Last year, up until August, we had quite glorious weather. I spent a lot of time in the garden cooking and drinking. Probably too much drinking when we look back on it. With the exercise now a few glasses of wine does me. We look back at that lockdown party and think “Jayzuz how did we manage that??”.

This Summer? Well it’s just nonexistent. Very thick cloud and not a sight of the sun. Constantly damp. Not a lot of cooking on the fire outside at all – the stack of wood and charcoal is mocking me. Heading into the Winter now so this is going to be tough on people.

Apart from that I’m grand. We are still no closer to getting the house renovated. Which is…annoying but consistent. Trying to get builders to commit to anything is extraordinarily hard. It’s difficult to get materials right now, and a lot of people are getting work done. But apparently they run out of money or don’t get the remortgage and it all becomes a bit of a disaster.

We have the cash. Just trying to find someone who will take it and commit to something is a challenge. Madness.

Herself is getting an old sofa of hers rebuilt and re-upholstered. It’s from a place that hands out fifty year guarantees with their furniture. The sofa was in the apartment we had rented out and the it got destroyed by tenants. It’s being rebuilt and re-upholstered and we’ll have it (as it’s very good) and we REALLY need to get rid of what we have now. I eventually agreed to go and help pick fabric and what legs it would have etc. Jayzuz it’s like ordering food in America. Too much choice.

“What kind of sofa do you want?”

“Comfy!” [end of]

But you have to be part of things like this. Well, seeing as she got the sofa I decided I needed a comfortable new chair:

“What kind of chair do you want?”

“Comfy!”

“Oh for gawds sake…”

“Okay not only does it need to BE comfy it needs to LOOK comfy and it needs to give off a vibe of ‘Thats a comfy chair but it obviously belongs to somebody who would not want me to sit in it’ and so they will sit anywhere else and ENVY that chair”

“Not helping”

“You asked”

But we went up to look at them and pick one for me. Two hours lads! I have never spent that length of time on any decision. Fabric, colour, casters, legs, filling. Sort of matching footstool even! Do I want buttons on the fabric on the footstool? (No, too bloody floofy). Herself LOVED that I was involved as she loves this kind of thing. And was being fussed by the assistant.

“What colour for the fabric, this or this?” Herself and the Assistant look expectantly at me

“This is one of those times I remind you I’m colour blind isn’t it?”

Look of exasperation on Herselfs face and the Assistant is trying not to laugh.

“You pick the colour love. I trust you”

Beamy smile and I can go find a seat to sit down on until all choices have been made.

It cost a BOMB. And not only do I still not have a chair, as they have to build it (quite cool tbf), I’m now crossing my fingers it arrives by Christmas.

I’m not patient at the best of times.

But it has a fifty year guarantee so I’ll not outlive that. If I do then something has gone very wrong as I haven’t planned to be around for that long!

With work I’m just thinking to myself “You never learn do you?”. I had thought it would be rather easy. A twelve month contract and it seemed like they had their act together and have done well. Swans lads! All cool and calm on the surface but desperately manic underneath. Still, that’s why I’m here. It’s what I’m good at and it’s what I get paid for. But the first month has been a bit tiring.

I’m not a fan of large time differences. But been there and done that. My next role has to be working with Europe.

This was just stream of thought ramblings. But I’m trying to get back into writing. I miss blogs and my blog. It’s just a habit.