Swimming Pool Installed

I'm still buzzing from the book news :) Thanks to everyone for your support and comments. I've just spent the afternoon adding information about it everywhere. It's a very complicated and scary process. Just seeing my name up on google scares the crap out of me! ;)

In non-related book-news (apparently there is other news out there... ;D) we had a little swimming pool in the back room last night. It had been a bad weekend weather-wise. High winds, lots of hail and rain; and we're right on the coast - the back of our house faces the sea - so we had the brunt of it. Just as we were about to sit down for dinner at about six o'clock I went into the back room (where we eat) to make sure the table was set, and found a big puddle of water spreading from the back doors (they're double patio doors, which are useless!) towards the table! I called Ray who quickly got the mop out while I ran to get towels. We managed to get the water up before it could do more damage than soak the floor and drench the bottoms of the curtains, and plugged the bottom of the doors with towels. We then rang the landlord who assured us someone would be round the next day (today). Although it is now three-thirty in the afternoon we haven't heard a single word from the landlord. No phone-call, no visit: nothing. Thankfully the weather has calmed now and the leak has stopped. But the doors are shoddily installed. They've always let in a cold draft and now we know where from. It's where the doors join, at the bottom. Up until now the landlord has been really good when it's come to problems but it seems this time he's not so keen on helping. It's okay now cos it's not bad weather but I don't really want to be worrying about it over Christmas so he'd better get his butt into gear and find some workmen to get it fixed! The least he could do is let us know what's going on. I do love this house but it does have its problems :/

Martha went into work with her grandma this morning (nothing serious; she had a personal problem ;D) and Sweepie has been pouting all day since. I had to get up at 7am (that's what time grandma was driving through on her way to work) because I knew Sweepie wouldn't stay on her own downstairs after her father went to work. Early mornings, leaking doors, lazy landlords: all of this could really put me in a foul mood. Lucky I'm still excited from my book news then, isn't it? ;)

Labels: books, house stuff, landlord, martha, self-publishing, sweepie, writing

by Ys | COMMENTS? 2 | permalink |  

Making A Home

I did indeed join the Mages Guild... but only because I'd completed my third mission of the Fighter's Guild. That was my rule to myself: three missions and then I can join a new Guild. I suck at sneaking so I'm not sure I'll be any good at Fink's favourite Guilds. I much prefer talking to people, making potions and bartering. My levels are so high on those three. I'm starting to get into my Spells now, though... Watch this space ;)

I only played "Oblivion" in the afternoon today, though. Because today was the Landlord Inspection day. He turned up on time (which none of us were expecting because he's so laidback he's usually quite late), he said hello to the dogs and went out the back to check on the paintwork on the outside of the house. Ray went with him, they did their man-chat thing where he asked if things were going okay, any problems, how long do you think you'll want to stay, etc. Then they came in, he asked us girls the same things, breifly, and then he left. He apparently told Ray he liked how the house looked; I'll take that praise smugly ;) So really there wasn't any need to clean as frantically as we did but I'd happily have the house this clean every day if I could :) The house feels even more like mine now. It feels more homely somehow. Probably because I've been expecting the landlord to turn up and say he wants to sell up (during a credit crunch and all!). I want to lavish the place with new pretty things but I can't afford it right now. (If you're lucky, I'll tell you the tale about a certain silver car that is going to be scrapped if she doesn't sort her ass out, later in the week; and if I'm very lucky there'll be a happy ending.) And the new Ikea catalogue just fell through the letterbox! God can be unkind sometimes ;)

Anyway, tomorrow I get back to writing full-time, which means only part-time playing of "Oblivion" - how will I cope? - so there should be much less mooing on about all things "Oblivion", which I am well aware is extremely boring if you don't play the game.

Reality, here I come (for a short time anyway...).

Labels: house stuff, landlord, life, oblivion, writing

by Ys | COMMENTS? 3 | permalink |  

Unreality Vs Reality

I've resurfaced for a little while; thought I'd better enter the real world and see what's happening ;) I am seriously that bad; the game has me absolutely smitten. I'm up to level five already, which doesn't sound like a lot, but I have only been playing it for three days. I'm kind of upset it's grabbed me cos I can't get anything done anymore. At least it's not affecting my writing, not in a negative way anyway. Oblivion might not be anything like "Olimpia Valley" (or anything else I write for that matter) but it hasn't stopped the inspiration from flooding my senses. I won't be able to write again until Tuesday, though, cos we have the big Inspection By The Landlord on Monday to contend with. Which also means a weekend of cleaning, cleaning and cleaning (with some Oblivion playing, of course).

The visit from the landlord has set me off into my daydreams of what if he says... My whatif this time is What if he was to say he'd sell us the house if we rented it for at least two years? (which gives him time to pay off the mortgage using our rent). I have wonderful plans for this house; this house that will probably never be mine. Such as the full upstairs extension to go with the downstairs one, which would add two massive rooms to the upstairs area. That would add so much value to the house. And would also give me an office for writing. I'd also put the back-door in the kitchen instead of having those silly crappy double patio doors that we have in the back-room. Those doors would then be filled in (like next door) and we'd have a lovely big picture window there. And don't even get me started on the back garden... Bye-bye huge decking and hello green grass and a perfectly proportioned raise decking area. Hmm such big plans ;)

But to start with we have to get through the Inspection. The house is usually always clean so I'm not too worried. If the weather holds out I want to do the gardening tomorrow, then Sunday we're all going to pitch in and give the house one final rub down to make it sparkle that extra bit more.

Which is why this Oblivion crush should not have started now. It should have held off for another week! Now all I'm thinking about is what mission to take on next and whether or not I should join the Mages Guild yet or just stick with the Fighter's Guild for a little while longer... ;)

Labels: cleaning, house stuff, landlord, life, oblivion, writing, xbox 360

by Ys | COMMENTS? 4 | permalink |  

Inspections, Cleaning & Weddings

I'm pretty wiped out this week. I feel like I haven't sat still for more than five minutes.

Last weekend we got a letter from the landlord: we're having an inspection on September 1st. To start with I panicked. This is my home now and the thought of someone coming in here (the someone who actually owns the house) and judging it and me kind of freaked me out a bit. Then I realised I was worrying over nothing. The house is pretty much spotless 90% of the time; we've got all the rooms looking very pretty now; and we love it here, which I think brings an extra element of niceness to the overall feel of the house.

But the inspection has made me go a bit cleaning mad. Well, that and the fact that in between the Olympics watching (yes, still hooked) I get a bit twitchy cos I'm not writing. I always clean much more when I'm not writing. I guess I have all that extra energy and time then, don't I? So I started with the floors. I hoovered and then mopped them all with the special stuff especially for laminate floors. I then moved onto my room. I ended up moving furniture around on my own (the wardrobe was the heaviest!) and have got it looking a bit better in here now. I'm still not 100% happy with it but that's cos it's a square-shaped room and working with a square is all but impossible when you have a big double bed to squeeze in, and an oddly placed radiator to contend with. I then weeded the front garden, pulling all the weeds up on the other side of the wall, too - the road side. I weeded the potted plants out there and then washed the front door cos it looked a bit grubby. Today I plan on cleaning the bathroom, and over the weekend I might tackle the back garden. Phew. I find cleaning strangely theraputic. Plus it should mean the house is sparkling like a new pin when the landlord arrives next month :)

The decision I thought I'd have to make fell through. Well, when something makes you cry you know it's time to walk away and explore other options. I don't think there'll be other options to consider. I think it's all done now. We're all happy where we're at. So - touch wood - no upheavals any time soon :)

The weekend starts now, doesn't it? Mine will be an extra day long because I've got the family wedding and so won't be back 'til Monday. We've all got our pretties (even Ray, who relented and let me drag him round the shops trying to find trousers that fit him - he has such tiny legs! 29 inches! I wear 34 inches! BHS is the only store I found who sell 29inch-length trousers for men.), we've got our drink's money sorted; now I'm just waiting for the pining for Sweepie to kick in. I haven't had to leave her in so long. I doubt she'll miss me, though ;)

Enjoy your weekends! (And don't post too much cos I won't be back online 'til Tuesday to read your blogs ;D)

Labels: cleaning, landlord, life, olympics, ray, renting, shopping, sweepie

by Ys | COMMENTS? 2 | permalink |  

Narnia, Valentines, Gigs & Agents

Have you seen the trailer for the new Narnia film? See It Here. It looks great. I have to admit I only ever knew the story of "The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe" so I have no idea what will happen in this new one. Will it make me want to sit in the back of wardrobes wishing myself into another world?

It's Valentines Day soon. I'm trying to think of a cute present for Ray. It can't cost too much - we are on a tight budget - but has to be something he'll adore. I was thinking of topping up his Red Dwarf collection. No, doesn't sound very romantic but if you knew how much he's watched the other DVD's I got him you'd understand that it would be a present he'd cherish. The only problem is I can't find the one he needs on sale anywhere. So I'm wondering what kind of sappy present can I get a guy? It's easy for him - he can get me flowers and he'll know I'll be extremely impressed (I love getting flowers). But what can I get him?

We're off spending money we can't afford tomorrow. It's our last gig for a long while. The tickets were bought before we'd found the house. We're seeing Coheed & Cambria, with Fightstar supporting. It'll be good but also expensive. I hate being on a budget hehe.

There's some trouble with the estate agent who's renting us the house. Luckily we've been in contact with the landlord seperately because of a toilet malfunction (note to all potential landlord: do not fit Saniflo systems cos when they break your tenents will have no toilet, bath, shower or water of any kind in the bathroom). He called last night to ask if we'd had any confirmation letters from the agent because he hadn't heard anything from them. He wasn't even told we'd moved in 'til a week after! He's worried the agent has pocketed our money. So we trundled down to see the agent last night and asked for photocopies and receipts and he gave them to us happily enough. Couldn't really argue, could he? The landlord has told us if the agent doesn't show him some proof - and money - by the time the rent's due (which is next week) he's going to get us to cancel our direct debit mandate and we'll sign a new deal directly with him. Phew! What a mess! But the landlord is a nice guy and he's assured us we're perfectly safe, he isn't going to kick us out, and we won't lose out on any money; he says the person who'll be out of pocket will be him. He'd just wanted to warn us that things weren't going well with the agent.

Why do these things always happen to me?

Labels: coheed and cambria, estate agent, fightstar, films, gigs, house stuff, landlord, presents, ray, renting, valentines day

by Ys | COMMENTS? 2 | permalink |  








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