Hmmm where to start?
My Great gran Lil is still with us! Bless her they really dont make people made of hardy stuff like her anymore! Its been a rollercoaster of phone calls saying iits now time and then the follow ups saying she has stabilised! I decided to go and say goodbye on Monday. Its going to sound daft but I kept hearing her calling me and I am so glad I went. I mean she looks awful and is bed bound, weighs in at 5 stone and is a shell of the woman she was but when you look into her eyes you can see the woman that was. I spent an hour alone with her talking to her of my kids and our plans, what we have been up to and where we are hopefully heading. I was told before I went in to see her that she sleeps constantly and may try to hit or scratch me but no such things happend. She spent most of the time looking into my eyes and holding my hands. She then pulled me in closer and pulled my hands to her face so i know that somewhere we made a connection. She will be missed so much when she goes but it gave me a peace that we had time to catch up and say out goodbyes. I know that last sentance sounds like she has gone already but I know it will be the last time we will see each other...such is the way of things.
Onto lighter notes...
The new toy (rotovator) arrived and saved me hours and hours of work at the allotment! I am happy to say that all the spuds and onions are in now with a couple of other beds preped up for beans and peas etc.
I got around to insuring my motorbike and spent time getting it out of the shed to ride to Oxford to see my gran on. I went straight to the local petrol station to pump up the tyres and fuel up. Well thats about as far as it went!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I managed in 1/2 a mile to get a bloody 4 inch nail into the back tyre so I dragged it home where it awaits a rear wheel removal and repair. Maybe I wasnt supposed to ride out on Monday.
The work is still coming in and all looks good for another few weeks which is great! The van is getting a service at the weekend, ive spent a fortune out on the clutch so hey I much as well get everything up to date on it eh!
Right im off for a bath and an early night. All this work is making the weight drop right off of me much to wifeys dismay...well envy really!
Speak again soon.
Wednesday 25 March 2009
Sunday 15 March 2009
Well its been a busy couple of weeks full of ups and downs (Literally).
I managed to get a nice case of sickness and squits from wifey which didnot go down well as I was at a customers house when it first made its sudden appearence!!!!!!!!!!!
The van got fixed very quickly and I can only say how good the garage were at fitting it in. The phone has continued to ring with work which is fantastic!!
I have to date bought and returned two rotovators and took the plunge investing in a brand new one. I love new toys and this one should be here on Monday morning. Now that should make short work of the potatoe beds that need turning over at the allotment! Speaking of the allotment I have now planted so many seeds in the greenhouse I have both run out of room and pots!! I have bid on 900 pots on ebay so that should top up the stocks shortly :)
I was very kindly given a greenhouse over the weekend and the framework is now up in the garden waiting for a good scrub down and the glass putting in. This one will be used solely for bedding plants that can be used on contracts and for resale at the local car boot sale. This way I earn a few extra bob and do some cheeky advertising with my van ;)
Some sadder news was in the form that my great gran is expected to pass away over the next few days. I love this lady to bits and spent many many weekends with her whilst growing up and the memories are fantastic. She has suffered for 4 years now with severe demtia and how she is still breathing is a testoment to the hardy nature of the older generations because with all of her ailments including a dozen heart attacks now she should have moved onto the next world a long time ago. She will be sadly missed but it is one of those situations where she has no memory of who she is or we are and is in such a poor state of health her passing will be a blessing for those that are caring for her. She would be horrified to know what state she is in now as she was a proud and feircley independent woman.
Spring has returned and with the end of one season the new life that has arrived with the next is always a joy to observe. I love just sitting out with a cup of tea and taking the time to see what is now growing. Perhaps we should all take the time to stop and look every now then...
I managed to get a nice case of sickness and squits from wifey which didnot go down well as I was at a customers house when it first made its sudden appearence!!!!!!!!!!!
The van got fixed very quickly and I can only say how good the garage were at fitting it in. The phone has continued to ring with work which is fantastic!!
I have to date bought and returned two rotovators and took the plunge investing in a brand new one. I love new toys and this one should be here on Monday morning. Now that should make short work of the potatoe beds that need turning over at the allotment! Speaking of the allotment I have now planted so many seeds in the greenhouse I have both run out of room and pots!! I have bid on 900 pots on ebay so that should top up the stocks shortly :)
I was very kindly given a greenhouse over the weekend and the framework is now up in the garden waiting for a good scrub down and the glass putting in. This one will be used solely for bedding plants that can be used on contracts and for resale at the local car boot sale. This way I earn a few extra bob and do some cheeky advertising with my van ;)
Some sadder news was in the form that my great gran is expected to pass away over the next few days. I love this lady to bits and spent many many weekends with her whilst growing up and the memories are fantastic. She has suffered for 4 years now with severe demtia and how she is still breathing is a testoment to the hardy nature of the older generations because with all of her ailments including a dozen heart attacks now she should have moved onto the next world a long time ago. She will be sadly missed but it is one of those situations where she has no memory of who she is or we are and is in such a poor state of health her passing will be a blessing for those that are caring for her. She would be horrified to know what state she is in now as she was a proud and feircley independent woman.
Spring has returned and with the end of one season the new life that has arrived with the next is always a joy to observe. I love just sitting out with a cup of tea and taking the time to see what is now growing. Perhaps we should all take the time to stop and look every now then...
Tuesday 3 March 2009
Bugger!
From yesterdays post you can see that things have been picking up nicely, that is until I was in Milton Keynes today taking a neighbour to and from hospital. We went to leave this morning from home but her car wouldnt start so we hopped into my van and took that instead. We just made it on time and she had her bak treatment. After an hour we are heading home when the clutch arm on the van gave up the ghost in the middle lane of a very large and busy roundabout!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So there I was directing traffic in my hi viz top nearly getting run down several times, on the phone to the police explaining we were a danger to other road users whilst my neighbour is on her phone calling the RAC to come and get us. The traffic wombles turned up quickly and towed us to safety closely followed by the RAC who inform me the clutch ratchet is buggered. He then towed me for 20, yes 20 miles back to a garagr I use in Kettering. Now that towing lark at 60mph is not for the faint hearted and not an experience I want to repeat! Still at least we were at the garage and based upon what the RAC chap said the quote for the rachet repair was £60. Not too bad and they were going to have it done by the close of play today....apparently not. They have just called and told me that its not the rachet but the clutch arm has broken off IN THE GEARBOX! So thats now a gearbox arm replacement by the means of the gearbox being removed first and as this arm breaking was caused by a worn bearing in the clutch so thats going to be replaced as well.
So the little cash we have saved over the last couple of months is now going to the garage...£350 of it. BUGGER!! Still at least I know the owner and im sure it would be alot more if it was taken elsewhere to be done. Its just that whenever we get a little bit ahead financially something bites us on the arse.
Oh well at least everything on the van will now be replaced and we were lucky to have the money here to pay for it. I just needed to get it off my chest!!!
So there I was directing traffic in my hi viz top nearly getting run down several times, on the phone to the police explaining we were a danger to other road users whilst my neighbour is on her phone calling the RAC to come and get us. The traffic wombles turned up quickly and towed us to safety closely followed by the RAC who inform me the clutch ratchet is buggered. He then towed me for 20, yes 20 miles back to a garagr I use in Kettering. Now that towing lark at 60mph is not for the faint hearted and not an experience I want to repeat! Still at least we were at the garage and based upon what the RAC chap said the quote for the rachet repair was £60. Not too bad and they were going to have it done by the close of play today....apparently not. They have just called and told me that its not the rachet but the clutch arm has broken off IN THE GEARBOX! So thats now a gearbox arm replacement by the means of the gearbox being removed first and as this arm breaking was caused by a worn bearing in the clutch so thats going to be replaced as well.
So the little cash we have saved over the last couple of months is now going to the garage...£350 of it. BUGGER!! Still at least I know the owner and im sure it would be alot more if it was taken elsewhere to be done. Its just that whenever we get a little bit ahead financially something bites us on the arse.
Oh well at least everything on the van will now be replaced and we were lucky to have the money here to pay for it. I just needed to get it off my chest!!!
Monday 2 March 2009
Spring is coming.
Now its been awhile since I last wrote due to the fact the temperature has come up and the sun has been out. When this happens the phone starts ringing and its been precisely that that has kept me busy over the last couple of weeks.
People are once again venturing into their gardens and realising the weeds are making a comeback, the winter winds have blown in all sorts of rubbish and they want to put the ideas they have had stuck indoors for months into reality. Patios need cleaning and borders sorting, plants need putting in and different uses for that bare patch at the bottom now want to become a reality. So they look at whats involved, take a deep breath in of the warmer air and then pick up the phone to get me in because they dont really want to get muddy or spend their weekends off doing such menial tasks :) Fine by me!! I can start earning a wage again which is great.
I have sorted out the van and the shed and made a note of what equiptment will need replacing and I am happy to say its not alot this year. The investments I made last year are now starting to pay off with a minimal outlaw on new kit. A couple of things of course have to be sorted like a new work uniform to look the part and I have just finished today putting on the sign-writing to my old transit and what a difference that has made, it looks like a proper motor now after much fettling and plastering my bargain sign-writing kit on it.
I have finally made a start on planting in my christmas present greenhouse. The tomato plants are doing well and the runner beans, sweetcorn, peas, lettice, cucumber and pepper seeds all sown. The potatoes are chitting nicely and will be planted in a few weeks time. The allotment is starting to look like one with just a few more days work before that too will be ready to recieve the start of this years crops.
I had booked the flights to Spain and was looking forward to two weeks in the sun dogsitting for my father in law but such is the amount of work coming in I have had to cancel that :( Ive a couple of very promising contracts starting and I cannot turn such work away so I had to make the hard decision to work instead of playing. Very sensible I know but the sun was and still is damn appealing!
The dog has been an absolute toerag this last week and talk about accident prone! I should explain first that she is 18 months old and we have had very little trouble with her from since she was a pup so when she does anything naughty it seems like a huge issue!!
Firstly she trips me up at the top of the stairs, victorian stairs, and I go arse over tit from top to bottom pulling my shoulder and bruising my back. The next day she knocks over my youngest who has a mug in her hand, both go flying with my daughter bruising her hip and the mug exploding but not before it takes out a kitchen floor tile !! The this evening the dog decided she was to dig up around the new patio I laid in the back garde just yesterday!!????! Why???? I have no idea but hopefully thats the third thing and our 6 month dose of dumb dog over for now :)
A new greenhouse is yet to be aquired solely for the purpose of growing flowers and bedding plants. A contract needs lots of them and why buy them if I can grow them myself?? A few pennies saved hopefully.
So its all nose to the grind which is great after such a long winter. Wifey is moaning though that I am falling behind with my share of the housework! We both work and with 4 kids the place does take some looking after hence the washing machine on at 9.30pm...hope the neighbours dont mind!!
Time for a bath to soak my back bruises LOL I will try to write more often......
People are once again venturing into their gardens and realising the weeds are making a comeback, the winter winds have blown in all sorts of rubbish and they want to put the ideas they have had stuck indoors for months into reality. Patios need cleaning and borders sorting, plants need putting in and different uses for that bare patch at the bottom now want to become a reality. So they look at whats involved, take a deep breath in of the warmer air and then pick up the phone to get me in because they dont really want to get muddy or spend their weekends off doing such menial tasks :) Fine by me!! I can start earning a wage again which is great.
I have sorted out the van and the shed and made a note of what equiptment will need replacing and I am happy to say its not alot this year. The investments I made last year are now starting to pay off with a minimal outlaw on new kit. A couple of things of course have to be sorted like a new work uniform to look the part and I have just finished today putting on the sign-writing to my old transit and what a difference that has made, it looks like a proper motor now after much fettling and plastering my bargain sign-writing kit on it.
I have finally made a start on planting in my christmas present greenhouse. The tomato plants are doing well and the runner beans, sweetcorn, peas, lettice, cucumber and pepper seeds all sown. The potatoes are chitting nicely and will be planted in a few weeks time. The allotment is starting to look like one with just a few more days work before that too will be ready to recieve the start of this years crops.
I had booked the flights to Spain and was looking forward to two weeks in the sun dogsitting for my father in law but such is the amount of work coming in I have had to cancel that :( Ive a couple of very promising contracts starting and I cannot turn such work away so I had to make the hard decision to work instead of playing. Very sensible I know but the sun was and still is damn appealing!
The dog has been an absolute toerag this last week and talk about accident prone! I should explain first that she is 18 months old and we have had very little trouble with her from since she was a pup so when she does anything naughty it seems like a huge issue!!
Firstly she trips me up at the top of the stairs, victorian stairs, and I go arse over tit from top to bottom pulling my shoulder and bruising my back. The next day she knocks over my youngest who has a mug in her hand, both go flying with my daughter bruising her hip and the mug exploding but not before it takes out a kitchen floor tile !! The this evening the dog decided she was to dig up around the new patio I laid in the back garde just yesterday!!????! Why???? I have no idea but hopefully thats the third thing and our 6 month dose of dumb dog over for now :)
A new greenhouse is yet to be aquired solely for the purpose of growing flowers and bedding plants. A contract needs lots of them and why buy them if I can grow them myself?? A few pennies saved hopefully.
So its all nose to the grind which is great after such a long winter. Wifey is moaning though that I am falling behind with my share of the housework! We both work and with 4 kids the place does take some looking after hence the washing machine on at 9.30pm...hope the neighbours dont mind!!
Time for a bath to soak my back bruises LOL I will try to write more often......
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