13th November, 2011
The weather since we returned from Greece has been incredibly mild and amazingly sunny. Throughout October, we have enjoyed the glorious countryside around our new home. It is incredibly wooded. Living in Yorkshire, we have usually considered the latter half of October to be the height of Autumn with strong winds encouraging brightly coloured but dying leaves to leave their tenure on the trees. Not this year and, particularly, not in Surrey. Two minutes from our home is Pyrford Common Road pictured below. We drive along it every day. It has taken a long time to recognise the onslaught of Autumn.
At last the trees have accepted their fate but the sunshine and relatively warm weather persists even in mid November. Today the temperature reached 17C.
Everywhere we drive, the trees are dominant and beautiful. They must also be very expensive because, as the Autumn deepens, the Local Authority are busy everywhere sweeping, blowing, sucking up and shredding leaves. Arborealists are assessing trees, lopping branches, felling huge and diseased old trees. Log sellers are advertising.
14th November, 2011
Today we had the car washed and valeted for the first time since we returned from Greece. Death on the road was everywhere with Greek flies spattered on the bumpers and wing mirrors. They earned their £30.00. The car cleaning service is in the huge Tesco car park. On the other side of the road is the famous but old and delapitated Brooklands race track.
When we were no longer ashamed of the state of our car, we went off to Honda in Weybridge to book its first year’s service which is due in a couple of weeks.
15th November, 2011
Pauline is a perfectionist. The carpets are being laid next week. Pauline has looked at the skirting boards and decided that she could finish them better. She is repainting the lot today. I can’t paint to save my life so I’m reading the newspaper and making hot drinks. Life’s hard!
16th November, 2011
Today, I took Pauline to the doctors. We then went on to the apartment to meet television engineers. I need remedial work doing in the study so I can receive Sky+. Because we are moving in to a block of apartments with central satellite dish and a cupboard full of cables, this is not as simple as I expected. After hours of investigation, I have to ask the builders permission to run a cable to my study.
Pauline’s nephew, Daniel, is 8 tomorrow. He wants a lemon cake. After a trip to Waitrose, she is baking this afternoon. I’m cooking Sea Bass fillets on a bed of pea & parsley risotto for Dinner.
17th November, 2011
Glorious day today. Bright blue skies, clear sun and 14C. Had to go for my first INR check in Woking this morning. They have a weirdly slow and expensive system. In Huddersfield, I turned up, had my finger pricked, waited for two minutes and was the advised of my warfarin dosage for the foreseeable future. At the same time, I would be given my next appointment. In Woking, I have to turn up and give an armful of blood then go home and wait for a letter to tell me what dosage to adopt. Then, I have to telephone for my next appointment.
The development company phoned to say I could have a Sky cable run from the communal dish to the Study. I’m going to get a huge television stuck on the wall with another Sky HD box so I can watch the football without annoying Pauline.
18th November, 2011
A pleasantly mild day of 14C. For the first time in weeks, we have no commitments. We decide to create our own. We are going to do the Over-60s Bowel Cancer Screening Programme process. (If you’re squeamish or eating, look away now.) What you get is a card with three flaps. Under each flap are two ‘windows’. In total, one has to smear faeces across each window with one of six cardboard paddles. In order to do that, one must intercept a stool from reaching the toilet pan and take samples from different areas of the stool. Surgical gloves are an advantage. Two samples each day for three days have to be stored in a cool place (the fridge?) and then sent back to the labs. Life does not get much better than this!
In spite of some technical difficulties, we both managed it today. We have resolved to eat more onions today to give the testers something to draw on.
19th November, 2011
The wardrobes are being delivered today between 8.00 – 10.00 am. We got up early and arrived at 7.15 am. The furniture arrived 15 minutes later. Two young men carried it in but didn’t apolgise for being early. At least it will be ready for the fitter on Monday.
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