April 25th
While clearing some dead shrubbery at 7:30 the other morning, I was attacked by a hard and pointed dead branch. DYI again. This time it was my eyebrow, which immediately turned wet and red. Kitchen roll and plasters eventually sorted it and saved a trip to A&E, although what I thought was some dried blood was actually part of my eyebrow hanging off. I think I need a combat NBC suit with hard hat and full face protection, stab vest and industrial gloves for any diy jobs from here on in. Or possibly a £40,000 exoskeleton for lifting anything heavier than a pencil.
The upcycled wardrobe is now finished, knobs and all. Very pleased with the result with both doors level and fitted with magnetic catches. I now have the chest of drawers and wardrobe to give the same paint job, with colours chosen from that famous swatch “fifteen shades of grey”.
Christmas part 2 finally arrived with Emma’s visit. I had a bug hotel and due to the size of the garden, there will need to be a booking system. I also had a lovely framed photo of Toby in his prime and a bag of liquorice sweets. Emma also gave my hair a much needed trim and as she had been cutting Martin’s over the lockdown, I had complete faith. However, after the sides and back were tidied the top looked like a cross between a peaky blinders and Arthur Scargill’s comb over. I have said for a number of years that when the crown turned into a Friar Tuck, I’d cut it all off. So after 40 years of gelled-back hair, the day came for a number 4 all over. RIP fair locks.
June chased up on her NHS referral to see an orthopaedic consultant on Monday, to be told in no uncertain terms that the wait was 10 to 12 months and absolutely no chance of being put on a cancellation list. After one phone call to the local top hip and knee consultant, June was seen on the Friday of the same week, for just £180. He then filled in the form for her to have a walk in appointment at the x-ray department at Llanelli hospital, which we did later the same day and set the follow up appointment for the following week. I phoned up for a blood test and was given an appointment two days short of a months time. I’m glad it’s not that urgent! Just think of all the money the NHS would save on medicines and secondary issues if they treated patients quicker and opened hospitals 7 days not just 5 and 2 idle.
With the fine weather, I’ve been attacking the front garden. The rockery has had a makeover, the conifer by the front wall has been retired with the gap filled with a fence panel and I’ve planted a magnolia in that corner to compliment the camellia. One of the skimmia shrubs as got leaf rust and is dying off, so that’s coming out to be burnt. This leaves a large space which I think I will plant a maple that we’ve have had in a pot for over 5 years. The petrol auger makes easy work of making holes for plants and shrubs, but will definitely need two people for an 8″ hole.
I recently picked up a 3D printer from Marketplace for half price from a local seller. Opposite to eBay, it looked smaller in the picture than in real life and stands just under 4ft tall – oops. The seller also gave me a spare hot plate and a reel of filament to get started. After a cleanup, re-calibration and soldering a wire back onto a motor, it came to life and works. I also changed the 50mm cooling fan whose bearing had seen better times. I’ve printed a few test pieces and a set of cutters and embossing plates for Emma’s jewellery business.
April 1st came and went without the usual collection of jokes and hilarity, thanks to Covid. Even the BBC failed to raise a prank. We pay all that money for a game show channel with the occasional distorted sound drama where the unnecessary background music drowns out the dialogue and not even the glimpse of spaghetti growing on trees. Ok, off my soapbox.
With the travel ban lifted (sounds like the foot and mouth era) we went for a trip to Aberaeron on the Cardiganshire coast. The journey was to collect a wardrobe for June’s bedroom as she lacks storage space since the move. A pleasant run with a fish and chip lunch. The wardrobe was a twice up-cycled Stag and had gone from its original mahogany through off white to graphite chalk paint and wax coat. All of which resulted in a stormy sea finish which would probably be an interesting story for anyone reading Braille. It took over 10 80grit sanding disks and two Henry bags to strip it back to bare wood. After nutting myself on an internal partition from the top, I cleared the whole internal space to make way for shelving. The initial preparation has begun by filling holes and re-glueing the plinth with a first coat of paint rollered on. One slight issue is that the said piece of furniture is 6 inches too long for the intended space – oops.
With the lockdown looking positive for residents from England able to visit soon, as well as free movement within Wales, I’ve put up a picket fence around the edge of the patio to prevent any mishaps. I initially did the curved area one afternoon and was so pleased, went back for another three panels the following day to finish off the straight edge. They are each held to the oak support posts with four screws, so can be easily removed when the foundation for the chalet is prepared and earth needs to be re-positioned (dumped).
I’ve finished the first phase of garden lighting, so can safely wander after dark with a glass in hand. A few of the lights need angling correctly, but going up a ladder at night with a spotlight in my eyes is not a safe pastime. I think the tilt-test-check next day option is better.
I had something delivered with environmentally friendly packing – sheep’s wool. Instead of re-cycling it, I put lumps of it around the garden and the birds love it for nesting. Snapped a Tit with so much in its beak, it looked like it had a full handle-bar moustache and beard, and could hardly see where to fly.
For the last few months I have noticed an odd smell in the pantry (formality a toilet) and wondered if there was a gas leak from the LPG supply or the septic tank. June has been unable to smell it. My mum (96 yrs old) has an acute sense of smell and said it was like garlic. Having over 100 square feet of the wild stuff growing in the garden has given my work boots a definite bouquet, but they were out in the garage. After mums olfactory identification, I had another snort at the pantry shelves and low and behold, not only a tub of dried onions, but also a large tub of powdered garlic, both with early 2017 expiry dates (well they tasted OK a few weeks ago). Problem solved and pantry now odour free. Mums are useful for things other than just embarrassing stories; when Nigel was little he …….
Up and coming projects are the laying of a stone roundel in June’s rose garden, clearing and rebuilding the overgrown front rockery, sanding and painting a set of shelves for June’s wardrobe and finishing her bathroom. Then lots of painting of walls and doors when the weather is good enough for lots of fresh air through the house. Oh, and the chalet should be with us soon, so that will need a few days work. Now, how do I fit sleeping into this retirement plan?
