Monday 22nd June 2015
Blimey O Riley! Has it really been six weeks since I last squiggled, scribbled and chuntered on the pages of this houseboy diary? Where does the time go, eh? It’ll be Christmas before you know it. Thank you to all who have emailed me in general and offered birthday greetings in particular, so kind. I opened my inbox for the first time in weeks on Saturday and was immediately swept away by a mini deluge of emails, three notes are a deluge, aren’t they, in drought areas anyway! Actually, I jest, there was more than three, and all appreciated, if not yet answered. Thank you all, though.
So, where have I been, I hear you ask? I’ve been around, just not online, sorry, peeps. I kind of fell off the computer grid after the holiday with the men folk. It’s a policy of ours to try and spend some quality time together as a trio, as well as with each on a one to one basis. It grew out of our troubled days, of which I will write more of in ‘Revs’ in due course. So, when on holiday, we try to really be on holiday, with no ‘gadget’ interruptions, so to speak. Use of mobiles, tablets, computers, laptops, etc is kept to a bare minimum. It’s hard at first. We modern folks are well addicted to the WWW. However, once you do make the break, it’s surprising how many other things you get done, and also how much better you communicate with the people around you. Once we got back from holiday I felt no mad urgency to jump back in front of a computer.
June is proving a busy month for me. I’ve been overseeing some major renovation work on the summerhouse. The foundations needed shoring up again. Dick wanted to have the whole thing knocked down and a new one built in its place, but I love the old summerhouse and I wanted it saved. Shane agreed with me. It’s done now. It’s also turning out to be a houseguest month; with one lot arriving just as another lot leaves. So far we’ve had Penny and the Muppet (picture my frigging joy) and a cousin of Dick’s. Over the next few weeks I’ll be playing host to a series of Shane’s business associates, including Jakob, the vegan Norwegian, who I could happily murder and stuff down a drain. The grounds also keep me busy at this time of year, though once again Shane has brought in outside help, against my wishes. He pointed out that he gives diddly for my wishes. He also pointed out that he’d skin me alive if I harassed the grass cutter man by picking fault with his mowing technique, like I did last summer.
In among all the busyness I’m hoping to find some time for writing. If I don’t make an effort, then I fear ‘Revs’ will get shelved forever. I’m not finding it easy. The drive to write isn’t as strong as it once was. I’ve given up on all illusions/delusions about being a ‘real’ writer. I am as I am, a bit of a raconteur, no more, no less.
Well, I must dash. It’s started pissing down with rain and I’ve just hung a host of towels on the line. I’ll have to go get them in again. Summer? My arse!