on the road again…
Well, not entirely unexpectedly, I have had a much quieter week then has been the norm – the run-up to Christmas has been clearly beginning to show itself (although I ought to apologise profusely to the gentlemen whose appointment requests I turned down only to be cancelled at short notice not once, not twice, but three times last week. Can’t be helped, but irritating nonetheless).
This week, however, has been busy once again and with my impending London trip almost entirely booked from start to finish I have taken the occasional lulls as an opportunity to relax a bit, and indulge in the gentle art of pottering about the house doing very little, although as I mentioned last time, I have in fact been cracking on with some nice new pictures and even experimenting with lighting with the aid of a builder’s lamp, cardboard and a large roll of turkey foil left over from last Christmas; the aim being to have a new Gallery-ful by the end of the year (I have a feeling I’m going to be reminded I said that).
Those fascinated, and I no longer count myself amongst their number, being as I am heartily sick of having dust, unidentifiable screws and bits of plastic pipe all over the house in the ongoing upstairs-bathroom saga will be happy to know that an end would appear to be in sight, although a ‘finished’ situation before Christmas (as hoped) is looking less and less likely to materialise, and I have resigned myself to the fact that my original intent to have the whole thing done by the end of this year was laughably optimistic, especially given that my day-to-day activities do not allow for me to entertain in a building site (and we are inexorably moving towards the moment when the need for tiling and grouting will (once again, for those who remember the kitchen machinations) present itself, much to my chagrin and the delight of the lady who does my nails.
The appalling weather has also led me to extend the ‘free’ period I have between appointments here; twice this last week gentlemen have arrived 30 minutes late or more, and whilst this is not generally a pressing problem for me, I do enjoy a decent break to properly refresh myself, make Horlicks and cheese on toast and catch up on iplayer – therefore, for anyone with a visit arranged, please allow yourself plenty of time to get here! Things are unlikely to improve for a while yet, although today has brought both milder temperatures and a brighter, sunnier aspect which I have particularly enjoyed from the Tesco car park where I languished for twenty minutes this morning waiting for a taxi and as ever, berating myself for not ordering everything online (in the manner of the smugly and earnestly ecofriendly, whose views I am partial to whenever it involves not having to leave the warmth of the house).
Once back from London I will be having something of a break to prepare for Christmas, and whilst advance bookings are still welcome (after all someone has to keep me out of mischief, and also distract me from eating my body weight in Roses, pork pie, satsumas and proper nuts daily), these will be limited and no same day appointments will be taken for the remainder of this month. Potential visitors will be pleased to know that I will be available throughout the festive period (subject to plenty of warning that I may rouse myself from the inevitable stupor accompanying the season and actually bother to get showered, combed and dressed) and I will look forward to enthusiastically greeting anyone needing a bolthole for an hour or two – no pun intended.
As some will have noticed, restlessness is setting in again and I have spent time planning my next few visits – next confirmed dates being Birmingham (a place which I have never actually seen beyond New Street Station and the airport). Plans are also in the offing for visits to Bristol and the South West as well as Oxford, which has been suggested to me more times than would be possible for it to be a coincidence (answers on a postcard!) Wonder if there’s such as thing as whore-miles?
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