Another Lifetime to go

8th February 2018

The continuing white winter-wonder land stops a lot of fun taking place. The Kelli’s kitchen has become an extension of the workshop, the poor dogs have to overcome an obstacle course made up of furniture pieces every time they want to go outside.

There are two words that will guarantee me falling asleep every time, and no it is not Justin Hayward, it is Downton Abbey. Kelli and Greer settle down in the evening to watch several episodes. I never watched it when it was broadcast in the U.K but it has followed me to a different continent. The glamourising of the upper class in the nineteen twenties, and the under stair servants constantly cooking and serving those who constantly “have to go to London” drives me nuts.

Meanwhile in Bradford on Avon progress at the cottage is good, both the bathroom and the knock-through in the living room have been done. Next week the builders will tackle the fire place in the kitchen.

7th February 2018

A lot of my thoughts, and emails have been dominated by the work being carried out at my cottage. The changes in the kitchen are causing a few problems to the builder, Louis.

There are some critical dimensions that make the kitchen design work that are difficult to maintain. So sketches were going back and forth, hopefully resolving the situation.

In Holland it is still snowing. I’m moving the projects along governed by the speed by which the adhesive cures.

I got round to taking the bed frame apart that we got on the last trip. It was too big to fit in the truck and had to be lashed to the tailgate and driven back very slowly. The plan was to take it apart to paint and transport to it to the Tin Roof. The posts were held together with square nuts set into a deep recess, of course I could not find a socket to fit, and a conventional spanner was too large to fit in the recess. In the end I ground down one to fit with a belt sander, so Pete the bodger strikes again.

6th February 2018

Work started today, I had a top to make for a small table, so the biscuit cutter was used a lot.

The problem with the cold weather is the glue takes a long time to cure, so I have to make small sections at a time and bring them into the warm kitchen to dry.

This means that I have multiple jobs going to use my time efficiently.

I started a planter, as well as the commissioned piece.

The garage was not so chaotic as I was expecting, there was space to move around, well it was until Pete got there. Almost everything I touched fell, and my big boots knocked into what had fallen. I’d only been away a couple of months, but it was learning to walk again. When I walked into the house I deposited piles of sawdust that were trapped in the deep grooves of my foot ware. Kelli is tolerant, and only sprinkles a bit in my musli.

5th February 2018

Things about the cottage warmed up a bit with the arrival of the Building Control letter, and an email saying he could start this week. Just as well that I am the other side of the Atlantic, but there is no reason why I have to be there, so they can just get on with it.

It was still cold when we set off for Hudsonville to check on what had sold at Painted Farmgirl.

Kelli had some new items, so we braved the snow and set off. The bad news was not much had sold, the same news came from the Tin Roof, despite the “Opening “event nothing of ours had sold.

On the way back we stopped off at Lowes to pick up some supplies. I also bought a biscuit cutter for all the jobs I had ahead. Kelli’s dad called and wanted a hand moving a dining table to his workshop for re varnishing. Kelli mentioned what I had bought, “I have one of those you can have” He ruffled though a cupboard and pulled out the machine. It had hardly been used, so I can return the one I bought back to the store.

3rd February 2018

Good morning America.

The morning sun reflected on the white carpet that had appeared a few days before.

The snow was about a couple of inches deep, the cold hit me like a smack in the face, but that was nothing to the greeting I had from Kelli’s two dogs.

Justin Hayward was at the beginning of his collection of greatest hits, his personal wealth increasing by the minute. I wonder if he thinks how someone in West Michigan can play so many of his songs in a day.

We had an appointment to go to the opening of The Tin Roof Market, I was excited to see the pieces that Kelli had worked on whilst I was back in the UK. She had done a great job, the pieces looked good, and the restyled interior worked well. Although there were no sales, which was a bit of a bummer, but we did find some great timber pallets that were going free.

I loaded them into the truck, these would be great for the first project that was lined up for me. We had been commissioned to produce a copy of a piece the Kelli had sold a few weeks ago. It was a simple structure that supported three galvanise buckets, an unusual combination, but one that someone wanted.

It was time to open my Christmas presents.

Kelli always find funny and cool stuff, and these were no disappointment.

Kelli also made a fabulous breakfast, totally healthy.

2nd February 2018

I went to bed at ten o’clock because I had an early start. I dropped off easily, and endured my usual weird and perverted dreams, I woke up exactly one hour later, thinking I had slept for hours. The rest of the night went the same way, I even woke up five minutes before the alarm, and still waited for it to ring.

The Jag roared into life at four forty-five, fortunately the hearing aids belonging to the neighbours were still turned off, so the rattling windows were not noticed. The drive took a little longer because part of the A303 was closed for re-surfacing, Damn the highway agency!

The drive to Heathrow was uneventful, although it is a good opportunity to have a good talk with Damian rather than trade insults and flippant remarks, as we usually do.

The waiting around in the airport is the worst, after walking through the stores looking at things I don’t want, I usually end up buying batteries for my headphones, every time I do this, and every time I unpack, packs of batteries that I already have fall out.

The flight was uneventful, it was not full, so a bit of space to stretch out.

Getting through immigration was easy, but had to endure a intensive waist search going into the Domestic Terminal.

I arrived at Grand Rapids at eight twenty, a little ahead of schedule, so much so the ground crew were not there to get the jet bridge operating, so an eight minute wait endured.

Eventually that got sorted, and I made my way to the Arrival lounge where Kelli was waiting.

I think she was pleased to see me, I was sure please to see her smiling face.

We had a bite to eat at New Holland brewery, it had been a long day, and it was catching up on me.

1st February 2018

Sent off the technical specifications to the Building Control this morning, phew talk about cutting it fine.

I spent a couple of hours at the house stashing more things away, then headed down to Blissford to swap to the Jag, then on to Barrington.

I timed the journey in preparation for the next days return jaunt to collect Damian.

Packing was done in a flash, one pair of socks (matching), one pair shorts with functioning elastic, one sweatshirt, and a couple tee-shirts.

Although I have many more clothes in Holland, I thought I’d better make a token effort in case someone opens my case in security, and of course the limited boot space in the Jag.

31st January 2018

The old electric cooker and the bath went to the recycling today. The cooker was in a disgusting state, so dirty I thought I would be asked to remove it from the centre, and dump it in a ditch. Fortunately there were no officials about, so it was dump and run.

I went to Trowbridge for a coffee, but boycotted both Starbucks and Costa (unless I needed the wooden sticks) I found a local place , but it was filled with old men sipping their tea and talking loudly. I ordered some lunch, and while I was waiting I watched the interaction between the old men and the waitresses. They were obviously regulars, as the banter was probably repeated every week.

The girls were polite, and tolerant, I felt embarrassed, in case things turned nasty and the dentures came out. I didn’t want to get involved, and avoided eye contact with some of the old guys, those walking sticks look lethal.

30th January 2018

Leroy insisted on giving me the shirt off his back. The latest meeting to determine who I will place my order with. Interior Harmony had worked hard to get their offer really close to the one from Leekes. A few changes to the appliances, and a different door option did it for me. The next stage can only happen when the building and plastering has been completed.

Whilst I was in Bath, I called my hairdresser, got an appointment, and was decent again.

29th January 2018

I had my job list for the day.

Andy turned up for half a day to check out the proposed shower waste pipe. Fortunately(if you can say that) it was a separate from the others, so only one channel would have to be cut into the concrete floor.

I decanted most of stuff stored in the front bedroom into the shed (Thank you STEM shelving) the rest will be done by the end of the week.

“Don’t tell me when you’re coming” Kelli pleaded down the phone, “call me when you get to Chicago” I had once mentioned that I would fly over without telling her and surprise call her when I landed. This was not one of these times, and she knew it, but still insisted on an element of mystery.

I had done a surprise visit before, the secret was to set up a smoke screen to cover when I was in the air and out of phone contact.

There is nothing like knocking at the door and waiting for the reaction, if she was in of course.

I always tell he I won’t do that trick again, until the next time.