Odd Things Happen

I'm working from home today (as I do on Mondays, yes I know I am writing this but that's because my work PC as died a death and Infrastructure are trying to mend it). Any how, one of our elder neighbours has just left after having a quick rant to me (not at me, but to me).

He starts with whether I heard the commotion yesterday. (Well I didn't because I might have been out, or playing with the kids in the house... whatever). Anyway apparently he's not happy with my adjoining meighbour as he's a "builder" type you seems to be expanding his driveway use to hording bits of crap/skips and so forth. I am not sure what the real issus is, other than both parties have had run-ins before. But my elder neighbour was in a right froth, and he's taking the fight to them... I think he wants to know whether I am up for signing some petition/letter or something...

Later today, I think I'll try and have a chat with the other neighbour and see if they now anything (and they _hate_ the builder...!)

I don't like street politics.

Hmmm, can't say too much. But basically the in-laws seem slightly (apparently very) hacked off with me and my OH. Actually for a change I think they are more hacked off with her (because she's family). Yesterday whilst I did the kids swimming, she went for a pow-wow with her mother. From what I can gather (as is the way with these things?) it's about... well very little and has been/is being blown out of proportion. I can't say much more, but I think that the in-laws are just as culpable as we are, however you can't say that can you?

And so it was that today whilst washing up (again, and please don't think all I do all day is watch my nabours through the window, of thinking about it maybe I do), what did I see? Great plumes of water spray coming from the house at the bottom of the garden.

Not content with the shiniest roof at the back of the house, he's off doing the front now as well!! Stranger than fiction...

Well I am going to miss the next home game (could be a blessing) as I've other commitments (Chris's memorial service). Mind you I am probably glad of the excuse, because yesterday was... awful. No, wait, it was worse than that.

We dominated the first half, yet didn't have a shot (not one). We did score though - Jason Taylor put in a cross (a cross, not a shot) that their keeper made a complete hash of and pushed into his own goal. He then pushed it out hoping nobody had noticed. So we scored without a shot! Then the second half, we played "hoof-ball" and eventually Chester (who also played crap) managed to have two shots - primarily because we forced them to. And both went in! Actually I think they had a third that hit the bar. But really three shots in a game - not good really.

Our substitution policy was a touch strange and hey there were no supprises that their second goal came when we took off a centre back, put a (non scoring) centre forward in defence the allow another non-scoring striker to do nothing.

All in all, a right waste of time. Actually not true, because I got a new beanie, I got herself a really nice County t-shirt and my girlie a County water bottle. So a limited retail theropy goes some way to rectify things. Bit all in all, it's not good.

Okay, he's not there again now, but he was there again an hour ago! Up his ladder, standing heroically with power washer held like an AK-47... And now in the pitch blackness of quarter to eight, you can clearly see his nice and shiny roof!

I ask again... what was the point?

Couldn't start work without writing this, as it's been on my mind since yesterday evening... I was doing the washing up after tea and couldn't help but notice the really big ladders up the wall and on the roof of the house behind ours.

And standing right at the top of the roof was the man-of-that-house holding a power washer and he's presure washing his roof!!!??? And it was almost dark!

Now this morning I notice the ladders are still there and two thirds of the roof is all nice and shiney!

But I have to ask - what's the point? A decidely odd behaviour methinks!

Today's been a real blast. It's my little boy's birthday tomorrow (hense the title) and we did a "quite" birthday day for him today. Just us (him, mum, my girl and me). It started at about 6:30 when he got his sister up (or was it the other way around?) and she gave him his present from her (two more of Pixar's Cars). They scooted off downstairs and played really nicely together until I got up to do breakfast at about 9-ish.

And the rest of the day was brilliant - we did his presents (took him about 2 minutes to open every thing). Then whilst me and the girl went swimming (also a real blast) he "grazed" on his new toys whilst watching Cars on TV.

Then this afternoon it's been "Daddy will you play with me...?" from lunchtime until bed time. So we've played old (his Thomas train track) and new (Hot Wheels V-drop, Spiderman and Cars) and we've swapped between them umteen times!

So the kids are now in bed and I'm buggered!

Just been to get my eyes checked at a local opticians. No problems, they are fine. Now my favorite optician has in the last year gone "whallop" So I've had to switch my allegences. So I have, but my problem is with what they charge for. Okay so I have to pay for my check up (£27) phew that was more than I've paid in a while. But the bit that really got to me is... contact lenses.

Now 90% of the year I wear glasses, I like my glasses, they look cool (I like to think so), so there's no problem. The other 10% I like to wear contacts, and I wear them for summer holidays and swimming competitions. I bought a job-lot of disposable ones some time ago and they last forever (because I wear them so rarely).

So why does Mrs Optician want me to have two appointments, one for glasses and one for lenses? I can understand it if I wore them all the time. I can understand it if my normal prescription and health of eye had deteriated (it hasn't). So why do I need a second appointment (presumably another £27) and waste a pair of lenses just for the privilage of getting some new ones?

Not hugely impressed, and nope I won't be having that appointment thank you. So it's off to the internet for a one month supply of new lenses that should last for 18 months, and costs less than a second option appointment!