I had thought of at least three reasons (and counting) why the olympics are indeed a worthless boring waste of time and was going to share these with my adoring readership and then I heard last night that they come to and end this coming weekend. So I won’t bother now. All that fuss and palaver for four years and then they are over just-like-that. Which is one of the reasons (number 4) why it is all a bore. Time is whizzing by at the moment cos we have been a bit busy at work. Its a nuisance but it is short term and I just think of the overtime which, boy do I need at the moment.
I’ve now owned my new house for a week and a half but I will still be renting the flat till the end of September to get some work done. Because of busyness I’ve only been round to the house twice to do a bit of measuring and planning. I get so overwhelmed by the scale of mess to sort out (starting with a year’s supply of free newspapers built up behind the door) and the stale smell that I scuttle back to my nice cosy little flat. So I have an extra big initial mortgage payment plus a concurrent month’s rent. And I’ve had to put the car back on the road for obvious reasons. The tax expired in January and I’ve saved a fortune by not using it since then but this week I’ve had to insure, then MOT then tax it. Then to cap it all I had to fill ‘er up. Erk.
I drove it yesterday for the first time in eight months. The only steering wheel I’ve had in my hand in that time is a 20 tonne DAF. It feels so weird. It is like being in a go cart. And I feel I have to duck my head to see out the windscreen. And the pedals are all squashed up and the seat doesn’t go up and down on an airbed. Me no like. The best bit of being an HGV driver is the seat that goes up and down. Endless fun in traffic jams. I can set it right up, and then right down to the floor and play peekaboo with the cars. And what! Only five gears? How am I meant to cope with only five?
Anyway I was going to start moving boxes and do some cleaning and measuring today and tomorrow but I seem to have developed a bit of man-flu and have called in sick. I have a date with the sofa and some DVDs. Don’t feel sick but my eyes are streaming and I keep sneezing and coughing so not really up to being a night knight of the road.
Unfortuneately I have plenty to watch…Amazon is getting awfully clever at their product placement. The can analyze what you have been looking at in the past, and make a guess at your tastes and then put up pictures of books or DVD that “you, JamesCorr, might like…click <here> if you are not JamesCorr…”
Tragically it works. I’m wearing out the Add-To-Shopping-Cart button.
After over nearly three months (Original offer 18 May) everything fell into place at once. We got a go ahead and I completed and exchanged in one day, yesterday.
I did toy with the idea of pulling out at the last minute and trying to gazunder the seller and I am 90% sure I could have knocked them down a bit. I was almost at the stage of not caring if it fell through … it is hard to listen to the popular press desparately talking us into a recession without starting to feel a leettle apprehensive … and therefore worth the risk. But if they did pull I would be back to the stage I was in April and I just couldnt face another three months of looking and being tied to this job and flat.
It was a good buy in May and it is still a good buy now and it means I can now move on to the next stage which is look for a new job; stagger it, have a bit of a break, do a bit of DIY. Do SOMETHING ELSE. I am bored with this job which I would have expected, given its nature being only an entry level driving job, but it is this weather that is utterly heartbreaking. Week after week of relentless drizzle, showers and downpours. Its getting me down. As long as this house purchase was merely pending, my mortgage offer was conditional but now it is in place, I can breathe a little sigh and think alternatives.
The house is in Bedford though a little less central than currently. A quieter residential area. My hope is to get it sorted and get rid of it within 18 months after which I hope to move on from here.
Looks highly likely that a couple of us are going to Spain for 10 days in October. In anticipation I was looking to do some more windsurfing sessions – perhaps a refresher course as I’ve not been on the water for 2 years but I checked the weather and the forecast is for rain through and past the weekend.
I am off now to my new abode to install a new chubb lock and start taking dimensions. I learnt a lot from the last house and I intend to project manage this one quite carefully. The first step is to get it laid out in Autocad which I got hold of over 2 years ago for just this eventuality.
Another view of the back of the house. The garden is ridiculously long and I certainly could do without it but what can you do? But look; a shed. I feel a little homebrewing coming on! I see myself in six months time donning a home-made wicker cardigan and selling overpriced bottles of ginger pop and housefluff cordial at the local craft fairs. Ooh Arr.
I was down in London on Saturday meeting an old friend for a drink, riding on escalators and altogether seeing how life goes in the big city.
My goodness though it is hideous and expensive. I know it is noisy because I was wearing my walkperson earphones (the better for ignoring the beggars and the loonies) . After setting a level that is fine for Bedford and the train I noticed that on the streets of London and on the tube I had to turn the volume right up to hear the music.
I had stupidly forgotten my railcard which meant paying full price of £16 for the BedPan line but moreover that wallet has my Oyster card so I had to pay full whack for the tube as well. Not to worry I thought, I will walk from St P down Tottenham Court Rd to do some shopping then I would only need one single tube ticket up to Farringdon, where we were meeting. After that I intended to get the train from Farringdon back to Bedford. So how much can a single tube ticket be? Answer = £4! For about three stops. (Tottenham Crt Rd to Farringdon involves 3 lines and 2 changes. It was quicker and cooler and quieter to get off and walk). When I first arrived in London a single tube fare was 50p so there has been an eightfold increase. What a swizz. In addition to that it was £7 for a snack at a health food emporium on Gower St and another £3.50 for an iced coffee on Oxford St. Then wine was an avereage £20 quid a bottle at the wine bar we drank at. Nice plonk though. But my eyes are still watering at the expenditure.
Next weekend I am off to Nottingham to see a play…could do without the theatricals but its got to be done. But I love city breaking and I’ve never been to Notts before. I’ve just booked a hotel online for the night for only £27. At that price you know its gonna be bad. Anyone seen the film Hostel? The online reviews are pretty bad but I only want a bed for the night. Looks like I might ride as the route is quite a nice one through Rockingham and Oakham. Corby is always a laugh to see people with gills and three arms. Then through the Wolds which will be new to me.
Then it looks like a couple of us may be going to a friend’s villa in Spain in October. Its years since I did a pool or beach holiday…I had been looking at Florence; some good deals but I fancy just lying around reading and sketching for a change. What’s swung it for me is realising I might get some late season windsurfing in so I am going to have to get some practice in down at Brogborough Lake. I bought a really cool wet suit top in Durban over two years ago and never used it; right now I can’t even get it on but I’ve got two months to lose a stone and get more into shape.
Still not got finality on my house.
