I made my final visit of this trip to see my friend Martin down at Whitney on Wye.
It was not the best day for it, with rain forecast, but I slipped the Shogun from its moorings and headed off.
On route I had to stop for petrol, the beast does guzzle the juice. I thought it might be a good idea to put some oil in the engine, as the warning light did flicker last night.
But I was shocked at the price, over twenty-five quid for a couple of pints, what a swiz.
I hope the truck was happy, it bloody should be.
The day with Martin was fun, his wife Liz kept me fed, as their two Newfoundlands kept me damp.
The drive back was wet, most of the way, but I was pleased to have made the effort, we had a Skype with Kelli so she didn’t seem so far away.
There was not tip run today, because it’s shut on Friday, instead I moved more stuff from the small bedroom.
Nicola and Colin were coming back to plant more things to make the garden even more colourful next spring.
I had a message from the company delivering my new phone between 12.45 and 1.45, so my excitement was beginning to rise.
As the time edged closer I stopped what I was doing and kept my eye on the clock.
The time went on, soon it was 2.00 and still no sign, I checked my messages again. Hitting a link told me that it had been delivered at 12.55 and handed to a person called Emma. The photo showed the package handed to a person with black sock with white dogs on them, this was definitely not me.
This is what I feared, now I was on a time crunch, i got straight on to the shop, it was a long shot, but a darn sight better than the web site that didn’t help at all.
“You will have to call customer services” the young girl at the other end of the phone explained.
I eventually got the number and rang it.
Going thorough the menus eventually I was in a queue to speak to a human.
A short wait and I was put through to Arindam who, I was certain was not in the UK.
I explained the situation, and he repeated all the key points.
I was put on hold while contacted the delivery service.
He came back to say that the item was delivered.
I said that I knew that, but it went to a different address.
He put me on hold again, this time for longer.
Well after a 35 minute call he advised me that the item was going to be collected and re delivered to me later that evening.
Arindam gave me several reference numbers and hoped that it would turn out well, but if there was a problem a replacement would be sent out on Saturday.
I felt reassured that something was being done, but my mind started to think more about where it could have gone.
The cottage is not the easiest place to find but much easier since a sign was added with an arrow pointing up a sloping pathway. However anyone new to the area might struggle.
I decided to check another cottage on the main street with the number seven.
I knocked on the door, dogs barked but no one was in. I had the photo on my phone, but it was not the same doorway.
As I was walking back, I had another idea.
Near the top of the hill was another path leading to another row of cottages, could that be the one.
Climbing the stone steps I came across a big gate with a large metal number seven. I walked through, and this was looking hoping.
I knocked on the door and a young girl with black socks with white dogs opened the door.
She handed me the package, apologising that she tried to tell the person it was not the correct address but they were too quick. I not sure why she didn’t try to bring it to me, but I was relieved to have it in my hands at last.
After a day of trauma it was great to have dinner with Jeanine and Mark. I alway enjoy their company, and the meal was delicious. There is always interesting conversation, but when it got on to the subject of food, Almond flour was mentioned, I never thought for a moment that anyone in England had ever heard of it, how wrong was I?
Jeanine gave me a sample of a secret recipe she had made (patent pending) which was an amazing alternative to a cracker. I think I could have eaten the whole stock.
It was the perfect ending of the day, and really for my whole trip.
I had booked a hair appointment a couple of weeks ago, and thanks to Mike he also gave me his cold, I needed to thank him for that.
I took the train again, so I arrived in Bath quite early, but I wanted to organise a new phone, so I had plenty of time to do it.
There were signs that this wasn’t going to go well when they didn’t have the colour or model I wanted.
Not really a problem, I was prepared for an alternative, we carried on only to discover that none of the assistants could gain access to the system.
“ The best thing you can do sir is to order on line, then you can get the exact model you want”.
This was not really what I wanted to hear, some of these processes can be complicated and my attention span cannot be alway guaranteed.
I decided to go and have a coffee, sit down and try to order the damn thing.
With my hot drink steaming, I attempted to log on to my account, only to find that I couldn’t log on as well, my patience was beginning to match my drink. I decided to wait a while just to see if the website would suddenly heal itself.
I wandered around the town, suddenly having the urge to use the toilet.
I remembered there was a public convenience by the theatre, so off I went.
When I got there only one cubicle was available, but there was no notice advising me what coins I needed to use. There was no one around to ask, so I went off in search of another.
There was one at the bottom of town, but by now things were getting desperate.
So I found another coffee shop and had another hot drink. Quickly finishing that I rushed up two flights of stairs to reach the facilities.
The relief was for all to hear, but not all was lost, my telecom supplier was back on line, so I rushed back to the shop.
The shop system was still down, but I did get help to order my new phone.
“It will be delivered to your house tomorrow” the assistant assured me.
By now it was time for my hair appointment.
Mike was happy to see me, saying he felt rough a couple of weeks ago but was just getting over it.
I smiled, saying I know what he means.
Once that ordeal was over, I had planned to meet my friend Rob for lunch, another Masala dosa went down amazingly.
Rob was going to drive me back to the cottage where he was going to trim my two apple trees.
Later, as we were having a rest, an old school friend Pete knocked at the door. He lives in Bradford-on-Avon but has never visited before, so it was great to see him.
It is great that so many of our former classmates have got together after such a long time, all with interesting stories to tell. Our school was an amazing place, not that we appreciated that at the time, but it did make us into the people we are, creative, eccentric and a bit odd, but we don’t care.
Took the day out to visit Damian and the boys in the heart of the new forest.
This is the first time I’ve had to navigate my way there, and boy was it a task. Even with GPS it was hit and miss, having missed my turn I continued on route, but it ended at a flooded road. Not wanting to risk getting waterlogged even though I was driving the Shogun I made the decision to reverse and go back the way I came.
Success! I managed to find the place.
The boys were their riotous selves, George kept changing his costumes from Spider-Man and Black Panther, but ended up running around in his underwear. Ethan on the other hand was far more sensible. They had just returned from Florida, so they all had many stories of rides that would make my stomach turn, but then I was always a wimp.
The first thing I was nominated to do was have a kick around with Ethan in the garden. I last time I did this I thought I was going to die because I probably put too much effort into it. I was left a sweating mess, and I vowed not to do that again. This time it was far more refined, penalties.
Having scored a few, I again let the lad win.
Then there was a bout of video games for which I was a spectator. These have never been a favourite, as I have more valuable things to do with the time I have left.
Before I left for the long drive back, I had to read him a bedtime story.
His choice was Harry Potter and the Chamber of secrets, a book I’ve never read with names I could not pronounce, however Ethan knew them all and corrected me as I went.
The drive back was more horrendous, the dark lanes snaked to the left and to the right, I craved some landmark that would give me hope that I would ever get home.
A wrong turn at Ringwood led me through a car park, through narrow streets that I wasn’t sure if it was a one way or not.
Again I backtracked and found familiar territory, then it was a long drive back home and a rewarding drink.
Nicola and Colin were due up to do more work on the garden, but on the way they had a puncture. Apparently a rock, that Nicola saw first, jumped into the way of Colin who couldn’t avoid it.
Ryan had acquired a ladder that enabled me to finish the row of feather boards that I couldn’t reach. In half an hour that was done, and I had a few strip left, so I started on another area that needed attention.
Once the dynamic duo arrived they got straight into action sorting out the patio.
I had a lunch planned with Helen and Martyn from Herman Miller, it was great seeing them again, and to catch up with any gossip that I had missed.
I didn’t realise how much the area had changed, there is now a Dick Lovett car showroom right in front of the factory.
Like we need more cars on the road, talking of which, Trowbridge was gridlocked as I tried to make my way to the tip with six bags of green stuff festering away in the back. I had planned on doing that on my route to Melksham, but as the time was slipping by, I changed plan and drove a different way hoping to miss the traffic.
There was a conspiracy afoot, slow drivers, tractors and heavy goods vehicles took it upon themselves to hold me up.
That is when I made the comparison between the US and UK. In the states everything is spread apart, so driving takes a while, but in the UK places are closer together, but with all traffic congestion it takes the same bloody time.
I manage to dispose of the garden waste at the tip, and once home I wanted to burn the four years of post that had accumulated.
I walked down to my incinerator with a box of matches in my hand.
Inside was a lot of dried twigs that, with some paper soon turned into a nice fire. I started to throw on my post, which started to burn well.
I had concerns that it was a bit close to the fence, as I tried to move it, the bottom half disintegrated. Fortunately the top half was okay so I carried on with the burn.
Typical, things never last, it was okay the last time I used it, so some else to take to the tip.
There is a common theme to my life at the moment, it’s back and forth to the tip. This time dumping old cladding from the shed.
I was also working on the inside of the shed, throwing away things I had been hoarding for years.
I also uncovered an old Rubner desk (remember that?) It was hidden away under sheets of hardboard. The top was in perfect condition seeing it must have been in there for twenty years. I had bought plastic crates to store other things I hadn’t had time to deal with, they have now been stacked in an organised manner, and you can now see the floor.
There is definitely a therapeutic effect of deep cleaning, I even enjoyed cleaning the wire shelves on the oven, scraping away the burnt-in dirt with a blade. I do enjoy a clean Oven.
The cold I caught is still hanging on dispite my regular Lemsips that I take, but it’s not enough to hamper my tasks, death might slow me down a little.
I move into the final week of my trip, now I have to sort all my crap and box stuff for storage. Clearing out the shed was the main objective, it was full of wood that I had accumulated, but now it was surplus to requirements.
Other jobs that needed attention was the oven.
Considering that guest only stay a short time I was surprised how dirty it was.
I had bought some cleaner so powerful it was on the world’s most dangerous chemicals list.
Reading the instructions, and unravelled the protective clothing I started on the task.
I had to scrape the back of the glass door with a blade, it was laborious, but effective.
I made a trip to the tip to dump the timber.
Climbing the steps to the skip was exhausting, I must have done it ten times, each one got harder.
There was a feeling of liberation, the start of the great shed clear out had begun.
I had to return to B&Q because the lock plug I got yesterday was wrong. I should have know, but I was more concerned with the length of the piece rather that its function.
It was an easy job, but the encapsulated packaging meant I had to attack it with a Stanley knife. I made two savage cuts, and only then did I realised it was the wrong one.
I was concerned that the cuts would make it difficult to exchange, but I needn’t have worried, the young girl at the checkout refunded the money immediately.
I then walked back to the isle where I was yesterday to look for the correct product.
But I was out of luck, there were others that were smaller, but not the size I needed.
On the way back I stopped off at Wickes to buy more feather board for the shed.
The weather was kind to me, I had one area I wanted to complete on this trip. This would allow me to mount the new post box.
I managed to get quite a bit done before the drizzle started.
I was getting near the limits of safety using my step ladder, and with only four pieces left to do, I stopped, I wasn’t going to risk serious injury.
Besides, I was due to have dinner with Ryan, Louise and my grandson Marlo. He came back from University in Falmouth just to see me.
What a transformation he has gone through in four years, from a geeky child to a handsome young man. It made my heart good to see him looking so grown up.
After dinner we all drove to Holt at the invitation of Amilie to view her new home.
The time I’ve been away, both grandchildren have left the nest, starting on the new road to independence, it made me feel older than I am, but there was a feeling of pride.
more concerned with the length of the piece rather that its function.
It was an easy job, but the encapsulated packaging meant I had to attack it with a Stanley knife. I made two savage cuts, and only then did I realised it was the wrong one.
I was concerned that the cuts would make it difficult to exchange, but I needn’t have worried, the young girl at the checkout refunded the money immediately.
I then walked back to the isle where I was yesterday to look for the correct product.
But I was out of luck, there were others that were smaller, but not the size I needed.
On the way back I stopped off at Wickes to buy more feather board for the shed.
The weather was kind to me, I had one area I wanted to complete on this trip. This would allow me to mount the new post box.
I managed to get quite a bit done before the drizzle started.
I was getting near the limits of safety using my step ladder, and with only four pieces left to do, I stopped, I wasn’t going to risk serious injury.
Besides, I was due to have dinner with Ryan, Louise and my grandson Marlo. He came back from University in Falmouth just to see me.
What a transformation he has gone through in four years, from a geeky child to a handsome young man. It made my heart good to see him looking so grown up.
After dinner we all drove to Holt at the invitation of Amilie to view her new home.
The time I’ve been away, both grandchildren have left the nest, starting on the new road to independence, it made me feel older than I am, but there was a feeling of pride.
Another Lifetime to go 