Confronted by a Ghost & 4 Wheel Drive

Sunday. I’d like to say Sunday dawned bright and early as usual. I’d like to but I can’t. It was 5.43 am when I opened my eyes this morning.I grant you last night had been fairly late but even so……… Anyway, there wasn’t much danger of me having company at that time so after my visit to the loo I attacked the emails with gusto It was lovely to see so many nice comments on last night’s blog but it’s ridiculous how many people visit to drool over pictures of Reuben rather than gasp at my literary genius. I broke off at 7.00 am to see to the fish who were behaving perfectly normal ( for fish) today as though they’re perfectly normal fish.I had my meds, avoided breakfast and took a drink back to my room to carry on working.

I was almost nicely up to date by 9.00 m when I heard a few sounds that made me think Mike might be surfacing. I was on my way to stick the kettle on ( it didn’t suit me) when I heard a thud, ” Oaf” I called out. He agreed. I put the water on to boil and by the time he came through a coffee was ready. Id been a little worried yesterday when Mike complained of a pain running down his arm. Naturally he’s too stubborn to do anything about it and since he said he felt fine this morning, we’d be putting some stuff in the loft. I’m quite happy to wait but he’d brook no argument. So after his coffee we both headed off to get dressed then I joined him in his room to remove Ju’s craft drawers so we’d be able to move a chest of drawers to create a bigger gap for a bigger bookshelf than the midget I bought recently. This time I’ve gone for a 6 foot one.

I got the ladders out and with a toss of his double-headed coin Mike decided he was going up in the loft. I could do the passing. That’s the way it worked and everything was soon away. Then it came to opening the flatpack shelves. What I expected to be fairly easy was anything but and because of the size. we were working in a cramped space in the hallway. This is probably the only time you’ll here me say I had difficulty having a screw and Casanova, well even he didn’t find it easy.One very uncomfortable feeling of numbness down my right arm and one wonderful angina attack later we were done and the new shelves were in place.Back up went the Pratchetts and soon my books from the second loft can come down to join them. My Grishams, my Harlan Cobens and other treats I hope are there.

By now we’d reached lunchtime and grabbed a box of chocolates to take before we shot out of the door. Half way to the car I remembered I’d no cigarettes and Mike went back to get me some. He was still at the car before me. We had a nice run to the Ivy which wasn’t too busy. No fighting for our seats anyway. Angie seemed pleased to see us and started making our drinks straight away. There was no sign of Tariq who was in the kitchen again but we’s noticed on the way in that there were new post holes for fencing the entrance on the opposite side to yesterday. When he eventually came through to deliver a meal he called “Hi guys” then proceeded to tease Mike asking if he’s brought the broken bit of his bookcase to be done. He knew Mike couldn’t have been home yet. Everytime he passed, he asked.

These are the bookshelves which gave Mike the idea for his. They’re massive.

Mike is looking forward to getting his considerable dragon collection on display soon. My shelves are far more prosaic as befits an adult……….. No doubt I’ll pay for that.

After a relaxed lunch much of which I had a headache during we headed home again.Mike knew I was itching to get to work. I would just leave him relaxing till I’d done. This week he’s staying tonight and going to his Dad’s tomorrow. At about 5.30 pm I went through and made some tea followed by BFG, no wonder he wanted to stay over. Then I stayed and kept him company through a couple of programmes. We were watching an old episode of MASH when his phone went off. It was his sister saying his Dad is ill and she was calling an ambulance. Mike had to go. I just asked him to take care and not race there. I came through to start work again and I’m hoping for a text with news soon. Hugs to you all.

Monday. I didn’t sleep well last night waiting for a text from Mike about his Dad. He’s told me he didn’t want to disturb me in case I was asleep. It seems it was 1.30 am before Mike’s Dad was admitted to a ward and so about 2.00 am before Mike got to his Dad’s to go to sleep, but couldn’t. So he sits there awake and I sit here awake and we can’t text to each other. I’d been laying on the bed and had dozed a bit but at 3.57 am I was awake and ready to go. I just started on the messages with a glance to check I hadn’t missed a text once in a while. By 7.00 am I was doing quite well, winning I thought, and was able to excuse myself from the computer ( yes, I always tell my wife where I’m going and the computer too, I don’t want GCHQ to miss anything). The fish were first and after I’d dropped food in I noticed the albino corydorus wasn’t making any movement at all, I always watch for the rise and fall of the gills and watch the mouth for movement. This tight-lipped little beggar was giving nothing away, he’s finally died on me. At least I knew he’d had a good life and died of old age. I was really sad and not wanting the others to nibble on him I went to get a net to remove the corpse. When I got back, no corpse. I was freaked until I saw him in a different corner acting completely normally. He’d just been having a breath holding competition with the plecs. Annoying little so and so.

I had toast this morning after my meds and then took a coffee back as usual. Knowing Mike would have had a late night ( and he never has an early morning) I still didn’t want to text so I worked until 9.00 am, got washed and dressed and took my prescription request to the chemist. I was lucky that my outing (which included Pauline’s for baps) missed two of the biggest showers . I was practically dry when I got back in. I would have been fully dry had I not stopped when Gwyneth wanted to talk about the weather. Back in the house I risked a text and eventually got the response that Dad was still in for observations and that Mike might be back here after visiting this evening. I’m not so sure that’s a good idea as it’s quite a journey again for him. About 11.00 am I was fully up to date with mail and decided to sit in the lounge ( Yes, OK, I wanted a kip) but decided that the time was right to go in the second loft and pull out the books. I gave myself quite a start when I went up and shone the torch around and found Julia’s ghost staring back at me. It took me moments to realise it was the large oil painting I’d had done of her. She wasn’t keen on it. Firstly let me say it was from China and therefore not overly expensive, and also let me say that the artist really made the face instantly recognisable. It was very well done. BUT, I’d asked for the picture to be done in a certain style (which it was) and the artist had decided to paint Ju’s face onto an existing canvas and though I didn’t notice at first had left part of the hair of the face underneath coming out from beneath Ju’s own, and they’re different colours. I know a competent artist could do a repair job easily as there’s very little where it’s wrong but once you’ve seen it your eyes are drawn to it.

Anyway, I got all the books down along with a large clock still in it’s box that I must have bought at some time. I closed the loft and put away the ladders. I was out of breath. My phone rang. It was Mike and knowing it wasn’t a stranger and might have been important I answered. The first thing I got was a bollocking because I was out of breath and another one when it didn’t immediately return to normal. My story of being on the loo and rushing to him didn’t hold water. He told me what’s happening with Dad and how he’s feeling. Lucky for me I did more listening than talking. When he’d finished I went and made lunch (Yes, I remembered my tablet first) one of the dreaded microwave cottage pies. It was OK and I had it watching Bargain Hunt. The minute that was over I washed my fork and went to start putting the books on the shelves. Much better now and the lighter choice of colour makes the room look bigger. As if he didn’t already have the biggest room.

I did some more emails to keep on top of it and went through for forty winks. Mike texted me to let me know they’re sending Dad home but he has to stay and speak to a care team anyway. He may be back late tonight after he’s settled his Dad as there isn’t a spare bedroom and he hates the couch. At 5.30 pm I went for some trifle and sat with a couple of quizzes.At 7..00 pm I turned off and came through to make a real effort with the post. I’m off to see my grandson tomorrow. The post has been steady and has kept me going all evening so I’m writing this a little early o it’s on.

Tuesday. 4.02 am saw me starting on the post so I’d be finished in time to leave for the bus. At 6.00 am I broke off long enough to feed the wee fishes (there are times I wish I had a cat), take  my meds and have a toasted bap. Making sure the fish were all present and correct this morning so I could keep my heart rate down, I was able to take my drink through to the bedroom. The next message I opened started “Dearest One, I have tracked you down through my online contacts. I live in the beautiful Island of Indonesia and wish to seek closeness between us” I didn’t need to read anymore as my heart rate was already rising. The last one of these I had was more graphic than the most explicit novel. In the sin bin it went and I carried on. By 7.20 am I was clear and able to get my coat and backpack on ready to go. I was carrying some gifts for Reuben’s birthday in the backpack but had a carrier full of treats for Yvonne as well.

The weather wasn’t very good this morning. It had been raining but mercifully that had eased but it was quite cool. I was glad I’d chosen a leather jacket. The bus arrived shortly after I did so the wait was nothing and we set off pretty much straight away too. I hardly noticed the journey as I kept my eyes close for much of it but any  thoughts of nodding off were soon thrown out the window as it wasn’t the smoothest of journeys. These buses are rejects from an Irish company before coming here. Anyway I arrived safely and walked to a shop to find a thick black marker pen Yvonne had asked for. Looking round I also found a wooden penny whistle in the shape of a caterpillar that Reuben can annoy everyone with when he learns to blow. In the meantime he can play with a little wooden helicopter. I walked to their house where I found Yvonne has shingles and won’t be in work. Reuben saw me come in and his little face broke out in a smile. “He does love his Pops” said Yvonne while Reuben and I knew he really just saw his victim returning.

Sitting in the lounge with my cuppa Yvonne told him to walk to me. Holding her hand for support he started in my direction then taking my hand, finished the journey. A knock on the knee with the toy he was carrying set the tone of the day. I lifted him up on my lap and my glasses almost went. In has case the hand is almost quicker than the eye. Later on at lunch we had bangers and mash. He was fine with the sausages but no sooner had the mash gone in than it was out again. I think he was starting to get tired, I know I was. About 2.30 pm I said it was time I left to catch my bus and Yvonne said she’d walk part way with me for the fresh air. The minute we were out of the door he was asleep.I missed my 3.00 pm quick bus and decided to catch the slower one at 3.30 pm only for some reason it didn’t arrive until almost 3.50 pm. We were part of the way home and the quick bus from 4.00 pm passed us. I didn’t get in till 5.00 pm and had to go straight into messages (173) to get the numbers down. I was there till 8.30 pm without a break. I did get a text from Mike to say he was on his way back from his dad’s. He arrived at 9.30 pm and brought me up to date on dad’s health and what shopping he’d done with him and for him. At 10.30 pm I excused myself to come and see to the blog and any new messages in my mailbox. It’s nice to have Mike back but I could do with some normality now.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YVweiOfGJ5A

Wednesday. 4.04 am . An extra two minutes is what I get despite being half an hour later to bed, or to sleep at least. Still at least it meant I could be finished or close to by the time Mike gets up. By all the heavens, it looks like Burkino Faso is awake this morning, or at least all the bank managers with millions of deceased customers money are. Three separate messages, three different names ( who all call me Dear) want to make me rich again. I’ve decided the odds are still better with the lottery and didn’t reply. Judging by he number of messages I’ve had over the last six months alone I reckon every other building in Nigeria and in Burkino Faso must be a bank and they all have some very careless clients who die intestate.

6.45 am seemed an appropriate place to take a break and feed the fish. I’d just answered a long personal email and could see the next few were all going to be immediate deletions.  I turned the tank light on and my fantailed guppy swam straight to the front with it’s ‘Feed Me’ expression. I couldn’t see the others so they were either in conference or were hiding and the guppy was the distraction. I put a little food in and backed away. No way was I going to turn round and just walk away that close to the tank. I may be a coward but at least I’m a live one. I took my pre-food tablet  and then the rest of my morning meds, smoked a cigarette to gauge the time before putting my toast under and made myself a coffee. It was too early to worry about Mike yet. Toast eaten, I took my apres-food tabs with my coffee and then took the drink through to restart the mail. At just gone 8.00 am I heard Mike’s alarm go off and then the patter of tiny feet.I broke off from what I was doing o make his first coffee and then came back to finish the last few before going to sit with him.

I’ve no idea what we talked about except that it made the time go quickly and before I knew it, it was nine o’clock gone. I excused myself and went to get dressed. A couple of minutes later Mike headed in the direction of his room to do the same. We started the day by taking down my winter weight curtains from the lounge ( yes, I know it’s a bit late to be thinking of it) and putting up a new pair I’d bought some months ago when I’d been visiting Yvonne. When I say some months, it could have been as far back as last January knowing me. They’re a nice plum coloured silk with a 90″ drop.

I think it was on Monday I’d found a photograph of my aunt as a Rose Queen that I’d been looking for. It was in one of the drawers of the coffee table. This was the first of three pictures I wanted up on the wall that I had a gap for. I wanted two horizontal ones  of which her picture was one, and one portrait one. I asked Mike to help me look through some discs to find two other suitable pictures. He sat on my bed while we went through two discs of my family ones and it was funny to keep constantly hearing “Who’s that” in  my ear even though he knew many of the people.It took some time but in the end we chose for some reason a picture of my father standing with a friend (I have no idea who) and a picture of my paternal grandparents which we cropped from a picture showing three couples together. I confess I’d probably have cropped even further if Mike had let me since I liked my grandfather but couldn’t stand my paternal grandmother whom I’d nicknamed Crowbait quite early on and it was a name that stuck with most of my generation and those that came after. I’ve never met such a material person in my life before or since though some have come close but I’m not related to those. Knowing how shaky my hands are Mike took over the trimming and placed all the pictures in the frames.

It was lunchtime. We put aside the work and took a drive down to The Ivy to convince Tariq he’d lost a few days and today was Saturday.There were only a couple of customers in so our seats were free. We even got to say “Hi “to Tariq before the floodgates opened and half the population of the local holiday camp walked in. The awful weather must have brought them in. The rest of the seats filled up quickly. As soon as he’s made and delivered our drinks we gave Tariq the order. From that point on his feet never touched the ground. Mike and I carried dirty dishes from tables through to the kitchen as Tariq didn’t have chance and the only other person in was Shella who was doing the cooking. Mike was even helping to deliver the food she cooked until ours arrived. When we finished eating we carried our dishes through to the kitchen and cleaned the table for whoever came after us. Things seemed to be easing a bit but Mike still carried on tidying up. Eventually we were able to say our goodbyes and come home.

I had to hit the computer straight away of course but Mike put up the three pictures we’d done and very kindly he didn’t fall off the ladder. Mind you, at one point I almost pushed him off the ladder. I received an email saying Julia Bonner has retweeted a tweet of yours. I felt the colour drain from my face as Bonner was Julia’s maiden name. Do you get the feeling she’s haunting me at the moment? I staggered through to the lounge and gripped the ladders which were on a laminate surface so it moved across the floor with Mike aboard.When he’d finished cursing me, the poor lad had to comfort me. Soon enough I was able to go back and open the message which showed a very pleasant looking lady who definitely wasn’t my wife.

Lee couldn’t come again today but Dil and Matt arrived around 5.30 pm and after I’d made drinks we set up to play. Yahtzee came first and I started to think I had the equivalent of Yahtzee B.O. since everyone had one ( or in Dil’s case two) except me. By the time we finished 6 games I’d had one Yahtzee and everyone else at least four. Dil was triumphant. Then I’d set up for Nomination and what a struggle that was. Matt started so well with each of his first 7 calls scoring. It became a race between Matt and I and then trailing behind, between Dil and Mike. At the end of the game Matt was one point ahead of me and way behind us, Mike was one point ahead of Dil.  I was devastated not to have won a game and slammed the front door behind them as they left and to think I’d even bought new biscuits for Matt and this is the thanks I get.

I’d warned Mike that once the game was over he wouldn’t see me for dust as I came through to do the blog and to catch up on mail so I left him quite happily catching up on episodes of The 100 he’d missed.

Thursday. You’re not going to believe this but it was 6.43 today. When I realised, I was almost at panic stations. I didn’t dare waste time turning the computer on so I went to the loo and then straight to the kitchen. The fish got their food flung at then and I swear they could have been sharks ion there and I wouldn’t have noticed. No time for breakfast today, I rammed my meds down, snatched my coffee off the machine and legged it back to my room. Before I dared look at emails I did my banking , making sure I could eat for another week without gnawing on the carpet and checked when my next pension is due. Convinced I can survive another week I finally opened both my email boxes. Ouch, one hundred and flipping thirty seven times. I started in on it. Mike said we’re going out this morning but I imagine I’ll have time to do a bit before he gets up.

I’m not sure what time Mike’s alarm went off but I knew he’d ignore it and I wasn’t going to wake him with a coffee ( not today anyway). Some time later I heard him padding about and he appeared in my doorway saying he thought I was asleep as he couldn’t hear anything, as though you can hear a genius at work, cheek! I went and made his coffee anyway and then came and got dressed. The numbers had gone right down when Mike was ready to go out so I was able to close down and get my coat on. The day was dismal again but not as bad as it has been. We had a 45 minute journey to Wrexham the birthplace of Eliyhu Yale who founded Yale University in the U.S.  It’s years since either of us has been shopping there and we felt like a change. I was able to tell Mike that when I’d last been there MuJo had shown Ju and I where to park, beside a central bus station. He knew the place and we pulled into a parking spot.It was then we saw a sign saying the places were reserved for users of Wrexham Shopmobility. I thought we’d get away with it as long as my blue badge was displayed but as we got out of the car a voice called “Are you coming here?” Looking round there was a woman standing in the doorway of shopmobility. Caught! I did the only thing I could and answered “Yes.” As I’m not a member I had to sign up (free) but also spend 20 minutes on induction. Then I didn’t have the necessary two proofs of I/D with me and had to promise to bring the second one on my next visit ( in another two years or so). Then I was given a four wheel motorised monster to take me round the shops. How embarrassing.. It did however have quite a turn of speed when turned up so I could get away from Mike if he threatened me. I had to keep alternating between hare and tortoise as people just walk in front of you and like any vehicle, it’s always the drivers fault.

We had a look round a few shops and made a few purchases. It was great that there was a large bag attached to the back as well as a basket at the front. It was hard to remember to take the contents of the bag into consideration when backing up. In one shop there was the beeping sound of reverse followed by the CRUMP of me hitting a pile of cardboard boxes filled with stock to refill the shelves. Some dented loorolls now. We went into Wrexham’s oldest pub for lunch and I had to park up outside, all the time worried it wouldn’t be there when I came out…but it was. We enjoyed a passable lunch and then started on some more shops as part of this expedition. After a while we stopped for a cuppa and the sun started to come out. We took a leisurely walk ( and roll) back to return the scooter and set off home. It was 3.30 pm before we got back. I made Mike a coffee and promised I’d join him for quiz time at 6.00 pm. Then I came through to assess the damage. At least it hadn’t reached 200 but another half hour and it would have done I’m sure. By the time 6.00 pm came round I was down to perhaps a dozen plus some that contained photographs of Reuben’s birthday with his Mum and Dad ( I’ll see him Sunday).

We watched 2 quizzes , 2 episodes of M.A.S.H. then turned TV off and had a game until what was supposed to be 9.00 pm but was actually quarter past when I came back through for the regular nightly session. I’ve abandoned the mail now for the night so that I could get this done. We’re doing the shopping tomorrow as Mike is going home until Sunday.

Happy 1st Birthday Reuben

All Aboard the Birthday Special..

 

 

 

Friday. Still OK today at 4.55 am. I went to the loo and there was so much groaning from Mike’s bedroom I thought he was having one of them ‘organism’ thingies I’ve heard about, either that or a cheese nightmare. I could tell he wasn’t ill so I kindly let him sleep on while I went into battle. ‘I can see the things coming in your future’ said the email from Gypsy Rose hands in my pocket. Well, I bet she can’t forsee the mousetrap I put at the bottom. It’s not that I don’t actually believe in the power to see the future, after all, plenty of people have made predictions that came true from premonitions they had. It’s just that most of them don’t write to random people to try and sell the information. It was just before 6.00 am  when Mike suddenly shouted me. It sounded bad so I almost ran there. Not a flicker, still sleeping and obviously dreaming, meanwhile my heart was going like the clappers. I almost woke him out of spite but I was still enjoying the peace and quiet too much.

At 6.45 am I went through to the kitchen to feed the tribe and to take my meds. I didn’t have time to do the tablets for the week just then but knew I could do them after shopping if needs be. This morning’s batch were in there anyway.I decided against breakfast and just made my drink and boiled the kettle ready for Mike’s. Odd though, at 7.00 am his alarm didn’t go off. I bet he’d forgotten about the shopping so I made a coffee and took it through. I got him to acknowledge the coffee was there and then left to collect my drink to take to the bedroom to carry on working. I knew he’d fall asleep straight away, so instead of leaving him for 10-15 minutes and reminding him, as I passed his door I leaned in and shouted “Mike, don’t forget your coffee, it’s going cold.” Strictly true, but unlikely to have cooled much in the 30 seconds since I placed it there. This second call ( more of a revenge screech really) actually moved him because a minute or two later I heard him moving about. Heck, 7.15 am and he’s up !!!! I was quickly finished with the emails apart from 3 that required longer answers so I got washed and dressed and was able to join him in the lounge.

We were actually leaving the house before 7.45 am and it was still 2 minutes before 8.00 am as we drew into the Supermarket. or the car park anyway. My gast was flabbered. We were able to take a reasonably slow walk round without any crowds though I didn’t have a great deal on my list with Mike going home today. I did stock up on my pop and bought a pair of jeans I didn’t really need as well as a treat for Reuben’s birthday party on Sunday. Some micro meals, bread, milk and some yoghurts. I can’t remember much else. We were out of there just after 9.00 am and heading for Flint. Mike needed a bank to get some change ready for the car boot he’s doing tomorrow with my nephew Anton. I’m actually smirking at this moment as I just had a text from him to say it’s a 4.30 am start and I’m trying to imagine Anton getting him moving at that time. Not that I don’t pity Anton you understand. Anyway, we reached Flint a few minutes before the banks were open but Mike got out of the car in the rain to try and then came back cursing that they don’t open at 9.00 am. He says he’s never known a time they don’t open at 9.00 am while I’m struggling to ever remember a time they did. Building Societies where he has his account are different.

He got the change he needed and we drove round towards Temptations, first going to Homies to get some chocolates to take in. We knew Ceri wouldn’t be in as she told us last Saturday she was finishing yesterday for 10 days holiday. Mike’s not yet over the thought of her doing some of the activities she mentioned she’s expected to do like tramampolining….. Sian was on the counter when we went in so he had someone else to occupy his thoughts while I ordered the drinks and handed over the chocolates and the money. Then it was my turn to nip to the loo while Mike drooled over Sian and carried the drinks to the table. It was as well I hadn’t bothered with breakfast as we decided to have teasted toecakes with our drinks. It was a nice interlude.

We drove home and unpacked the shopping. I made Mike a coffee while I sorted the tablet container for the next week and then went on the computer. I was fairly certain Mike would be leaving soon. Instead time just carried on until about midday he came through to see what I wanted to do. He said he needn’t leave until after lunch so we got our coats on and headed off to see Tariq since we wouldn’t see him all weekend. It was nice and we were able to tease and insult Tariq today without the recent crowds. Mike decided to have the foot long hot dog and I went for some bacon sandwiches and a bucket of chips ( big mistake). It seems Mike had eaten two custard doughnuts while having his coffee at home, and I’d eaten a jam one while doing my tablets. We both struggled to finish lunch. I had hardly any of the chips and Mike had none though he’ll probably say that’s because he received death threats should he dare touch them. Mike flirted with Gail ( Shella’s lovely Mum) then we said goodbye to them all and drove home feeling bloated. Mike left not long after that .

I came through to work about 2.00pm and stayed until 4.00 pm when there was a quiz I wanted to see. Back in at 5.00 pm and then back to see two more at 6.00 pm. I only saw the first and then zonked for an hour. At 7.30 pm I had a shower and then apart from going to take my night tabs have been here ever since. It’s time now to have one last check on the mail before bed.

The Alien.

Saturday.I made a 5.08 am entrance on the World today.It could have been earlier as I’d been up at both 1.30 am and 3.10 am but managed to persuade myself to go back. Especially as I’m not shopping this morning.  Shame really as I’d like some more dark choc ices now I haven’t got any. I think I’m a bit depressed too at not being able to plot evil ways to force Mike out of bed. I started on the mail and one of the first was a direct tweet to me.”I’ve sent you a photo ” it said. I didn’t know the person and don’t normally open things like that but maybe I needed a jolt. I certainly got it! The woman must be very poor as she couldn’t afford clothes. I feel for her, which is perhaps not what I’d be doing if she were here. Heavens I could have saved myself the price of two new pillows this week if I’d known she was around. Still, as Mike would remind me, I mustn’t touch what I can’t afford. I hit delete!

I took a break at 7.00 pm to feed the circling sharks, to take my meds and to have breakfast.I put two pieces of crusty bread in the toaster then took all the rubbish bins and bags out. Came back, washed my hands, lit a cigarette and when I was halfway through I pressed the toaster to start. At the same time I set the machine to give me a cup of Columbian coffee. Once the toast was gone and I’d taken my after food meds, I took my coffee back to the bedroom to battle on. It’s always a pleasure reading through some of my favorite blogs at the weekend and today was no exception. I’d read through bout a dozen when there was another tweet message which I realised was from the same person again. You’ll have to take my word for it that I deleted it without looking in case I went blind. No, I didn’t even risk one eye. I’m not sure how many pairs of lips I should be introduced too on such short acquaintance.

I worked steadily all morning without a break, except for where I nodded off over the keyboard. If I go out later, people will wonder why I have FV,TGB,YHN,UJM IK pressed backwards into my forehead. Perhaps they’ll think it’s Cyrillic and my name. For lunch I had a lamb hot pot. They claimed on the box it feeds one. I can’t actually argue the point as they weren’t species specific, but at least we can rule out human. I followed it up with a piece of lemon meringue pie. That proved a disappointment too. The box was over 2″ deep giving the impression of a deep pie but believe me when I say more than half the box was fresh air. I will admit there was nothing wrong with the taste though. Bottom lip protruding I washed the pots and then went back to bring my mail up to date. About 3.00 pm I got a text from Mike, his usual ‘On Way’. I just answered ‘See you about 6″ and carried on working. It was a bit of a shock therefore when the door opened and in he walked at 4.00 pm. He was already well on his way when he texted me. If only I’d locked the door I could have made him sit in the car for 2 hours.

I finished the message I was doing and went through to make him a coffee.While he drank he told me how nice the weather had been this morning and how well he and Anton had done at the car boot. They took a lot less home than they started with. Also, Anton had showed him a different route to get here which he thinks will shave a bit off his time. We watched a bit of TV till 6.00 pm when I excused myself to come here to try and keep the post to a minimum. As soon as 7.00 pm arrived I dropped everything and went through to watch Lewis with him. We snacked on some malt bread as he didn’t feel like a meal. Once 9.00 pm arrived and the programme was over it was time to say goodnight and leg it in here to catch up. I’ve a few messages still to go but for once I should manage an early night.

 

Sorry but I couldn’t resist putting this one on….have patience. By the way, Wales is NOT in England.

Hugs to you all.