8 December 2007
Having visited a hospital recently it is inevitable that I have picked up a cold. I rarely have colds because I tend to go straight to chest infections so this is something of a first. Keeping warm and indoors drinking plenty of fluids is no hardship in this weather as it seems to have rained for the last three days and today we had sleet and flakes of snow. Not a view to be seen over the valley so it is perhaps silly to have arranged to have seven windows replaced the week after next - never been one to do things by halves.
The rheumatologist asked if I had been under any stress recently - being divorced, re-married, moving house three times, changing jobs three times, being involved in a serious incident involving guns; giving evidence in court; developing a couple of chronic medical conditions and all in the last ten years made me realise that indeed my life has been a bit stressful - he just said "Oh" and made a note.
Having visited a hospital recently it is inevitable that I have picked up a cold. I rarely have colds because I tend to go straight to chest infections so this is something of a first. Keeping warm and indoors drinking plenty of fluids is no hardship in this weather as it seems to have rained for the last three days and today we had sleet and flakes of snow. Not a view to be seen over the valley so it is perhaps silly to have arranged to have seven windows replaced the week after next - never been one to do things by halves.
The rheumatologist asked if I had been under any stress recently - being divorced, re-married, moving house three times, changing jobs three times, being involved in a serious incident involving guns; giving evidence in court; developing a couple of chronic medical conditions and all in the last ten years made me realise that indeed my life has been a bit stressful - he just said "Oh" and made a note.
20 December 2007
Perhaps the 17th December is not quite the right date to select for having several windows replaced at home but nevertheless, the Songsinger household is nothing if not brave. The temperature here above the snowline has not been above freezing for more than a couple of hours each day but nothing was going to stop the installation, save, perhaps the two young men who were doing the job.
If I say I will be there at 9.30 am, short of a natural disaster, I will be there. Why then, can this simple principle not be applied in the same way by the people employed to complete work on my house? An hour late the first day and over an hour and a half the second meant that the various windows had to be completed and cleaned in the dark; result - not a brilliant job. Fortunately the company concerned gives a checklist for completion as to the competence or otherwise of the fitters and that gave me the opportunity to expand in letter form the basis of my disappointment with the work. We shall see if there is any outcome.
Expense has been high on the agenda lately as my lovely car (Astra SRi 1.8) decided on the coldest day so far to give it's heater a little holiday. Just what was needed. Still, the upside is that I have found a lovely garage locally who have fixed the blighter and given me confidence in them so that is always a bonus.
Today was a blue sky, sunshine and deep frost day and what a joy! Even better I managed to see Ranger and have a present opening session with him. This was our Christmas celebration so we walked around his home town which gave me some much needed gentle exercise, had lunch and enjoyed the buzz of shops before Christmas, lights and general feeling of goodwill which gave my spirits a lift. This time of the year seems to bring a smile to the most taciturn face - what a shame it doesn't last!
Perhaps the 17th December is not quite the right date to select for having several windows replaced at home but nevertheless, the Songsinger household is nothing if not brave. The temperature here above the snowline has not been above freezing for more than a couple of hours each day but nothing was going to stop the installation, save, perhaps the two young men who were doing the job.
If I say I will be there at 9.30 am, short of a natural disaster, I will be there. Why then, can this simple principle not be applied in the same way by the people employed to complete work on my house? An hour late the first day and over an hour and a half the second meant that the various windows had to be completed and cleaned in the dark; result - not a brilliant job. Fortunately the company concerned gives a checklist for completion as to the competence or otherwise of the fitters and that gave me the opportunity to expand in letter form the basis of my disappointment with the work. We shall see if there is any outcome.
Expense has been high on the agenda lately as my lovely car (Astra SRi 1.8) decided on the coldest day so far to give it's heater a little holiday. Just what was needed. Still, the upside is that I have found a lovely garage locally who have fixed the blighter and given me confidence in them so that is always a bonus.
Today was a blue sky, sunshine and deep frost day and what a joy! Even better I managed to see Ranger and have a present opening session with him. This was our Christmas celebration so we walked around his home town which gave me some much needed gentle exercise, had lunch and enjoyed the buzz of shops before Christmas, lights and general feeling of goodwill which gave my spirits a lift. This time of the year seems to bring a smile to the most taciturn face - what a shame it doesn't last!
29 December 2007
Robinson is now becoming quite upset when we leave him for more than a few days so we tried to reassure him before we made the journey south to Kent (usually a marathon event) that we would actually be coming back but one look at the suitcase in the hall and he knew. On our return today which was rather earlier than is usual, he seemed pleased to see us and played his usual game of let me in/out so that I can be sure you are still there.
Our early return was prompted by the fact that the Travelodge in which we endured two fairly awful night's sleep had a power cut at around 7.30 am and there was therefore no hot drinks, light or heat. As in all these places the en-suite has no window so we showered and hoped that not only would all the right bits be cleaned properly but also that the hot water which was presumably held in a tank, would last out until we had finished. The bed was smaller than we are used to and had a distinct slope towards the middle but if we thought that the first night's sleep was bad we were in for a shock the next night.
OH had tried his best with the television but only two stations were really OK so I tried to get off to sleep early. At around 3.30 am a guest started hammering on one of the outside doors to be let in and this woke both of us from what, at least for me, had been a deep and peaceful sleep. There then ensued a conversation with a woman's voice dominating; there was the sound of somebody coughing as though it was their last night on earth; then somebody threw up and the fan in a bathroom was left on providing a bass undercurrent to all this performance.
I must have dozed off because the next thing I remember is someone's alarm clock going off at around 6.30 am and then at about 7.30 am the power went off which at least cut off the bathroom fan. I wanted to get away as soon as possible so all was flung in the suitcase and it wasn't until I was visiting the service station on the second of our comfort breaks that I realised that my trousers were on back to front. The upside of us leaving Croydon at 9 am meant that we were home before 2 pm which was good. Next time we stay at one of these places I shall insist on a second floor room - this was the noisiest place I have ever been. Ah well, my own lovely, king-size, memory foam bed tonight!
Robinson is now becoming quite upset when we leave him for more than a few days so we tried to reassure him before we made the journey south to Kent (usually a marathon event) that we would actually be coming back but one look at the suitcase in the hall and he knew. On our return today which was rather earlier than is usual, he seemed pleased to see us and played his usual game of let me in/out so that I can be sure you are still there.
Our early return was prompted by the fact that the Travelodge in which we endured two fairly awful night's sleep had a power cut at around 7.30 am and there was therefore no hot drinks, light or heat. As in all these places the en-suite has no window so we showered and hoped that not only would all the right bits be cleaned properly but also that the hot water which was presumably held in a tank, would last out until we had finished. The bed was smaller than we are used to and had a distinct slope towards the middle but if we thought that the first night's sleep was bad we were in for a shock the next night.
OH had tried his best with the television but only two stations were really OK so I tried to get off to sleep early. At around 3.30 am a guest started hammering on one of the outside doors to be let in and this woke both of us from what, at least for me, had been a deep and peaceful sleep. There then ensued a conversation with a woman's voice dominating; there was the sound of somebody coughing as though it was their last night on earth; then somebody threw up and the fan in a bathroom was left on providing a bass undercurrent to all this performance.
I must have dozed off because the next thing I remember is someone's alarm clock going off at around 6.30 am and then at about 7.30 am the power went off which at least cut off the bathroom fan. I wanted to get away as soon as possible so all was flung in the suitcase and it wasn't until I was visiting the service station on the second of our comfort breaks that I realised that my trousers were on back to front. The upside of us leaving Croydon at 9 am meant that we were home before 2 pm which was good. Next time we stay at one of these places I shall insist on a second floor room - this was the noisiest place I have ever been. Ah well, my own lovely, king-size, memory foam bed tonight!
