Thursday - working to rule...

As I said John loves the bedroom now we have painted and I have to say I have to agree with him - only trouble is we can't enjoy it because we have to be up early as the workmen ARE going to arrive apparently and I do feel that if either of them ever want to have children in the future they really do need to be here today.

It was a beautiful start to the day - we have had such a glorious December so far - much better than was originally forecast which is galling because we had been expecting to lose work time due to the weather not due to poor timekeeping.  We think it has all come to a head too late but better late than never.

Anyway wonders will never cease the men arrived at just after 7.30am and they seemed to be ok with us so I made them a cuppa like I would normally do before going off to Polis.

It was beautiful down in Polis - I was so glad that I had decided to wear shorts!!!!  It seems far too nice for Christmas to be just round the corner.   I was treating myself to a bit of pampering at Beauty by Kate.  It is my little treat to myself and I really felt I needed it this morning with everything that has been going on.

I had the most wonderful hour or so under Kate's caring hands and her fabulous products.  I really would have liked to have stayed all day away from the carnage that is going on at home.  I am hoping to help Kate next year with her fund raising for Breast Cancer Awareness - she did so well this year and handed over a cheque on the same day as her lovely Nan Eunice succumbed to the disease.

Woo hoo Millie was there again today when I went to feed - this is such good news but I do think something has spooked her - she constantly looks over her shoulder when she is eating and seems to escape to the safety of behind the catflap.   I would like to stay longer with her but at the moment this just isn't possible.

Before going home I called into the sanctuary of Orexi HQ and my lovely friend Elena.  It is always lovely to spend time over a coffee with her and today she was making some absolutely fantastic focaccia with leek, cheese and onion.  I cannot tell you how absolutely scrummy these tasted so big big thanks Elena for these.

Good news is that on my return the men were hard at it and at long last the skip has arrived so the mountain of rubbish that had been lobbed over the wall into the field next door can be cleared away at long last - this is good news as this is not our land and we didn't want to leave a mess there for too long.  John and I did have a chuckle to ourselves though as the goats were brought to graze in that field and we just knew that pot noodle boy would be scared shitless by them.  We told him he had to be especially careful of the one with the bloody great horns and he looked like he wanted to get out of the field asap.

This is the view from the conservatory as grinding is taking place - it looks like a winter wonderland outside.  With the best will in the world all the dust does not remain outside and inside everything has a covering - they haven't made any attempt to cover up the doors and I am really worried about them.  John is going his best to try and make sure they are ok but there is only so much he can do.  We are beginning to feel like we will never get square.

I dearly would like to put the Christmas trimmings up but there is little point at the moment - I normally love the run up to Christmas but the pool project has been so very stressful so far.  I don't think John and I are difficult - we just want a good job done for a fair price - this is our hard earned cash and we want to spend it wisely.  John and I are absolutely threaders with the whole thing.

We have had a right old ding dong about the steps today as the Office want to try and get them dry as quickly as possible and the Workers have categorically told us that they wont touch the steps if a drier is brought in.  We feel like we are between a rock and a hard place with one side saying one thing and the other side saying another.  Anyway we have agreed on what they are going to be doing tomorrow and they are due to arrive at 8.00am so we will wait and see.

We were so grateful to be escaping this evening to To Steki in Kathikas to meet up with Louise, Hywel and their old friend John.  See no, Hear no and Speak no were on good form and it was great to catch up with Lou.