Journal Entries
Oh no not again
Posted Mar 26, 2010
DH can't sleep, is constantly shaking, and had a panic attack this morning.
And it's the whole mortgage/extension project that's brought it on.
I just ... I've had enough.
Discuss this Journal entry [34]
Latest reply: Mar 26, 2010
On a roll
Posted Mar 24, 2010
Day off. Leaving house at 1pm to take Nod to Orthodontist. *Could* have worked this morning, and probably should, but look how well I'm doing. So far I have:
Renewed the car tax
Booked Nod's riding lesson (only been trying to sort that since October 
)
made appointment for smear test
Written, addressed and stamped two birthday cards
Left a message for a chimney sweep
Spoken to the planning department for advice re dormer windows
It's so nice to be doing all of this when the house is quiet, I'm not exhausted, and everything is to hand. Rather than it being nine o'clock at night when really I should be going to bed and the paperwork is two flights of stairs away.
Best of all, I have Friday afternoon off as well, so if I don't get it done this morning, that's OK and nothing to stress about.
Right. Off to sort out bits of paper.
Discuss this Journal entry [7]
Latest reply: Mar 24, 2010
Graph paper
Posted Jan 29, 2010
We have agreed to have an extension. I have spent *hours* with graph paper and have now come up with something we all agree on. It's fantastic! 
And I'm really excited - we'll get a new kitchen (this one needed replacing when we moved in 10 years ago and we've not managed it yet), a home office (so I can become home-based and lose the daily travelling), a downstairs loo (!), a new bathroom (!!), a utility room (!!!), a spare room (for the PS2 or for elderly relatives or for guests), and a new front drive and boundary wall. And we don't lose any garden, just the garage, which at the moment functions as a utility room and bike store.
I'm not over bothered about planning permission cos I've had enough to do with planning that I know (a) I can do the drawings myself and (b) this is a straightforward development which meets all the necessary policies and should get consent within the 8 week period.
We've talked to the neighbours and they are fine with it (including replacing the boundary wall).
And we can get on with sorting out the finance because that's a relatively straightforward re-mortgage.
BUT
I don't know if what I've drafted is technically feasible in terms of building regs (sewers, foundations, and joins are my main concerns). And I don't know what to do next 
Although one of my ex-guides has reminded me on FB that her dad (who lives just over the road) is an architect ...
We do also have a builder in mind and I thought of asking him to come over to have a look and a chat - he would easily be top of our list of builders to do the work, because on previous occasions he has turned up when he said he would, provided a proper quote and a proper invoice, and tidied up after himself. Plus of course his work's been good but that's been quite minor.
But I'm not sure if this is an OK thing to ask him.
Discuss this Journal entry [11]
Latest reply: Jan 29, 2010
Fairy dress and pink champagne
Posted Dec 20, 2009
What a good way to turn 40!
The party went well in the end, sedate but happy, and we had 25 there for the cake cutting. This turned into a comedy moment from a joke birthday card, because by the time Sis had lit the last of the 40 candles, the first of them were melting their holders and setting fire to the icing 
We're never going to let her forget it ...
Mind you, as soon as we'd done the cake (ie at two minutes past midnight), middle age kicked in and I stopped drinking champagne and had a nice cup of tea 
Thinking about it though that's not really much of a change for me.
We got home after clearing up at about 2am and then I sat up with my siblings until 4am, which was a very unfortyish thing to do, I felt.
There was a lot of food left over, but I didn't overcater too badly, as we've mostly finished it off today (I haven't done any cooking, and we've had lots of visitors to help eat it up). And as I only had three and a half hours' sleep last night, thanks also to Osh, I had a nice nap this afternoon.
Nod made me a lovely card, which says "Fairies don't get old ... and neither do you" 
House now stuffed full of champagne and chocolates. I *am* going to enjoy the festive season this year.
Mol
Discuss this Journal entry [4]
Latest reply: Dec 20, 2009
Bye bye, Sir Terry
Posted Dec 18, 2009
I hope Sir Terry bought shares in Kleenex before he retired.
Mol
Discuss this Journal entry [1]
Latest reply: Dec 18, 2009
Mol - on the new tablet
Researcher U222463
Write an Entry
"The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is a wholly remarkable book. It has been compiled and recompiled many times and under many different editorships. It contains contributions from countless numbers of travellers and researchers."