Packing panics and a London jaunt

Well, the plumber did at least turn up yesterday and has done something, though the boiler’s still not fixed up yet. It strikes me that it would be easier if he actually allocated some reasonable time to it and got it finished, rather than just keep popping in and doing a bit here and there when he can. It can’t be a great use of his time and it’s certainly doing my head in. Lord alone knows when he’s coming back as well – it’s a mystery …

Meanwhile, here at the work front, I’m in early as Lord H gave me a lift in as I’m up in London tonight, so there’s no meditation poem today – no time for prayer, alas. Lord H’s essential London travel tip in these health-conscious times: if you see someone in a big hat who’s sneezing, run like the wind … Hmm, that’ll stop me getting swine fever, I’m sure, and is it a tad too much national stereotyping?? … Ah well.

Anyway I am still labelling up the office as if there will be no tomorrow (which for me there won’t – at least not at work, part-timer that I am), and trying to get everything done before the move next week. This becomes all the more important as I am not hugely confident that we’ll have access to computers and phones as soon as we’d like once we’re in the new place, but we live in hope, eh. In this as in so many other things. The Dean and I have also had a scout round the new place and made a list of all the items that aren’t working yet or which should be removed before we start to invade. You can tell he’s an engineer, can’t you? I had to persuade him not to try to fix the radiator himself while he was there, as being not a great use of Dean time. He’s threatening to bring in his paint pot too, so goodness knows what our décor will be like this time next week. Anyway, I’ve given the list of oddities to our Estates and Facilities people, and I’m hoping they’ll work their magic before Tuesday. And great news – we have had a delivery of more crates! Plus the nice young men who delivered them have also managed to separate the two crates that were stuck, so we can now start packing things away once more. It’ll make a change from the labelling for sure.

Managed to get out for a soothing lunchtime walk and also popped into the art gallery on my way round. There are some interesting pictures there from a variety of artists as part of the run-up to Surrey Artists’ Open Studio month, so that was good to see. It’s an event I always think is a wonderful idea, but somehow I never end up attending anything – the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak indeed. Oh and we have ducklings by the lake, hurrah.

This afternoon, I’ve consoled myself for this morning’s poetry rejection (the fools! The fools! Whatever can they be thinking??...) with my last Starbucks decaff cappuccino in this office. Lord but it tasted good. And tonight I’m off to London to see the old University girls and catch up over the essential Italian (food, my dears, food …). I’m hoping it won’t be too late an evening, as I’m not sure I can take the pace any more – last night, I actually fell asleep in front of the telly, which caused Lord H much amusement. I’ve never done that before – is it the slippery slope? However he reassures me that no doubt they’ll repeat Dan Cruickshank’s programme on Kew at some point, so I can catch up on the story of rubber that I missed. Always good to have something to look forward to, eh.

Today’s nice things:

1. The appearance of more crates
2. Art
3. Ducklings
4. Starbucks
5. Pizza and chat.

Anne Brooke
Anne's website - all packed up and ready to go