Week 3 Villa

Beez Neez now Chy Whella
Big Bear and Pepe Millard
Sat 11 Apr 2020 23:57
Week Three in Jolly Harbour
 
 
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Sunday the 5th of April. Up at five thirty, pottered until boiled eggs for breakfast.
 
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Bear rode his bike to get a few tools from Beez only to find the yard closed, but, the marina office telephoned to ask if we wanted to pay monthly or quarterly. Odd one bit should be closed whilst the other was open. Bear came back a slather of sweat so I told him to get a cold drink and sit to help me.
 
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With himself assisting with steering, we machined failed seams on the sail covers, added a couple of patches and slowly Beez sewing pile disappeared. Next, seated opposite each other, we settled to clean and polish the plastic windows of Beez conservatory. Time for a loaded cappo and our second game of backgammon since arriving. Bear let me beat him five two. Huh.
A bit of lunch and I made a couple of cushion inners smaller that were too big for our new covers, excess foam was very disciplined going in the bin without a fight or mess. Bear measured the sun canopy and pottered about. I put two coats of emulsion in the downstairs toilet – something small to practice on....
 
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By four o’clock we had both had enough. Joe video called and that was great as we got to put funny faces on (through the Messenger add-ons) to make Emmie laugh. The Pacifier film with snacks. Yet another fast day. Went to sleep way too early for my body clock but the eyes simply refused to stay open, no surprise when at three in the morning said eyes pinged open, nothing for it third coat in the toilet then. Before and after, just the brown under sink cupboard to have a makeover and the littlest room in the house will be done.
 
Monday the 6th. Bear got up at five thirty and after an early breakfast we pottered. At eight Bear rode his bike to Beez to collect some tools (he had permission), but when he got there the gate was locked, a security chap opened up, Bear gathered what he could manage and rode back. Meanwhile, I changed the bed, put the washing on and swept the floors. We both felt shattered today so after cool showers we watched Jack Reacher one and two. Bear beat me at backgammon and then I set about scrubbing the toilet floor and old paint spatters from the yellow days. Bear fitted the new toilet seat and then I beat him at Mex Train, our first game in ages. Early to bed to watch Jack Ryan but off it went soon after the opening titles.  
 
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Tuesday the 7th. Bear cleaned the sun canopy bought from next-door-but-three and I had a thought. I would paint the wall where it is to be fitted. Just a quick once over methinks. Turned into an hour, well, I suppose as I have the brush and paint......I might as well keep going. My proposed job of the morning was to sand the downstairs toilet door (seen propped up beside me), oh well.
 
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Each side of the patio, one side wall and most of the overhead arch first-coated. I ended up finishing a three point eight litre tub - on pebbledash, with a two inch brush  - by two in the afternoon. Things ached that I didn’t know I had.
 
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When Bear had finished washing the canopy, he touched my original paintwork – still damp. Well, I’ll get on with something else then. After some thought he got me to help him move the stowed planks of plywood from his baby man-cave, then he saddled up his saw and set about shelving said ‘garage’ – all of six feet six wide and three feet deep but enough room for his bike and a few shelves above. By late afternoon we had both had enough. Jack Ryan film and an early night after showers and supper.
 
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Wednesday the 8th. A very heavy business that should only take half an hour or so. Famous last words if ever I have heard them. Can you give me a hand to haul up the sun canopy. No problem. Bear set up pulleys from the upstairs balcony and we manned one each.
 
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Up it went. It should slide home and we just add three bolts. Mmmm, my new club hammer came in handy as we had to whack the thing along a few millimetres to the right and no way the bolts would go downward as the roller was in the way. Off he went to the chandlery for a missing bolt and stopped at the fruit and veg cart on the way back. I bought eggs, great. Thirty eggs on a tray – ten pounds. Oh bargain, the canopy saga was beginning to drain my sense of humour and will......
 
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Time to put the sunshade canopy ‘lid’ in place. Not so bad as it wasn’t too heavy. Then came the bolt problem. The real story is the ‘lid’ should go up first and then the roller bit added. We had to do it the other way because it is SOOoooo heavy and we could not bring in the neighbours to help because of lockdown. Thus, the bolts would not fit between ‘lid’ and roller. Bear could get them from bottom to top but had a terrible job getting the washer and nut to play nice. There he sat with gaffer tape and rigged spanner, washer and nut. Several swear words and the first one was in place and tightened. For a treat I did him pulled pork and salad wraps. He let me beat him five three at backgammon. Huh. Then he managed the gaffer-washer-nut business at the other end. I made a mobile for the second bedroom as I really didn’t fancy starting a new job, then I bimbled to the bin to get a few stomps in, I saw a neighbour on the way back who told me “lockdown has been extended until the 16th of April.” Suddenly it was three in the afternoon. Time for a film, well, when you begin at half five or six as seems to be the habit .........
 
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The good news of the day was the actual canopy (in action) was in better condition than I could have hoped for. I envisioned green, mouldy stains, lots of rips and the winding system not up to scratch. Yes, there are a few small marks, two tiny holes and we needed to re-roll it a couple of times to get the material straight and even, but it will do for now – once I’ve touched up the paintwork. The plant pots have to go, they simply take up too much room.
 
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Thursday the 9th. After yesterdays battle with the canopy, I was in no mind to take on anything big. I chose the little bit of wall at the bottom of the stairs and the wall up on the landing. Bear carried on with his man-cave. After lunch we needed a sit down for a little while. We’ll play the first four rounds of Mex Train. OK. Bear did a real baddie thing to me (double ending with the public train knowing I was stumped) on the very first round, I lost the 12’s by 247. Later, at the end of the second round I had 311 and Bear had 312, but, then I had a disastrous final round...
After I had finished my bit of painting I mooched to the front to check on Bear. I looked at the ugly, cement planter and took a swing at it with my club hammer, yes, I will destroy it keeping the mud / plants intact and slip one of the emptied biggies from the patio deck. Plan.
 
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Late afternoon, a delighted boy proudly showed me his finished shelving.
 
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Drill and tools in place. I was slightly growled at when, after stowing the Madagascan rum (Bear’s) and various bits of bottles of liquor etc. (Bear’s), I purloined the rest of the shelf for spare canned food and jars (Bear’s). Huh, I see.
 
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I helped Bear sweep up then set about sorting tins now that the bottom shelf of the larder is not taken up by booze. So from last weeks pile to this weeks kitchen floor. Steps – in constant use, sholley – goes to the bins every day, washing pile - for the morrow. One box – to sort, and shoes OK I’ll move them.
 
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While I played tidy up in the kitchen, Bear power hosed the dock and then we settled to finish our game of Mex Train Doms with a well-deserved sherbet. After shower and salad I crashed hard at eight thirty, so I was not surprised to be wide awake at midnight, nothing for it but to go downstairs and put the first coat on the kitchen walls.
 
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Sunset yesterday evening with the two plant pots lined up, ready to move. Gone today.
 
Friday the 10th. Back to bed at three thirty and slept until seven thirty. We had a slow-ish start with backgammon after breakfast. Between us we hauled the oh-too-big and scruffy plant pots to the front patio by pulling and pushing them on a work towel. Bear changed the toilet seats for the new ones we bought and took all the light and socket surrounds off for me. I set about second coating the patio and half way through Kate, Mark and the boys video called. Super to catch up with them, sad, as we should be with them for Easter but chins up, we decided to enjoy the call and look forward to seeing them when we can. I managed to keep going for an hour and hit my work limit at six o’clock. Then we banged saucepans for the key workers (began as clapping each day) for a minute for the key workers, waved at the Coastguard Patrol boat.
 
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Saturday the 11th. We had a slack start beginning with boiled eggs and toast in bed. Just as we were about to get going Adam, Jen, Faye and William video called. We spent the next hour catching up. We took them on a tour of the villa and they took us around the garden and house. Super to see the cracking job they have done on the kitchen and utility room (snuck from the end of Adam’s garage). I know that feeling. Don’t waste oxygen with your whining.... Bear built a wooden box to cover the air vent to the tumble dryer to save it from being crushed in the corner of his man-cave, I finished the second coat on the patio. Then we had a good laugh. I wanted to even up the kitchen roller blind in relation to the window. Bear got it down and took the left fixing off to move it to the right. I unrolled the ‘thing’ to find it was taller than Bear – the window is behind him to the left......Guess that will be having a trim then....... After gathering the rubbish in my sholley, I fashioned a facemask from a tee shirt and pinned it in place (must make some proper ones) – the new rule if we go out is to wear a mask, glad to get back from the bin run as face got very hot indeed.
Neither of us can believe that we have been here in Antigua for three weeks already.
 
 
ALL IN ALL BUSY AND MOSTLY FUN
                     A PRODUCTIVE WEEK