Shit Happens!

Dear Marmite

Up high and spotting VERY big "dogs"

Here we are and only just into the New Chinese Year and already things are looking down. When they do, this makes other things worse too. Let me start with the fitting of my new balcony French windows and three other windows. I ordered them in the hottest month of the year and they were finally fitted on a really cold day when the temperature didn't rise much above -2c. What bad timing, eh?

To give the fitters their due, they worked really efficiently and I kept them supplied with incredibly sweet tea by the gallon. When they left, my house took a whole 24 hours to reach a comfortable temperature. Now that that part of my house is back to normal I am so pleased I had it done.

While the fitters were doing their thing, I had Ezra-Mae for a couple of hours. I usually plan my time with her so we do lots of different things. My options with the workmen around were limited. We started off dancing to Alexa nursery rhymes, then dressed up warm and  went to the swings and slides - not the best idea with icy steps and slippery equipment but it filled a while. Ezra-Mae has umbrella names for things - "car" is everything that drives along the road. She says, "Car" I say, "No, van".. easy.... She says, "dog" I say, "No, horse"... I am working on it....

It was all happening at the same time = while the windows were being done, my handyman was back to sort out the flaky paint on the ceiling and fit a carpet offcut in the mezzanine area. The carpet is now fitted and looks lovely. It is now a very cosy place to camp out! That certainly doesn't count as a shitty outcome. Originally I thought of it as a place for my grandsons to hang out but they are now back in Australia so that won't happen.

The carpet is sorted but the paint job will take a bit longer. The rafters under the roof are wet and the insulation is damp too. So now I am awaiting the roofer who fixed my ridge tiles last summer to come and check out the problem. As the plaster took so long to dry, the handyman knew there was something amiss. Job remains undone.

So with all these things happening I start to notice how other things irk. I get annoyed when someone says, "See you later." I have started to reply - No, you won't... I won't be back for some time. What is it with this over familiarity in shops? errrr.

Added to this, I am annoyed with the Israeli rhetoric after the murder outside a synagogue. I totally agree that it is sad but demanding revenge on all Arabs when they don't expect Palestinians  to want revenge for all the bad they have had done to them is pathetic and ridiculous. I know where my sympathy lies.

There are so many things in the news that irk. I Think it would be a good idea if all Tory MPs and their cronies could be supplied with a gun so they can shoot themsleves in the foot and shortcut this long drawn out path of self - destruction. Just a thought. Sadly the strikes are not weakening the resolve of our heartless leaders. I am beginning to see this as having the same outcome as the General Strike in 1926. The miners lost and ended up with less pay and poorer conditions back then.

There are ups amid all the downs. I think there there is an elephant in Flitwick. I went to Diane and Jeremy's for Burns Night. That means a meal of haggis and other things Scottish. Jeremy says he made a clootie pudding but I think an elephant was had a hand in it, so to speak. As they say, Shit happens! Actually it tasted fine with custard. Thank you, Jeremy.

Freshly caught haggis..clootie image censored

So, Marms, life is not a bed of roses but I do manage to smile at my adversity. 

Love you

XXX