This has been the first weekend since we moved in that no one has come to visit or stay! However Richard has been backward and forward to old house and is now really tired. He must feel like his whole weekend has been about work and now he has a wholenew week of work ahead. I am glad we are paying to get the old house decorated as we never would have had it done in any kind of realistic time. Then we have to get the thing rented out and get it starting to make us some proper money.
Its been such a bright and sunny weekend but I've wasted it either going to old house or cleaning new house. I do have to keep on top of the housework here as I have promised myself this will stay clean and tidy so I am religious about cleaning it thoroughly at least once a week although I do have to regularly hoover and clean the kitchen much more often than that. Who would have thought two adults who are fairly sedentary and two cats could create so much dust and stuff for there it all is inside the hoover proving we shed too many hairs and skin cells.
Sunday, 31 January 2010
Wednesday, 27 January 2010
Busy
Busy busy busy but all good. Weather cold and grey but house warm and lovely. Work busy but interesting and never dull although it does get very stressful at times never doing anything properly and always always feeling behind and that I have not answered people's emails etc. But I am working fairly long hours. Its half six now and only just finished although I do drive in the middle of the day which I guess now takes up some longer time although today I got home in about 4o minutes which was good.
Got a quote to do the old house up for £11,000. Now the question is will Richard think this is good and save us keep going there to bodge things up or will he think like me its worth it to get it done to a good standard and not have to keep going back? Hopefully the latter and especially as they can start on Monday. Fingers crossed.
Got a lovely card from Jackie today. No reference to the card I sent which basically apologised and said how much I regretted losing her friendship all those years ago but it was a lovely card with warm thoughts and messages inside. I am not sure what to do now and suppose I have to leave things to her although I am tempted to ask her if she would like to stay in touch or for me to leave her alone? That is my biggest regret in life losing her friendship. I know she aggravated me often but she was my oldest friend and for a stupid moment of losing my temper I have lost a very dear friend. A hard lesson but one which I hope I have learnt never to take friendships for granted again.
Right off to cook tea and meanader about this evening...I need the spring and summer to start on the garden now although with the few pots I have rescued from the old house this little garden already has some green shoots of spring bulbs appearing which is great. All we need is a few birds and all will be on the way.
Got a quote to do the old house up for £11,000. Now the question is will Richard think this is good and save us keep going there to bodge things up or will he think like me its worth it to get it done to a good standard and not have to keep going back? Hopefully the latter and especially as they can start on Monday. Fingers crossed.
Got a lovely card from Jackie today. No reference to the card I sent which basically apologised and said how much I regretted losing her friendship all those years ago but it was a lovely card with warm thoughts and messages inside. I am not sure what to do now and suppose I have to leave things to her although I am tempted to ask her if she would like to stay in touch or for me to leave her alone? That is my biggest regret in life losing her friendship. I know she aggravated me often but she was my oldest friend and for a stupid moment of losing my temper I have lost a very dear friend. A hard lesson but one which I hope I have learnt never to take friendships for granted again.
Right off to cook tea and meanader about this evening...I need the spring and summer to start on the garden now although with the few pots I have rescued from the old house this little garden already has some green shoots of spring bulbs appearing which is great. All we need is a few birds and all will be on the way.
Monday, 25 January 2010
Busy weekend
What a busy weekend. Phil came back with Richard on Friday night and we watched District 9. Next day Angela came over and we got the bus to Cambridge and had a mooch around the town, mixing the shopping with cultural with coffee and cakes and veggi lunches. Yesterday was housework day and then a walk around discovering the lakes and wildlife which was lovely and something I had been really looking forward to finding out about. Then yesterday evening Jayne and Lorraine came over and we had dinner and wine and chatted in the kitchen till late then this morning more relaxing in the kitchen at breakfast followed by cold winter walk around lakes then shopping in Morrisons and back here for winter veg soup and cake and then they went home about 3 ish. I went and did more shopping and now cooked dinners for the next couple of days.
More business to follow with getting work quotes on old house, general workiness and then next weekend work on old house and following weekend more visitors. I owe several phone calls to different people and must catch up...life is good.
I was worried how the girlies might be here and that they would be critical but they were not and it was lovely sitting in pajamas just chilling and chatting. They are coming back at the end of Feb so thats good and as the spring emerges and turns to summer visits can only get even more relaxing and enjoyable.
More business to follow with getting work quotes on old house, general workiness and then next weekend work on old house and following weekend more visitors. I owe several phone calls to different people and must catch up...life is good.
I was worried how the girlies might be here and that they would be critical but they were not and it was lovely sitting in pajamas just chilling and chatting. They are coming back at the end of Feb so thats good and as the spring emerges and turns to summer visits can only get even more relaxing and enjoyable.
Thursday, 21 January 2010
Worried about our Colin
I'm a bit worried about our Colin. His balance is not right. At first I just thought he was being a wobbly kitten but its more than that. If you stroke him along his back he more or less falls down. He can't jump down from high places and even jumping from my lap onto the floor he fell over. Admittedly I was at the breakfast stool but even so he shouldn't have toppled the way he did and I don't ever remember any of the other kittens we have had doing similar.
Then when he is racing around or chasing somthing he is as right as rain but when he walks he looks all knocked kneed and bandy. Poor little Colin. He is off to the vets on Saturday for an injection and I will ask them to have a look at him then....more expense.
I am also worried as the county councils now seem to be announcing job cuts. Cambridge today and soon its bound to be Essex and then who knows if my job will be safe? Thats a big worry especially with our new lovely house.
We went to Cambridge the other day as they were celabrating 900 hundred years of being a college city and had all lights and art shone onto the college walls. So Kings College Chapel was covered in a strange concoction of lights with music accompanying it. It was a lovely clear fairly mild night and it was good to feel part of the local community which was made up of all ages, children to pensioners all wanting to enjoy this event. I couldn't help compare it to where we have just moved from which in itself would be difficult as they don't have things like that there and if they did it would have the local dj blaring out pop music with gangs of kids with tins of beer and the fair in the back ground and the smell of hot dogs etc and underneath it all the air of slight menace, that somehow and almost in the blink of an eye someone could just turn. You might not know why or how but suddenly you could find yourself in a confrontation with someone you don't even know.
This happened to Richard and I once years ago when we were both only about 17 and out for a drink in the pub when I suddenly became aware that the group of blokes near us were saying things about us in loud voices. We tried to ignore them for ages, pretending it wasn't happening but it was. We decided to leave the pub and as we did they went out the other door and met us in the shopping centre. They trumped up some made up story but really they were looking for a fight and Richard was no fighter nor built for it. It was a horrible experience and the song Lazy like Sunday morning always brings back those memories. I don't think I had realised till now that that experience was always with me whenever we went out after that. I always expected them to find us and start again or if not them someone else and like I said that air of menance was always present in that town. Moving here and enjoying a different vibe is wonderful and hopefully will mean we can enjoy more such evenings.
Then when he is racing around or chasing somthing he is as right as rain but when he walks he looks all knocked kneed and bandy. Poor little Colin. He is off to the vets on Saturday for an injection and I will ask them to have a look at him then....more expense.
I am also worried as the county councils now seem to be announcing job cuts. Cambridge today and soon its bound to be Essex and then who knows if my job will be safe? Thats a big worry especially with our new lovely house.
We went to Cambridge the other day as they were celabrating 900 hundred years of being a college city and had all lights and art shone onto the college walls. So Kings College Chapel was covered in a strange concoction of lights with music accompanying it. It was a lovely clear fairly mild night and it was good to feel part of the local community which was made up of all ages, children to pensioners all wanting to enjoy this event. I couldn't help compare it to where we have just moved from which in itself would be difficult as they don't have things like that there and if they did it would have the local dj blaring out pop music with gangs of kids with tins of beer and the fair in the back ground and the smell of hot dogs etc and underneath it all the air of slight menace, that somehow and almost in the blink of an eye someone could just turn. You might not know why or how but suddenly you could find yourself in a confrontation with someone you don't even know.
This happened to Richard and I once years ago when we were both only about 17 and out for a drink in the pub when I suddenly became aware that the group of blokes near us were saying things about us in loud voices. We tried to ignore them for ages, pretending it wasn't happening but it was. We decided to leave the pub and as we did they went out the other door and met us in the shopping centre. They trumped up some made up story but really they were looking for a fight and Richard was no fighter nor built for it. It was a horrible experience and the song Lazy like Sunday morning always brings back those memories. I don't think I had realised till now that that experience was always with me whenever we went out after that. I always expected them to find us and start again or if not them someone else and like I said that air of menance was always present in that town. Moving here and enjoying a different vibe is wonderful and hopefully will mean we can enjoy more such evenings.
Saturday, 16 January 2010
The first thing I notice when the car stops and even before I get out of the car, is the wind. The sound of the wind and then when you get out the feel of the wind. No matter what time of year and even on our first visit to the show house I noticed the stiff summer breeze or light wind. Its not unpleasant in fact I like to feel the air rushing around me and up here it feels fresh and clean and new.
The second thing I notice is the quietness. No cars, or not many, no sirens and no heavy transport noise, no airplanes and no people really although of course the close will grow as the new houses are completed and new families move in. I do hope that the quietness continues though as much as possible.
So here we are at about the four weeks stage of living here and both still really loving it and eager to explore the area around us. Granchester is just up the road and I read yesterday about their link to Rupert Brooke and the clock at three and can we have honey for tea. Richard wants to visit there but today we have to go back to the old house to pull up carpets and clean and get ready to paint. Niether of us want to do this but the old house is costing us money instead of making us money and we have to be resolved and sensible although the tempation on this horrible rainy and windy day is have the day off for fun.
After all work is quite hard and with increased travelling we both need some time off. I have done over a hundred miles a day and although I feel fine all that sitting around in cars is not good exercise so with that in mind perhaps we do need to go and do some physical like hard heavy cleaning and decorating.
The second thing I notice is the quietness. No cars, or not many, no sirens and no heavy transport noise, no airplanes and no people really although of course the close will grow as the new houses are completed and new families move in. I do hope that the quietness continues though as much as possible.
So here we are at about the four weeks stage of living here and both still really loving it and eager to explore the area around us. Granchester is just up the road and I read yesterday about their link to Rupert Brooke and the clock at three and can we have honey for tea. Richard wants to visit there but today we have to go back to the old house to pull up carpets and clean and get ready to paint. Niether of us want to do this but the old house is costing us money instead of making us money and we have to be resolved and sensible although the tempation on this horrible rainy and windy day is have the day off for fun.
After all work is quite hard and with increased travelling we both need some time off. I have done over a hundred miles a day and although I feel fine all that sitting around in cars is not good exercise so with that in mind perhaps we do need to go and do some physical like hard heavy cleaning and decorating.
Wednesday, 6 January 2010
New Year remorse
The shame of it was that after writing so positively about hopes for the new year I let myself down badly on new years eve by being so cross with R for being late home. I was horrible and nasty and all in front of Chris and Fiona which of course created a horrible atmosphere which really spoilt the dinner I had spent all day long preparing and the atmosphere continued until just after midnight when we went into next doors till about 3 am.
Following this Chris and I had a long chat and he let me know how uncomfortable he and Fiona find it when R and I argue and actually he is hinting quite strongly that they won't come round much if it continues. I don't blame him. We both behaved terribly and like small children arguing. Now with hindsight I can see I should have stopped, should have been charming and lovely but instead I was so unhappy at the thought of all my preparations going to waste that was all I could think about and in fact I contributed myself to wasting my own preparations instead of recovering the situation I made it worse.
R and I have spoken and have apologised but I still feel so regretful and remorseful of my behaviour and really hope it does not damage our relationship with Chris and Fiona. I can't help feeling we spoilt their new years eve and it really is a priviledge that they chose to spend it with us.
I thought I would give R a crash course on being a host and get him to practice looking after people such as serving them first etc rather than behaving like a spoilt child which just brings out the grumpy parent in me. We must do better next time not just slightly better but a hundred per cent better.
New years day was better and we despite hangovers managed to get out to Cambridge for a winters walk around the cobbled streets and had a lovely hot chocolate in a little coffee shop.
R and I went back for more shopping and and meandering the next day and again went to the little coffee shop, Benets which we both now like enormously to just sit and chill and relax. Its not a big chain and you can sit and read the papers or just chat. I just love the thought of being local to Cambridge now with all its history and differnt things going on. I love driving in and seeing the beautiful architecture and feeling a sense that this belongs to me now. We both love the house and generally are much much happier with plenty of space to move and be ourselves.
The last couple of days I have walked down to Morrisons in the afternoon and I am excited by the prospect of exporing the nature reserve bits I have seen. The other day as the light faded I heard an owl hooting in the little woods which was very special.
Not many if any local garden birds around the house though. I have put out seed but no takers so far. It may be because there are no trees or bushes for them to roost or shelter in or even find food and once more people move in and develop their gardens so the wildlife may follow, hopefully.
Its a funny day today because it seems the whole country is affected by snow with thousands of schools closed and roads blocked off and reports of people being stranded. In anticipation I cancelled the area partnership meetings and then woke here to find not a single snow flake! Richard has phoned from work to say they are all being sent home early at 1 0'clock lunch time and yet here although the sky is grey we have nothing, zilch, nada! Heavy snow is forecast and we seem to be entering an ice age but for the moment here in this little corner of Cambridgeshire all is wintry and grey but no snow.
Following this Chris and I had a long chat and he let me know how uncomfortable he and Fiona find it when R and I argue and actually he is hinting quite strongly that they won't come round much if it continues. I don't blame him. We both behaved terribly and like small children arguing. Now with hindsight I can see I should have stopped, should have been charming and lovely but instead I was so unhappy at the thought of all my preparations going to waste that was all I could think about and in fact I contributed myself to wasting my own preparations instead of recovering the situation I made it worse.
R and I have spoken and have apologised but I still feel so regretful and remorseful of my behaviour and really hope it does not damage our relationship with Chris and Fiona. I can't help feeling we spoilt their new years eve and it really is a priviledge that they chose to spend it with us.
I thought I would give R a crash course on being a host and get him to practice looking after people such as serving them first etc rather than behaving like a spoilt child which just brings out the grumpy parent in me. We must do better next time not just slightly better but a hundred per cent better.
New years day was better and we despite hangovers managed to get out to Cambridge for a winters walk around the cobbled streets and had a lovely hot chocolate in a little coffee shop.
R and I went back for more shopping and and meandering the next day and again went to the little coffee shop, Benets which we both now like enormously to just sit and chill and relax. Its not a big chain and you can sit and read the papers or just chat. I just love the thought of being local to Cambridge now with all its history and differnt things going on. I love driving in and seeing the beautiful architecture and feeling a sense that this belongs to me now. We both love the house and generally are much much happier with plenty of space to move and be ourselves.
The last couple of days I have walked down to Morrisons in the afternoon and I am excited by the prospect of exporing the nature reserve bits I have seen. The other day as the light faded I heard an owl hooting in the little woods which was very special.
Not many if any local garden birds around the house though. I have put out seed but no takers so far. It may be because there are no trees or bushes for them to roost or shelter in or even find food and once more people move in and develop their gardens so the wildlife may follow, hopefully.
Its a funny day today because it seems the whole country is affected by snow with thousands of schools closed and roads blocked off and reports of people being stranded. In anticipation I cancelled the area partnership meetings and then woke here to find not a single snow flake! Richard has phoned from work to say they are all being sent home early at 1 0'clock lunch time and yet here although the sky is grey we have nothing, zilch, nada! Heavy snow is forecast and we seem to be entering an ice age but for the moment here in this little corner of Cambridgeshire all is wintry and grey but no snow.
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