The kids and I slept in this morning, I’d not meant to so I woke a bit wrong footed. We’ve been sleeping without a sheet on our bed the last couple of nights which is horrid (have mattress protector but it still feels all lumpy) so I decided to wash our sheet (we can find loads of duvet covers and pillow cases but no sheets, will have to buy a couple) along with the two pairs of pjs I’d found in Scarlett’s bed last night when saying goodnight to her meaning she had no clean ones to bring away with us. So a sneaky wash in Mum’s precious machine and then a plan to use the tumble drier in the garage. It’s a washer dried that belongs to us and is being stored here and I thought I could use the drier bit of it without plumbing but it refused to work and kept showing an error with plumbing message. Bloody clever technology! ;). So hung some of it out on the line and left the rest to deal with when we got home.
I did some emails for Dad for some stuff he is still trying to deal with to do with his friend who died 2 years ago, not being online has really hampered him on this as it’s a bank in America who only seem to have an online presence rather than anywhere easy for him to ring. And we made the first of several calls to Mike at the letting agents.
Our plan for today was a walk on the beach with Julie & the kids to celebrate Tarly’s birthday. We were planning a fire and cooking some bannock bread and bringing along the rest of the birthday cake. Both my two (and me actually) were really looking forward to it so I was a bit pissed off when Julie rang about 15 minutes before we were due to leave to meet them to say actually they were having a woodburner fitted and couldn’t leave so could we go over there instead? I’d forgotten that this is a common Julie trait, changing plans at the last minute, always involving me driving further and her less and fitting in around her without apology. I love her loads and she has been a really good mate looking after D&S while I was working once a fortnight but she can have a ‘whole world revolves around me’ attitude without ever considering the impact on others. I would say it’s an only child trait but I know I’d piss off some friends 😉 Plus it’s actually not something I see in anyone else regardless of siblings or birth order.
So we ended up going over there. Ady was all for just cancelling but I knew D&S would rather see them at their house than not at all, despite being really disappointed about the beach. As it happens we did have a nice few hours with them, enough to forgive the last minute plan changing.
Back at home we dried the washing on the radiators, just whipping the last dry thing off before Mum got home so she need never know 🙂 Mwha ha ha! I had a bath and we packed the car up ready to leave in the morning, very practically packed in two bags, one to take into Babs and one for the hostel. Davies finished his secret santa and I spent a couple of hours making mine.
Ady and the kids played some Xbox which Davies has been asking him for for days so that was good as we’re conscious we’ll barely see them for the next 10 days so it’s been nice to grab some time with them these last couple of days. This time last week when we drove away from the house for a couple of nights I felt so relieved, am looking forward to the same feeling tomorrow.
The rent saga continues, with the one person’s rent now cleared and in our bank account but the other three still not paid. Mike the agent is hassling them (as much as you can) and has given me their mobile numbers and suggested we exercise our right to a landlord inspection. We cannot be intimidating or menacing or harrass them but with 24 hours notice we can go round there to inspect the property, using our own keys to gain entry if they are not there despite being told we’re coming. Dad is going round on Friday, under strict instructions to be nice. I’m hoping the fact we’re sending round a 73 year old man will preclude any accusations of being nasty! I did speak to the guy who has paid and he promised he’ll speak to the others. I also left a message on the voice mail of the other tenant who has not paid. Hopefully between us, Mike and Dad visiting we’ll at least get it across that we won’t just go away if they don’t pay. The other obvious concern is that they don’t evict when they should leave but I guess we cross that bridge if and when we come to it. Argh 🙁
Dad and I have been getting on well the last few days, I think if we avoid certain topics we are fine. I am very focussed on arranging Glastonbury asap really so will try and get that arranged tomorrow for as soon after Christmas as possible.