Do you have days when you feel more on top of your game only to find yourself a bit lethargic the next day? Sunday (yesterday) was my day of very little achievement and after lunch I found myself curled up on the sofa watching Pauline Collins in Mrs Caldicot’s Cabbage War and trying hard not to fall asleep.
DH was under the floor most of the day yesterday, literally, trying to sort out the leak we had discovered when he had taken some of the floorboards up beneath where the old washer had stood. It smelled damp and further investigation uncovered a pipe with wet lagging. It was the hot feed pipe to a previous washer and although the valve was off it had obviously been leaking a tiny amount of water over 16 years (as that is how old the washer is now). So then more floorboards had to come up in the pantry to trace the hot water feed back to where it diverts off to the kitchen hot water tap. As most washers are cold feed only now and my new one is (we checked) DH was able to cut off and cap the hot feed so there should not be any more problems.
I had to spring back into life and leave the comfort of the sofa when I suddenly realised that it was the last day of February and the 1st March is the birthday of a very good friend and a milestone one too. During this lockdown I have tended not to bother with the date very much – as long as I know when it is Tuesday and I am ready for Master Freddie’s arrival (Mary called him that in her comment and I like it so much that is his new name!) then all is well in my world.
I had to set to and make a card quickly – I copied one I had done before for another male friend’s 60th birthday a few years ago and luckily he likes gardening and has an allotment so I should be able to pick up a gift for him from the garden centre. I wish I had realised before though as we were only up there on Friday getting the seed potatoes. Still any outing no matter how brief is welcome at the moment.
Ideally, as it was a sunny day (though still bitterly cold here) I should have been busying myself in the garden, as all my neighbours have been, but I didn’t want DH to think I had left him with all the rotten jobs whilst I had fun gardening. Not that I can do much to help him at the moment until he gets the pipes sorted and the floorboards back down – I am only the tea maker and plumber’s mate……….so during the morning I had turned my attentions to making a batch of soup for lunch with the bowl of very ripe tomatoes in the pantry – I have stopped keeping them in the fridge now and they do gain a lot more flavour. The pantry is cool and perfect for keeping the fruit and ripening avocados – it always looks quite colourful and healthy in there at a glance. Whilst the soup simmered I finished the last of the ironing pile. I ironed all the bedding on Saturday and changed the bed so apart from a shed load of washing I am at a straight edge with the laundry.
So today is going to be spent whizzing round to B&Q (for paint and sundries), Screwfix (for more screws – never the right ones in the garage) and possibly a garden centre to pick up a gift. I will pack a flask of hot chocolate in case it takes longer than we think. Then I need to gather pace at home to try and make some order of the chaos – we have the big larder fridge from the utility standing in a corner in the dining room and a table full of the utility cupboard’s contents covering the table. Master Freddie is going to have a whale of a time getting into all sorts if it can’t be moved.
DH will also have to gather pace putting down the new flooring – he has lost a good two days now because of the leak and the clock is ticking.
In and amongst all this I have decided that it is time I reorganise all our financial paperwork – I have been using the same system for many years now and it has been fairly good and reliable but I need a change and one that reflects the fact that we have many bills and receipts come in by email and all my banking is done online.
But that is another post.
Have a good day x
where the journey takes me 2 
Oh dear, there’s always something unexpected on the horizon. Best get it sorted or as you say, your little man will have a great time trying to sort it for you
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He would have a field day!
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Those tomatoes look divine! What a rich red.
How lucky to have a handyman husband. My man couldn’t do all that.
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My man is feeling his age now and it might not be long before he isn’t doing it anymore either!! But yes, he can turn his hand to anything and if we do have workmen in he ends up straightening their work out after them.
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I hope you manage to get everything done okay. Enjoy your week and time with Master Freddie.
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Thank you Ann.
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It’s wonderful that the leak was discovered and that you were able to fix it “in house”! I really like the card. Where I live, we don’t have garden centres that are so fun for shopping. Ours have nice plants and decorative plant pots, garden ornaments etc. but not all the housewares, gifts and cafes like you have in the UK. We miss our visits to the UK so much. It has been 18 months, and not looking promising for the rest of 2021. Hoping for 2022!
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We are not making any plans yet – I think it is far from over and don’t want to have to cancel anything and be disappointed.
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When there are so many jobs on your mind it makes one long to sit with a cuppa and do a mental sort out, but then you feel (irrationally) guilty for not actually doing the jobs. Mustn’t feel guilty about a bit of an afternoon rest…your busy week requires a break now and then.
If you aren’t able to get the table things sorted before Master Freddie returns tomorrow, you might cover everything with a tablecloth in the short term (tucking all the edges under objects). Perhaps you could promise him a treat on Thursday if he is able to leave the “tablecloth pixies” undisturbed. Ha! Best of luck on getting the flooring down before Friday.
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He is very good at not touching my ornaments apart from a sparkly gold pear which he loves. I might move the stuff on the table though otherwise it is going to be difficult for meals – but I like your idea.
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Those tomatoes are luscious-looking. It’s great your husband is handy about those things. Mine is the same except perhaps actually finishing things. Mostly it all gets done but sometimes , for instance, trim will not get done. Good luck with your ‘child care ‘this week:)
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I can guarantee it is the same here with little bits remaining unfinished.
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What a pain to have the leak – hope it’s all fixed now and he can get on with the floor. Enjoy your time with Master Freddie!
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For one of the smallest rooms in the house it is presenting with a number of problems.
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Agree about the fridge – it does nasty things to tomatoes. I sympathise about your leak and floorboard removal. We have reached the milestone stage in our renovation where my husband has taken up all the floorboards in the new combined kitchen and dining room (and it is a BIG room) in order to put thick Kingspan insulation between the joists and then relay the floorboards. But before that the redundant water and central heating pipes have to be cut out and the new pipes covered with efficient modern pipe insulation. Like your husband, he spent a considerable time sweeping up the underfloor debris from when the house was built. Personally, I would have left it! With no oven or grill for the next 2 weeks at least I think we’re going to be eating a lot of soup!
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The insulation will be good though and help retain the heat. I think no oven is far worse than no washer.
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You two are always on the go, even when you say you’re taking it easy 🙂 You are very fortunate to have a DH who can & will sort out problems like your leak.
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At the moment we are just getting through things best we can. Freddie will go back to nursery soon but you know I am really going to miss him so much when he does.
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