… my musings on, er, "stuff"
Pic of the week 11/12/16
Christmas is coming! Still seems some time away to me, but is a mere two weeks away.
The house is in a very different state from this time last year, looking forward to our first proper Christmas in #79.
Pic(s) of the week 4/12/16
Last night was the Upper Sixth Ball so it was time to once again don my DJ and head off to the glittering lights (in, of course, an entirely supervisory capacity.)
And the pics above neatly chart my weight loss journey – the DJ and shirt is the same, the first pic is in December ’14, then December ’15, with this year, December ’16, on the right, during which time I have lost 3 stone.
I’m rather proud of that, I feel a lot better, I’m a whole lot fitter than I was (probably for the last twenty year) and look a lot better – lean and chiselled, if a little worn, rather than soft and “comfortable”.
What I find really amazing, though, is if you take the 3 stone loss and turn it into a percentage: I’ve lost 20% of me in two years. One fifth of me has gone, just no longer exists!
Pic of the week 27/11/16
Its busy, busy, busy at Peabody Towers at the moment – me with reports, Becky with black Friday orders, and two days supply at WCJS on Thursday & Friday, Sophie working at Hallmark cards in Clarks Village and Sam all loved up and spending his time with his girlfriend, so not much time to think about this post, just whap up a photo of me on the sofa watching Narcos. (Note the co-ordinating socks & headphones!)
Oh, and to add to the rich mix that is the variety of life, on Tuesday morning the boiler packed in and stopped giving us hot water. Three smelly days, one diverter valve and £300 later its working again.
Two weeks to the end of term – light has been glimpsed at the end of the tunnel.
Pic of the week 20/11/16
So Friday saw, at long last, exeat arrive. The opportunity to have two – yes, two – full days off was seized eagerly by all. And I have been disciplined enough to take those two days off as days off and not fill them with school work. ‘Tis now a manageable 3 week chunk until the Christmas holidays (although the wearisome prospect of reports – again – rear their ugly head.)
Bit of a calamity on Saturday – the clothes came out of the washing machine soaking wet. Re-spun them, still soaking wet. Opened the filter and loads of water drained out. However, couldn’t clean the filter and, more importantly, couldn’t re-seat the filter without getting a leak, so a new machine was needed.
I was due to ref in Ilchester that afternoon, so reserved a machine from Curry’s in Yeovil and went straight their to collect it after the game (Huish AFC v Oddcombe Reserves 1-0 to the visitors. Match report video below.) Car park was heaving, had to double park. Came out 15 mins later to find a parking ticket. Bu&&er. And the machine wasn’t as simple to fit as I’d hoped (hole for plug in work surface not big enough)
Oh well, all’s well that ends well. Machine now in and working properly, old machine disposed of at the tip.
And with a bit of extra time this weekend, a wrote a (short) post on my maths blog. I really do need to start doing so more often. I enjoyed doing it when I did, and its (the blog) is a great resource/record – would be a shame to let it fall into disuse.
Last night we got battered by Storm Angus – very windy & noisy in the night, but no damage done.
After lunch today, I spent 30 mins with Sophie helping her with her maths – Core 1 circles, and Core 2 Trigonometry. And now its time to go swimming with Sam. I could get used to these two day weekends!
Pic of the week 13/11/16
So the sofas have arrived, pictures put up, … now its time to sit back, relax, and enjoy the completed sitting room.
Looks good!
Pics of the week 6/11/16
Last week the clocks went back and the second half of term began, always a significant milepost in any year, marking the shift into the dark, dreary days of late autumn and winter.
But its been a busy week, hence a gallery of the week rather than just one pic. Sophie’s 17th birthday, so the L Plates are out and she’s learning to drive.
My refereeing certificate and badge from the FA arrived through the post, confirming my appointment as a fully qualified level 7 ref. I am rather proud of this achievement. (Ref-ed today: Somerton Utd U13s v Stoke Wolves. The wolves ran out as 5-2 victors)
The tree in the back garden has turned the most vibrant shade of flame red – really rather striking. To be fair, the weather has been pretty good (read: dry) although in the last few days it has turned cold – and not just a little chilly, proper, sub 10 degrees, with wind to go with it, cold.
And so as the weather turns and the nights lengthen, it’ll mean more time spent indoors, so its a good job the sitting room is finished, to await the arrival of the sofas on Friday.
And it was this week last year that it all began – the builders arrived and knocked the garage down. It was exciting, and I’m pleased we did it, but I’m glad its finished!
Pic of the week 30/10/16
So the sitting room is finished – floor laid & painted, fireplace hearth tiled & grouted (by me!). Have to say it looks good, I’m proud of what we have achieved. (Sophie helped out by sewing the curtains – Sam contributed by keeping out of the way(!)). Couple of weeks to wait until the sofas arrive, but the before and above photo of the fireplace tells a story of a thousand words (many of them expletives when things didn’t go quite according to plan.)
Pic of the week 23/10/16
So half term has arrived and I spent the first couple of days finishing laying the floor in the sitting room – more pics in the gallery below – and now Becky has started painting it.
Am pleased with my handy work, it went down well, no real hints or tips to mention, just measure, cut, lay, measure, cut, lay, measure, cut, lay … you get the idea, until the whole floor space was filled.
Looked good as “bare” wood, but looks even better now its painted white – the room looks fab, and that’s without any furniture added.
I think I will enjoy sitting in it, with one eye on the TV, but one eye glancing down at the floor (and fireplace) and thinking “I made that”.
Pic of the week 16/10/16
Becky & Sophie went to IKEA yesterday. Alas, I was working so could not go. Sam chose to stay home alone.
Nice picture of Sophie sat waiting for her IKEA lunch.
Pic of the week 9/10/16
Have been laying a new floor in the sitting room. Ordered the wood from eBay which arrived on the INSET friday before I started back at school. Last week I cut and laid the first few planks, this weekend I did the fiddly bits either side of the fireplace.
Now it all needs to come up and be glued along the tongue (the floor itself will be free- floating) and then I’ll do all the rest, gluing as I go. Aim is to get it finished in the first few days of half term so it can then be painted.