Over halfway to heaven – In the name of Thiago – Day 221

 

Let’s get thing one thing straight before we get into the meat of this. Today’s blog title is not meant to indicate that I am about to pop my clogs any time soon. One death in the immediate family is plenty enough thank you. And frankly if I did, I’m more likely to end up with Lucifer’s lot than I am with JC. Nope, tonight’s blog title is because I will be off for six work days as of Friday and I’m really looking forward to it.

 

The time off will be spent making sure I’ve got everything I need for the walk in the way of clothes, first aid emergency power supplies, all that sort of gubbins. I need to travel relatively light but there are some things that I know I will need to have with me if I’m to manage the trip. And I will manage the trip.

 

 

There’s still plenty going on at the house as you can see from the picture taken from my bedroom window this morning at just before 8. I don’t think I’ve fallen out with any of the neighbours in this building process, but then again, you’re not necessarily going to know I guess. I reckon I’m on pretty safe ground with Super Steve and Lou next door but I’m much less sure about the German lady opposite. She comes across as a fairly humourless (this is not a casual stereotype – she really is dull) sort anyway, so I’m not losing sleep on that front.

 

Mark is the name of my builder. As the weeks have passed, I’ve enjoyed learning little snippets about him. He has no obvious vices but Christ alive he knows how to make a serious dent in the biscuits. I had to go out at lunch-time just to top up supplies! He’s a quiet man, very respectful but as he works with his son, his dad and his nephew, I’m starting to tease out a few foibles now and it’s hugely enjoyable.

 

 

With all the extra noise around the place that the building project brings, I’ve taken to wearing my Sennheiser headphones. I’d not really used them for the last couple of years now that the voiceover work has dried up, but they’ve been a Godsend since June. I couldn’t have managed without them for the virtual pride event I presented a couple of weeks back and it’s so much easier to focus on video meetings with the old cans on. They also provide an added benefit of blocking out calls for service from upstairs when her ladyship cannot be arsed to leave her pit.

 

Ironically, having recently been asked to complete a home working risk assessment for my employers, I never considered that my headphones would be a greater risk to my health than overhanging electrical cables and other more traditionally dangerous appliances. But today they were. Preparing for a meeting to start in a matter of seconds, I unravelled the cable a little too enthusiastically and launched the jack straight into my left eye. Fucking pillock. So I’ve been able to hear perfectly but see jackshit this afternoon. Well it was the jack that did it I suppose.

 

 

Even if I’d known where my mat was, I don’t think I’d have been able to have done a yoga session last night, but as you can see from the picture above, I have at least retrieved it now. I might look at doing an outdoor yoga session, as there simply isn’t a space in the house with the new kitchen waiting in boxes for the build to finish.

 

But even through the place is in complete disarray, it is an organised chaos, hence the name given to yesterday’s blog. I am relatively at peace, which is something I was only too happy to express to my grief counsellor Kevin when I spoke to him today. Next week I’m going to meet up with another Dad who has suffered the loss of a child. I won’t say I’m looking forward to it, as who’d want to a member of this fucking club, but let’s see how it plays out. It may do me good.

 

If you want to do me – and by association Birmingham Children’s Hospital and the fabulous Royal Stoke University Hospital – some good, then please donate. It’s easy to do, just click on this link to my fundraiser page and Bob’s your auntie’s live-in lover. Happy days.