You, Me, A Fence and some birthdays at Six

Greetings all.  It has been a week more hectic than a hectic thing, and I feel like I have not come up for air until about now.  The week at work was just stupidly busy, and on top of that at home we had numerous birthdays to celebrate and events to attend.

On Wednesday it was Louise’s birthday, and she was greeted upon waking by me in my underpants, two sleepy teenagers, a card and a present.  That sounds like an extract from Russell Brand’s autobiography, but really is was quite normal for birthdays in our house.  Louise did a decent job of concealing her underwhelmedness at unwrapping a couple of books rather than the state of the art laptop she really wanted.

The books were relevant if not exciting as they are related to her impending studies.  Yes, two books on how to mop up blood, sick and poop should cover everything the modern nurse needs!!  It was not until much later in the day when she received the second part of her gift package at work that I felt better about the level of presentage.

Later that evening, all four of us ventured out to Mr Fu’s for a slap up meal.  I don’t know what makes a meal slap up, but I think ours was up on the slapped front.  We over ordered majestically, felt so full that vomiting was seen as a route to relief, and enjoyed the doggy bag left overs for tea on Thursday night too.

Wednesday also saw our nephew George turn six, so we popped round to give him his present after our meal, and as all six-year olds should be on their birthday he was still up, full of cake, excitement and pick and mix.  He’d had a good day.

Thursday brought with it another family birthday, with my niece turning 21.  You may remember we attended her party recently? Thursday also brought the taxi duties involved in the girls attending a gig.  Luckily Thursday is Louise’s day off, so she was able to deliver them to the Manchester Apollo about eight hours before the gig so the girls could wait to catch a glimpse of the band as they arrived.  Eight hours on a pavement to see half a beanie hat and a silly fringe through a crowd is commitment.  The band in question?  Youmeatsix.

I of course was on pick up duty, and by the time I got to them around 11pm, they were ready to start eating parts of the car, having not eaten since lunch, so a stop at the Golden Arches was in order on the way back.  Still full from two chineses, I refrained.  I am not a monster!

So after a manic week at work, signalled by my almost complete absence from any form of social media, what I obviously needed was to spend the weekend relaxing and doing something I love.  With that in mind, I have been painting a fence for two days!!!  I did not, until this weekend, appreciate the sheer level of fenceage that we possess.  I have also realised that every single one of these spray your fence in six seconds contraptions is a  f*%king con.  I tried two different ones and they were both bobbins.  In the end I resorted to the brush and good old-fashioned elbow grease.

The reason for the painting was another viewer for our house today.  Our last viewers did come back with an offer, which I am still chuckling at, and then a second one, less ridiculous, but still not tempting enough so they bowed out of the process as they could afford no more.  Fair enough.  Our viewers today were a young family, who brought their young son, and their parents so we had five folks trailing round the house for what seemed like an age.  We have taken this as a good sign, as even after they left the house, they stood at their car looking back at it and pointing at stuff.  Either the roof is about to fall in and we haven’t noticed or they like the house.

We shall see what derisory figure they may pluck from the air.

If we can make the figures work, then we do have a house in mind.  It isn’t far from where we live now, but it is crucially very close to the girl’s school, which will make our lives a lot simpler as it will be walkable for them, and, it is actually next door to my Mum & Dad, and literally a one minute walk from Louise’s Mum.  My brother also lives a stone’s throw away, so it will be a complete Williams zone.  There is a long way to go until this plan comes together so I am remaining quite cynical about the whole thing, and assuming it won’t happen.  Louise on the other hand has pretty much moved in, picked out a new fireplace, and no doubt several wallpapers.

Before I go, I thought I’d let you know that I have set up a Facebook page for Mkingdon!  I know, I know that sounds so far up my own arse that I’m coming out the top of my head, but bear with me.  I have no idea if it will work, be of any use to me, or of any interest to anyone else, but I thought I’d give it a go really just to see how these things work.  I intend to use it to post stuff I write on this blog, and the stuff I do for WDW Dads.  I may get bored with this very quickly, as I am reaching social media overload.

I have called it MkingdonWDW, as I do intend to write more stuff about WDW in future.  If I can’t go there, I’m gonna write about it instead.  I know you love these banal updates on fences, dog haircuts and family events, so I shall try to get the balance right!!

If you feel interested or sympathetic then please visit my Page and give me a Like.  This matters it would appear, and if I get over 30, then special things happen.  I think Mark Zuckerburg visits my house with a commemorative plaque.

Till the next time…..