We're in!

It's been a long ten days. That's how long it has been since I got the keys to my new place. That day and the next Kate and I were both ferrying car loads of stuff from my old house in Bar Hill to my new one. On the Friday I had a van hired. I made two trips on my own moving stuff that one middle-aged guy (but not in mid-life crisis!) could handle. Then when my 16 year finished school there was just the heavy or oversized stuff and he was a star. We got it all across in the day. The next day i took the van back at 8:30, the kids went to their mum's at 9 and Kate and I spent most of the weekend unpacking or out buying stuff the house "needed". We stopped at 4 pm on Staurday and headedfor a chinese takeaway, stopping for a couple of drinks in the local, my new local, and then back here for teh grub, a couple of bottles of vino and real fire got lit. Smashing. Just over a week later and most of the boxes have gone. Finally, the internet is connected and the house is just wonderful. They say an English man's house is his castle but this is the first time I think I'm really loving where I live. Last week I left the car at work and cycled home one night. I'd done it before in 1h 9 mnis to 1 h 15. Last thursday night I did it 1:02:45, well pleased. Now it's down to the realities. There is a leaky pipe under one of the sinks and I think, actually I'm sure there is a bird or two in the loft. Time to re-learn some DIY skills :-)

Completed!!!!

It's done! No longer am I off the property ladder. I am now the proud owner of a 5 bedroom detached house in Warboys :-) I get the keys at 6 pm tonight.

No more renting, being able to just ring the agents when there's a leak or the washing machine stops working so I'll need to re-learn some DIY. On the plus side I should n't ever get kicked out of my home again. I've had to leave the last two houses I rented as a good tenenat because of a change of plan by the owner. That's a pain for me as moving means loads of effort and it costs quite a lot too. I'ts also not good for my children.

The house is in Kate's village. Things are going fantastic still. I keep pinching myself as she is well out of my league. And the house is big enough for all of us to live in ........ watch this space :-)

Odd Thomas by Dean Koontz

Ok, I'm slowing down, but that's a good thing because it means that I'm busier and part of that is that the guitar is getting a bit more attention!!!

Readthis on the Kindle, slowly because unlike many of Koontz's book it did n't really inpsire me.

Odd Thomas can see the dead. They never speak to him but can make signs. Elvis pops up quite a few times in the book. He also see Bodachs, shadowy creature which gather where misery and suffering is about to take place. This is story of Odd's attempts to stop a mass murder, surprisingly carried out by the State Police Department.

As I said, it was ok but not riveting.

I'm back to a cheapo Kindle daily deal by some author I've never heard of. Will rpeort back soon ........ oh hang on .... maybe not that soon ;-)

Thursday April 12th

Two big things happend on this day:-

Firstly: I was part of a three man team organising a conference at Leeds University and today was the day. Eleven very bright PhD students gave 20 minute presentations on their work. It was run by the Fine Chemicals Group of the Society of Chemistry in Industry, of which I'm a committee member. My company kindly sponsored some of the prizes.

I had to be at my sharpest to ask intelligent questions (!) and at the end of the day I had to sum up the afternoon. Then the three of us organisers got into a huddle and decided on the prizes, which I then announced and presented over the wine reception. Honestly, it was like being a judge on the X-factor but of course we were nice to everybody. Pictures show me awarding the first and second prizes and the whole group of speakers plus organisers.

We all then went our for dinner at a lovely French restaurant in Leeds. I drove three of the "kids" there and as we walked form the car I was talking none stop. It will be ok, it's not far and I know Leeds well. Wrong, at 9 pm, with a two and a half hour drive home I could n't find my wheels. Took me nearly half an hour. Bloody genius me :-(

Secondly: we exchanged contracts on my new house on this day. That was not without its hassels as there was a minor last minute issue that I struggled to sort out using just my iPhone in an area with poor reception. But it is done. On wednesday, I complete!!!!!!!!!

The Darkest Room by Johan Therorin

A decent effort form Johan, maybe not as good as his first offering but still good nevertheless. Again, set on the remote island of Oland, off Sweden, it introduces a family who are happily renovating an old house after moving from Stockholm. Before long whilst the father is away he is tiold there has been a tragic accident and led to believe that his daughter has died in an accident. On returning home he finds that is actually his wife who has drown. A secret room in the upstairs of a alrge barn forms the focus for the people who have died in the area in centuries gone. At Xmas they return and the decest wife returns. All this is intertwined with the story of a gang who are are breaking into empty summer homes and on Xmas Eve they choose Xmas Eve to visit our family. As if there is any room left the accident turns out to have been a murder which also gets solved in a dramtic climax. I was virtually on top of it before I wored this noe out!!! Good read :-)