Villa Week 16

Beez Neez now Chy Whella
Big Bear and Pepe Millard
Sat 11 Jul 2020 23:57
Week Sixteen at Sleeping Indian
 
 
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Sunday the 5th of July. After perfect eggs for me and egg events for Bear we finished a game of Mex Train that I had lost the first round badly a couple of days ago. Bear took up the batten for the last two rounds so I broke his winning streak of four, yes, but I am still trailing for the year. That’s fine with me. He sulked and put primer coats on his beams for the rest of the kitchen cupboards.
 
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I grouted the tiles in the downstairs toilet, now to let them dry before I can give them a good polish. Went for a swim late afternoon.
 
 
Monday the 6th. Didn’t expect to see Lord Ron this morning as it is his birthday. He phoned the painter who said he way on the way....... Well, the painters turned up at ten thirty..... Mr. Painter stayed all of ten minutes, why he didn’t get on with finishing the deck gate or the car port posts ??? His brother, Mr. Sprayer did all of two hours, muttered about under quoting for the job, left some bits on the drive to dry and promised to return in two hours...... Mmmm. Thoroughly fed up at yet again a no show. Bear pottered for a while then lay down and slept soundly for an hour or so. I settled beside him to play about titivating my ITunes, something I haven’t done in months and months. Too chilly, overcast and windy to go to the beach, too fed up to play any games so we watched a couple of episodes.
 
Tuesday the 7th. Lord Ron turned up early and a few minutes later Mr. Foreman (Lloyd) turned up, they waited, we chatted, I disappeared at half nine when Mr. Painter arrived who received a jolly good rollicking. “Can you do the job or do we get someone else.” “Oh yes, oh yes”. The bosses left and Bear stayed in close supervision, today the sanding was done, tomorrow the spraying, he was gone by eleven. No news on doing the car port, the gate or finding the missing piece of wood Bear carefully glued in place on the end unit.
We stopped for a loaded (ran out of cappo’s so ordinary instant and Bear adds honey, I have black) coffee and I lost five nil at backgammon, so fed up with Bear and all his doubles. I deserved it. Don’t make me hurt you.
I sanded the cupboard in our en suite as the victor (growling) began putting a few kitchen cupboard doors on as Mr. Painter had requested for tomorrow.
We stopped for lunch and began a game of Mex Train then I washed and primed the cupboard, Bear put the drawers in he could and lined up cupboard doors that need re-sanding. If Mr. Painter does not show up tomorrow that will be it.
 
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It rained heavily for most of the afternoon.
 
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The little bulb (right) that had been slow in the upper balcony planters (in with the Mickey Ears) decided to join his friends, The pot on the right has bulbs with two flower buds each (we now think they are baby hyacinths). Salad and baked potato with episodes of The Last Kingdom.
 
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Wednesday the 8th.  Well, what do you know Mr. Painter and Mr. Sprayer arrived at eight thirty, they forgot to bring some paint (in other van) so Mr. Painter went to fetch it and spraying commenced at nine thirty. Bits were sprayed, sanded, touched up under Bears watchful scrutiny - but still a way to go. At lunchtime Bear asked what are you going to do this afternoon ??? “Oh, we only work in the mornings.”....... The only task I completed today was spraying the inner mount dark grey of our beloved photograph, the first picture we took of Beez Neez from shore – Speightstown, Barbados - after crossing the Atlantic Ocean (taken on the 28th of January 2009).
After lunch and a tough win for me on the backgammon board Bear started to put cupboards up and attach doors as per request so the men can polish in situ. I began dusting and stowing ‘stuff’ in the cupboards with doors. At half five we went for a swim. Needing ‘happy’ food for supper – burgers with cheese on the top, eggs, chips and baked beans.
 
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Thursday the 9th. Mr. Painter appeared at 10:22 and was saying farewell at 12:22 but Bear kept him going with a few more bits and bobs. Deck to dock gate finished. I sanded and primed the cupboard under the sink in our room. Our favourite moments of the day was during our coffee break on the upstairs balcony – loved the figurehead as he stood guard.
 
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Friday the 10th. Mr. Painter appeared at two thirty and once again Bear watched over him. Car port posts finished and gate touched up. I lined the cupboard in our bathroom. Went to the beach late and as it was dusk in the kitchen on went the light. Oh My.
 
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It’s true to say that whilst the finish of the upper cupboards didn’t look brilliant, they were nearly passable but with the lights on every tear, nink and rough patch really, really showed up. We went to bed thoroughly heart sunk and depressed.......I guess we also thought we had finally said ‘farewell’ to workmen at the end of the sixth week......
 
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Saturday the 11th. Bear decided to cheer us both up by beginning work on the bedroom sink, in came the box and out came my favourite 60th birthday present. That work shirt is really on its last legs, Sir. Oh No, I love it so.
 
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Out came the old (much hated) sink, Bear called me in, now we know why the thing spun like a steering wheel, its seating hole was cut far too big and the wooden brace below was never bedded tightly, same for the tap. My gwapo came up with a cunning plan for the hole.
 

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Bear Gorilla glued in place a wooden base, set his hole drill bit through a little way and used the cutting ring as shuttering for a thin set stopper. Impressed, I went back to my jobs of the day. Bear helped me carry my (now white) bedside cabinet from the lounge. I settled to line the drawers and stow my ‘stuff’, carefully using some of the sticky-backed plastic as a protector until the glass top finally arrives, sweep and hoover the space and bobs your uncle. Repeat for Bear’s bedside unit although I had him sort his own ‘stuff’. That freed up the bedside drawers from the front bedroom that we had been using, out came the sander and first coat with emulsion.
 
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Bear used the bit of excess thinset to fill the holes in the cement of the glass block wall. At ten to six we showered, gathered some wine and bimbled to Andrea’s. We met this lovely Swiss lady on the beach and over time began to chat, tonight a treat of a night out with supper, good conversation and a much needed break. We will return the invitation as soon as downstairs is finished.........
 
 
ALL IN ALL FRUSTRATIONS BUT A GOOD ENDING
                     SOME HOPE BUT DASHED