Match of the day

I'm back on earlies for a few days this week and as a result need to make sure I am asleep from about nine until getting up time. Well, last night it was not to be. Firstly, because there is no carpet on the stairs it sounds like an army is marching up them in hobnailed boots even if it's someone walking up them in socks and secondly because Madam Paws found a piece of paper to play with in the wee small hours. I can't believe how much noise one small cat can make. I had to get up and turn the light on to find out what she was playing with, and then it was a case of closing my eyes and trying desperately to get back to sleep when all the time a little voice in my head was saying "come on, you've got to be up for work in a few hours."

Tomorrow a friend of ours is coming round to give us a quote on the living room. I'm hoping it's not going to cost the earth because I really, really don't want to have to do the work ourselves. I'm really dreading taking the upstairs doors off to gloss them. He's currently pulling all the old nails out of the stairs ready for me to do all the skirting boards.

In other news, they've been trying to deliver us a parcel for two days, they first brought it on Friday when no one was here. He rang the freight company who said they would bring it today after 2pm. When I got back today it had been delivered at 1pm when there was nobody here again. This time I rang them, and asked them to deliver it to my work tomorrow, so we shall see what happens. It's the spare part for my deckstand which I don't really want, but we have paid for it, so I want it to hurry up.

Tonight has been spent watching TV, how come no one on Albert Square has a washing machine? Surely, it costs a fortune to use a launderette in London? Doesn't it? I am also amazed at how much money they seem to spend in the pub. You wouldn't think there was a recession on. I've also been looking at Mixmag's new releases. I've been looking for the cheapest place to buy MP3s on now that I've taken to the CD players.

More progress

The old stair carpet is up and at it's new home (the tip), and now we're (he) is repairing the broken wood. We're buying a new carpet because Poppy was ripping the old one to shreds. I'm hoping we've chosen one that is less claw friendly. It's also a bit darker than the old one and apparently stain resistant. This is particularly important because Madam Paws has a terrible habit of vomiting on the stairs. This is usually after going outside in the yard and eating weeds. And more importantly, we're getting it from a contestant of Come Dine With Me. We only went into his shop because of that programme and it's turned out to be the cheapest!

I've spent today in work, and then spent some of this afternoon making chocolate brownies and sunday dinner. I'm also watching a terrible version of Wuthering Heights on ITV3. It's incredibly wooden and the acting (from an all star cast) is all long stares and moody brows. I do love Wuthering Heights and do so hate it when these things are ruined by bad adaptations.

Comic Relief

I've just finished a 6 day week and am preparing to enjoy my one day off this week. Tonight will be spent not going out (and being jealous of my friends who have all gone out together) and watching Comic Relief. Before you ask, I've donated using that text thing they've developed this year. I have to say though that this trip up Kilimanjaro did seem like a vehicle for some of the celebs to make themselves look good, rather than the spirit of raising money for charity. Yes Cheryl Cole, and Fern Cotton, I'm looking in your direction. I would also have given money to NOT see a collaboration between Little Britain and Catherine Tate.

Eating

I am regularly on a diet, and so is one of my friends. We swap rubbish tips from time to time, but neither of us really takes the whole thing that seriously. She recently went on the Cambridge Diet and it does seem to be working for her. This evening I was watching Supersize vs Superskinny where they've been following a group of anorexics. I can't imagine what it must feel like to have that kind of a relationship with food. The same friend and I were also talking recently about pro-ana websites and tonight I've kind of upset myself by reading some of them.

It's so sad that these girls (and they are mostly girls) think that 90lbs (6 stones 4) is too fat. They also encourage each other by saying things like "remember how disgusting you felt when you ate that bar of chocolate, that'll stop you eating one in the future." One blog even talks about 3 days of fasting and then drinking four cups of salt water to bring up anything that could still be lurking in the stomach. The thing is, there does seem to be a whole community vibe about it all. No one seems to be on these sites out of malice, but I cannot help but think that this is one giant self destruct button. What I really hope is that all these girls get the help they need and eventually become well.

Day off

Whilst I'm itching inwardly about the hallway not being finished I have also decided to take a semi-day off. This is partly because we probably need more paint, and also because we popped round to a friend's last night and I didn't get home till 4:45am. I'm feeling surprisingly spritely all things considered and may think about doing a spot of touching up. He is still in bed though having rolled in at about 7 this morning.

I've got work tomorrow and so have decided I just might not get dressed today. I've so far watched an episode of Malcolm in the Middle and as I write this am watching some fishing programme with Robson Green. Now, I'm a little confused as to why he is the focus of the show, especially as I can't remember seeing him ever act in anything. His only notable achievement (if you can call it that) appears to have been that godawful version of Unchained Melody he did.

And so....

Today I could cry. The house is such a mess, and it's set to be this way for the next few days. I've put what's about to become the first layer of yellow on the walls and just can't see an end in sight with it. The job has become the job that should never have been started. I'm hoping that by tonight we'll be a step closer, but there's still the gloss work to do, and the taking down of all the doors and painting them.

The weather's been really odd the past couple of days too. A strange mix of wintery showers and brilliant sunshine. I'm hoping it's going to last into the weekend as we've got a new greenhouse to put up and new plants to pot up and seeds to sow.

Let's go round again

So, painting has begun once more here at the ranch. We've moved on to the hallway which has been irritating me since we moved in. The previous owners had painted it a delightful shade of Baby Shit Brown which was a terrible choice given the size of the space. I've opted for Lemon Pie which is basically not a massively bright yellow. Because of the afore mention BSB, I've spent most of the day going over it in white. Now, this sounds easier than it's turned out to be, mainly because I'm not allowed to use the ladders on my own in case I fall and break my neck when nobody is about. So, I've done the lower parts and am waiting for laddo to do the higher sections tonight. Tomorrow will see the yellow go up and I'm quite excited.

All this has made me all the more determined to get a professional in to do the living room I'm exhausted.

In other news, I've been off work all week and I'm really not looking forward to going back. I've got about 5 weeks of hard graft to look forward to come Sunday. I could get used to this housewife business. Having said that, I miss the craic and the people I work with. Also, I made my public debut as a DJ at my friend's birthday party last Saturday. I personally think I could have done better, but a couple of people have said I was ok, so I'm choosing to take their word for it.

I'm also looking at the possibility of going on some kind of driving holiday to America, the plan is to start in Boston, take in New York, Washington and a few other places in that corner. I think it may have to happen next year though because I'm not sure I've got enough time to plan it and put that plan into practise.