someone else and I have to say we have been rather reliant these past few weeks on friends and family to provide the staples.   Pub grub, however posh or expensive just doesn’t make the grade.

After lunch was finished and mum and I had washed and cleared away, I popped down to their local Tesco to get us a few supplies.  It’s only 3 minutes in the car and is really handy.  When I got back I helped Bet finished her crossword and then we had tea and cake and then headed home.  We were back for half four; we unloaded the car, put on some washing, hung out some previous washing and last night was chilled and reasonably early to bed. 

We are being very boring and very predictable I’m afraid, but once again it’s back to MK this morning to choose and fit skirting board.  It will be the same every day this week.  The new Wickes kitchen is being delivered on Tuesday and although its all Phil jobs, I am hoping by the end of play on Friday that we will have the new kitchen sink fitted and hopefully will have running water and a working boiler.  If we do, we can then rip out the toilet and the sink in the bathroom and start refitting that.  And then fun and the hard work really begins.  It’s been good to have the weekend off, family, friends and wine and who can ask for more?   But if the truth be told, I think both me and Phil are both on a mission and we really want to get this project finished.