Bit of a frustrating day today. The morning (and well into the afternoon) was spent driving around picking up various items so we can make a start on our priority list.
For KP this meant wood and screws for boxing in the bath upstairs so it can take a shower. For me, very exciting, we bought a washing machine! Now, I know our ancestors did it, but if you've ever spent any period of time washing by hand you'll understand my excitement. My few little bits are fine - easy to wash, easy to wring, easy to dry. As for KP's, well let's just say with big people comes big, heavy clothes, particularly when wet. One pair of his pants alone takes up about a week's supply of mine.
I also bought a fork and spade so I can make a start on my veggie patch. More excitement.
We also had the food shop to do, and lots of it, so the necessary evil of the supermarket was, sadly, the best option. Again, yet more excitement though, as we've now got a freezer, and this opens up a whole new shopping perspective.
And then came the really frustrating part with a phone call to Janet. We have two essentials that are an absolute must, without which we can do nothing. One is the conversion of the barns into a shower block for the campers and the other is internet access, essential for KP in running his business. Kind of critical really as this is currently our only form of income.
Because of the urgency behind both, we decided to bite the bullet when we bought the house in January and employ an agent so things would be well underway by the time we arrived. That was two months ago. We still haven't got any quotes in to consider for the barns and, even though our the broken phone cables to the house are now fixed, we still, apparently, need to be switched on at the exchange. How hard can that be! I phoned Janet for an update to be given the usual "oh, everything's coming along nicely, any day now". But they've had TWO months!
It put a bit of a damper on our day as there's nothing we can do about it. Fabio (project manager) is away until next week, so our hands are tied until he gets back. Another week wasted.
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But we got back from our shopping excursion and got the washing machine in and working! Woop woop! Bit of a dodgy moment though with our equally dodgy (unearthed) electrics. Plugged in and turned on the washing machine, from the ominous tingling KP received when he briefly touched the bare metal at the bottom, was clearly and obviously live. Oh goody. Whilst I was pondering the effect this might have on my nylons, and the prospect of having to put my wellies on to do the washing, KP turned the plug around (you can do that with two pin plugs). Amazingly, and goodness knows how (anything mechanical, particularly electrical, is a complete mystery to me) but it seemed to work. No more tingling. Think I might still put my wellies on though. Just in case.
For the remainder of the afternoon I washed all our sheets and hung them out in the sun and got on with unpacking and sorting. This threw up the other priority of furniture. Minimalist is fine, but we could do with some drawers and cupboards. Nowhere to put things.
KP, meanwhile, cut the grass. All the strimming we (he) did back in January had paid off. And the dryness of everything certainly helped. He just whizzed through it like a demon possessed.
As the sun was going down we got the bikes out and went the short, but harsh (big ups and downs), distance over to Ian and Carole's to say hi, catch up on the news, and deliver their items missed from the UK. PG Tips, Scots porridge oats and Golden Syrup.
Home, supper, read and bed. Such bliss not having a TV, wonder how long I can drag that one out for....
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