The best laid plans….

All week I have had one job on my mind. That is, to paint the utility room. However, one way and another there has been a stumbling block each day to prevent this activity actually happening. Ah-ha! I thought, Saturday! No plans, so I’ll get on with it. Hahahahaha……..

We were up and breakfasting by mid-morning. There were ‘other’ things that needed to be done before I could get on. Clearing up the barbecue for one thing, which we had left out in the rain; clearing the work surfaces in the utility room, which were cluttered with tools from the recent repair; popping a load of washing into the newly repaired machine to check it worked properly (and it did, thank you very much); unstacking and stacking the dishwasher; and so on. Nothing of any particular note, just stuff that you do every day.

John, meanwhile, reminded me that he had sold the quad bike and someone was coming to collect it today. And, to help him shift it down the side of the house, he’d asked Paul to come over. “Right,” I said, absent-mindedly, and then, “That’s good. It’ll be nice to see him.” John then added, “He’s bringing Freddie.” “Ah… right,” I said, taking a little bit more notice. That meant that the painting would have to wait, because I was definitely going to play with Freddie.

So, once again, the painting hasn’t got done, but we have had the pleasure of grandparenting time. Freddie was as good as gold while he was here and, as he is now five years old and pretty independent, he is able to do all sorts of things without our worrying as to whether he’s fiddling with something he shouldn’t. He’s a delight, in fact.

“Where are the cats, Grandma?” Freddie wanted to know. “I think they’ll be upstairs in the attic,” I replied. “Let’s go and see,” said Freddie. I was able to tell him to go on up and look to see if they were there and I’d be there in a minute. When I got there, hot on Freddie’s heels, he was half way up the second set of stairs and whispering excitedly to me that both the cats were there and could he stroke them?

He was very successful in his petting of the cats, who didn’t run away as is their usual wont, and they allowed Freddie to extend his hand to stroke them for a good little while. Regrettably, however, the quad bike was safely stowed on the van with its new owners and Paul had finished his work, so Freddie had to go home, just as we were about to investigate the contents of a very interesting box in the attic. Next time, maybe……

I wasn’t inclined to do the painting after Paul and Freddie had gone, suddenly feeling rather tired. John, too, was feeling tired, so we watched TV. First we watched the Grand Prix qualifying and then some tennis at Queens, before it was soon time prep our evening meal.

This evening was also spent in front of the box – we are trying to watch all of the important programmes we have on the planner because, next week we have D-Day when we change supplier….not sure how I’m going to cope, folks – watch this space!

All while we are enjoying our little lives here in Balsall Common, I am conscious that the COVID situation is continuing in all parts of the country now. 10,321 people tested positive with the virus today; 14 people died with it in the community; and 226 people were admitted to hospital with it.

I am tired of it now. If only we could find a strategy that works and reduces the continual spread of the virus so that we could be less worried about going out and about. I am a shadow of my former self…….

Anyway, tomorrow is another day, so perhaps the sun will shine.

Take care everyone. God bless.