house regeneration June 08

All the first phase house regeneration work was supposed to be completed by the end of May. I thought the window and facia people had finished, then the tiler told me they’d done the front apex wrong so this had to be redone at the week-end. They have also fitted the two side windows without sills which the builder over the road alerted me to and we are now still in dispute about. The house has had 5 sets of workmen over recent weeks – window fitters, sofits fitters, tiler, 2 polish carpenters. A* has moved out a second time, gone to a flat share in Brixton and Bear moved in to her room. The boiler cupboard has been dismantled from the small room and made in to a fitted wardrobe in A*’s room. Likewise the fireplace relocated to A*’s room. J2’s bedroom window is fixed and the balcony fence patched up with new wood. The chimney is down. We also got a plumber in while the scaffolding was up to put in the bits for the new bathrooms at the back. The side scaffolding came down last week-end so we could get the new gas cooker re-delivered as it had to go back because the only way in was through the front door and it was too wide. It is exciting, but very tiring and stressful trying to project manage while I am working in London then coming home and cleaning up every day. We are also in the process of changing phone and internet access from a business line (post Scarman) to a domestic line and currently have no land line or internet at home.

J1 got a very good pass on the mental bit of his officer course. He will get the letter saying if he has a place in July. He may do the basic commando course again in July just in case. I have also been tasked with selling his 4×4 which he just came and dumped at home with the tax and MOT run out. It needs £130 to pass which is worth it. I doubt if I’ll be able to sell that before I leave though.

After months off sick, my boss, whose job I applied for, has resigned and we have now been asked which bits of his job we can do. All that flash talk and no stress management skills in the end. I may get more work, but I’m unlikely to get more money and status from it though I have just got a pay rise and bonus – all to be gobbled up in house redesign projects!

There really isn’t any other news. I have been OBSESSED with relentless house projects, some of which is energy expended helping others e.g. A* just left with what she wanted and all her other stuff had to be sorted and packed away neatly. I moved all Bear’s stuff in order to galvanise him to have a clear out – then I pack it all away to take to the charity shop. I think stuff is sorted, but it isn’t and I have to work round it in disarray until it is fixed properly and work always runs later than schedule. I will be glad to forget about it for a month.
This is my last missive before I trog off on Monday 23rd June on the glorified caravan trip. I am excited, but also suffering with a cold and sore throat which is just because I am a bit run down and anxious.

I just pray there will be no domestic disasters – that the children, or if it’s connected to J2, FH, can’t sort. I don’t expect this trip to be life changing, but it is a stage of moving into a more child free era and a sort of celebration of having got through the last 6 years without losing sight of my dreams.