Wednesday, October 08, 2008
I'll see what I can do
There are a few people I know whose birthdays are coming up; the Gran turns 99 next month and she's impossible to shop for. I may wind up buying her a pint of milk and a loaf of bread as at least then I know she'll use it instead of putting it away in a cupboard.*
I happened to have what I thought was a good idea the other day, when I asked her if she wanted a 2009 calendar like the one I purchased for her last year. She had particularly seemed to like it as it has very large numbers which can be seen from the Space Station or, in her case, from across the room.
"Oh yes, that would be good," she said.
Great! I thought.
"...but not like that one. That one's rubbish."
Wondering what I was getting myself into, I steeled myself and asked her what was wrong with it.
"That one there ... doesn't have the phases of the moon. It's useless."
I never knew she was a devotee of both Artemis and the Virgin Mary.
*while providing detailed instructions on who should get it when she's dead and buried.
8:39:00 PM
Darkness III
Funny how it always seems to happen just after my birthday, but it's definitely turned into autumn, without any sort of Indian summer unlike past years. It's dark by the time I've finished my dinner or, if I'm stuck in traffic (like tonight) before I even get home.
Stupid farmers.
8:35:00 PM
Sunday, October 05, 2008
Beware the Rubbish Gestapo
While Gran was at mass tonight I managed to single-handedly wrestle the old, 18th century "bed" from the top floor downstairs onto the pavement outside the house, as the Council are picking it up tomorrow morning at o'dark thirty. I'm exhausted... but how much space I've recovered! Of course, as carefully as I'd placed the bed so as to take up as little space as possible on the pavement, I got a lecture upon her return.
...
Yesterday I came home from "mass" to find the Gran sitting by the gas fire with a small electric fan heater plugged in. She immediately offered it to me and eventually I got the story that she got it at Curry's some time ago but now thinks it's too small and doesn't have a handle to move it around easily (I don't know if she had wanted to wield it like a lantern or what). She wouldn't let me pay her any money for it.
Since the box wasn't needed, she asked if it could go in the Blue bin (for recycling), to which I gave a positive response.
An hour later, I tied up the rubbish bag from the kitchen and then made my way to pick up the box to take them both outside to dispose of them. "Leave that box here, at the top of the stairs and I'll put it out with the rest of the blue bin doings tomorrow."
But I'm going out now to throw this away, I said, offering the kitchen rubbish bag.
"Yes," she said, "but you're going to the *other* bin now."
I decided not to argue with her.
6:49:00 PM
Thursday, October 02, 2008
Truth is funnier than fiction
You have to watch both parts:
1:49:00 PM
Wednesday, October 01, 2008
One month check-in
It's been 30 days since I moved to Banbury, and so far it's had its ups and downs. The biggest issue at the moment is that I'm not really settled as I've been unable to unpack the two rooms' worth of stuff I've accumulated, as I've been arranging for carpeting to be installed and then need to buy a dresser and several shelf units or cabinets and probably something to put the TV on and perhaps a comfy chair. Then I can hang some pictures on the wall and feel as if the place has my stamp on it.
The other big issue was been the commute, which is erratic but always mildly annoying at least. On a good day it takes 50-60 minutes to travel the 25 miles, but yesterday --for no other reason than it was raining-- the traffic chaos resulted in an hour and forty minutes' drive. That's just not fun.
Thankfully, even though I'm paying £38/mo for a garage, I haven't had to use it yet as I'm able to park in front of the house most weekday evenings and all day on Sundays. So far I've managed to find a space on an adjoining road on Friday evenings so that Saturday day is taken care of too.
The Gran and I are also adjusting to the living arrangements. Mainly I'm just trying to stay out of her way. It means, though, that I haven't made a meal at home that didn't involve the microwave and/or eating out of the tin, as I don't want to contribute to the washing up to be done (and I'm not allowed to do that myself). I'm also finding it easier to just accept the 42p that she wants to pay me for the pint of milk I just bought her rather than arguing over whose income is higher.
We'll get there, but it'll be awhile.
9:08:00 PM
I showed her
Despite Gran's assessment, my 40th festivities were actually quite special. I took the day off (as I normally do on my birthday) and visited another local stately home, Waddesdon Manor, with my friend CC. After, we had dinner and opened cards and gifts at CM's.
8:59:00 PM
A Pretender
I've just seen that HBO has a new animated series called "The Life and Times of Tim".
