Author: peterb51

25th January 2018

Went to Grounded for brunch. As I finished my food, sipping my coffee I was suddenly aware that the place had filled with young mothers with their babies. All around high chairs were replacing normal chairs, and the noise levels increased. Most girls had their hair piled up on top, and tied in a tight band. Of course they wear it this way because they got up late, and didn’t have time to do the hair. Me on the other hand could not get away with that, as I resemble Ken Dodd first thing in the morning, although it gets worse during the day.

The girls sit chatting about “baby” things to each other. “Little Johnny got a question right on University Challenge ” said one ” Sarah got three questions right on “Eggheads” said another. This rivalry continues, as the little darlings destroy the cake they have been given to keep them quiet. Ultimately it finishes up in a pile on the floor, or spread around the high chair.

24th January 2018

More of the same, it is difficult to make sweeping up rubble anymore interesting.

I had someone turn up to collect the radiators I had removed. I had stained my veg to get them to the slope,now someone else and strain theirs to take them away, I think that’s fair.

Another visitor was the installer from Leekes that I had given up on. He looked at the bathroom, grunted as I described what needed to happen. “When do you want it done” he asked, adding “Can’t take on anything before April” Mmmm, well he might not get this job.

I took Ryan, Louise and Marlo to El Guaga, a Mexican grill in Trowbridge. This was a treat to thank them for letting me stay over the many weeks.

When we arrived at the restaurant, it was empty, we thought it was closed, and we would have to cook the meals ourselves.

I have noticed that I have to use the word “pardon?” a lot especially when the waitress asks me what I would like to drink, and it’s not that I’m deaf.

23rd January 2018

The days routine is mostly the same, one or two trips to the tip, cloud of dust, return to house. It is easy to slip into automatic, like I did today. I emptied the last bag and walked back to the truck, not noticing that the vehicle next to me had changed. I saw the raised hatch, and was just about to throw my black bag into the back when I caught sight of a wheelchair in the back. Realising my near mistake I scurried away hoping no one saw me.

Met up with my old studio buddy Dave for a coffee, after eight years. Lots to talk about, after two and a half hours of old jokes and stories, we agreed to meet again in maybe seven years!

Louis and Andy came round to the house for a re-fresh. There were concerns that the waste pipe was not big enough to clear the water in the shower tray. This may have to be increased in diameter to stop the possibility of overflow.

This will be a big job, involving cutting through three inches of concrete, not fun.

22nd January 2018

I got to use the trolley for the first time. I piled on four bags of broken tiles, and set off. I wasn’t sure which way I should use it, either pulling or pushing. The big steaming Burke inside thought pushing was the best, but trying to control the steering proved difficult, and I succeeded in spilling one bag over the path.

Once I got that figured out, and after cleaning up the mess, I tried to pull the cart down the hill.

The secret here is to make sure the weight of the load is less than you are, however there is also gravity to contend with. There were times when I thought that the vehicle was going to run over me, but digging my heels in I made it to the bottom.

As I pulled the trolley back to the summit, I noticed the next door neighbour at my front door talking to Andy who had been stripping off the render and plaster off the last wall.

I waited at the bottom of the path for him. He was complaining about the noise Andy was making, saying that he couldn’t listen to the radio. I explained that I had knocked on his door last week to inform him of the activity I was doing, but I got no response. He looked at me blankly, pointing to his ears “you’ll have to speak up, because I’m deaf”, and I was speechless.

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21st January 2018

Sunday is my catch up on what is happening around the world. US politics is the first port of call, and it never ceases to amaze and amuse me.

It is getting very boring, both Trump and Brexit feature heavily, and as I have stopped wearing a watch, I should stop reading the news.

I don’t think my life would be very different without it, and wouldn’t leave me disappointed at another shooting in a US school.

As a child I was told at about “The power of prayer”, what a pile of crap that is, you can pray all you like but it can’t return a loved one back to its family.

On a lighter note, I learned that my artist friend Martin had good results from his scan where they found the growth on his liver was benign.

20th January 2018

Today I spent a couple of hours assembling a gardening cart. This has four pneumatic tyres, and will be ideal for carrying the bags of rubble down the slope. I had tried to use a glorified skateboard, but that got stuck in the ruts and it took longer than carrying the bags by hand.

Fortunately I didn’t have to learn Chinese to put it together, I use the English man version, which is to discard any instructions, and figure it out, and that’s why it took two hours, well, actually it took three. At the end I had a gleaming green dream machine.

19th January 2018

I had use the Melksham recycling centre today, because the Trowbridge one is closed. I had to drive past the HM factory, the first time since I left.

As I have said so many times, I have not given the place a second thought. As I drove past, that feeling hadn’t changed. There were obvious signs of alterations, no amount of work can improve a dull and soulless place, a turd is always a turd.

I treated myself to a vegetarian breakfast at Grounded in Bradford on Avon. I ordered an filter coffee, but with a small pot of soya milk on the side forgetting that the two don’t really mix. There is this curdling effect that doesn’t effect the taste, but looks disgusting.

I did two runs to Melksham, then headed back down to Barrington.

As I was driving, it was like I was doing a proper job, leaving early on a Friday, back on Monday, ready for a another week slog. Retirement has not been a restful time, but the furniture projects were challenging, and the cottage is backbreaking.

18th January 2018

The bath came out today, the tiled wall is no more, and even the electrics have been de-commissioned, so in less than a month I have knocked a hundred thousand pounds of the value of the place.

” It will look perfect once it’s all done” said Andy the plumber, shouting over his drum and bass soundtrack. “I bloody hope so” my optimism weakening with every piece of plaster that I knock off.

Of course my trip to the Trowbridge tip ended in disaster, BECAUSE IT WAS THURSDAY, AND IT IS CLOSED ON A THURSDAY.

However I learned that the site at Bower Hill in Melksham was open Thursday and Friday, but I just couldn’t be bothered to do it today.

17th January 2018

Today was Andy, the plumbers first day on the job. He drained all the rads and removed all the pipework.it will be wonderful not to see all the pipes all over the walls, and some more modern rads.

I started to clear the alcoves of plaster arches and discovered some sixties wallpaper, I want to try to remove as much as I can, and maybe feature it is a piece of artwork that I can display.

16th January 2018

More dust and dirt as I attempt to complete the removal of the living room ceiling. I had agreed with Andy, my plumber, that it would be available for him to remove the piping.

There is no easy way to do this, at the end of the day my hair is matted with dust, and thankfully a good soak in the bath at Ryan and Louise’s makes me feel human again.