D.I.Y. Has To Be Good Exercise

All that stretching, reaching, bending, slapping, brushing, lugging, carrying....need I say more?  Cursing and crying...it is all worth it in the end. 

I still haven't finished the hall.  Reckon it is going to take one more day. The hardest bit to do so far has been the stair side wall.  Standing on the top of the ladder didn't help because the stairs were in the way.  It took a firm left hand grip on the banister and a shakily held over loaded paint brush, going onto tip toe and then a gritted teeth prayer.

That side of the hall is now finished.  Had to wash the floor a little after but I'm more concerned with the paint on my trousers.  Oh, well, I suppose you can't have too many 'gardening' trousers.

D.I.Y. follow up:

After two days the walls of the porch are done and the shoes are back in situ.  However, I had to make another shelf in the shoe rack.  There were visions of complications but I found some leftover pine and found it very easy to nail/screw into.  Not being able to remember what the pieces of wood came off, I should be more worried, but I'm not because no doubt I'll find out sometime and there will be absolutely nothing I'll be able to do about it (they had to be sawn to make them fit!).

Several pairs of footwear are safely under the bed upstairs, some have gone to charity and a few that have only been worn a couple of times I might just try and car boot or ebay. Ebay will be a whole new experience. New technology and me, hmm, not always easy.  However, I have managed to upload that picture above and I did it without consulting friends.

The woodwork in the porch that connects the house to the porch still needs doing.  However, I have done the door frame that is at the very front of the house.  Unfortunately the gloss takes hours to dry.  And of course, it takes at least two coats.  When the front door was shut last thing at night the paint was still tacky which meant that when it was opened this morning, it took a tiny bit of paint with it.  The same will probably happen tonight.  Oh well. Might be repainting that particular spot for a few days to come!

I am not mad (my opinion) so please do not send for them to take me away.

Dialogue with self:

Q:  So why are you on here so early when you should be painting/decorating/writing the novel even? 
A:  It's too cold.
Q:  Doing something, any activity is warming.
A:  Actually it's Catch 22 surely?
Q:  I ask the questions.
A:  Be my guest.
Q:  Writer's in the past didn't have the luxury of central heating.
A:  Tell me something I don't know.  Wait, are you saying I'm a namby-pamby wimp? 
Q:  Well - er - actually...
A:  What, the cap fits?  Don't worry, it's true.  And this bit of writing?  It's a warm up. From this I'm going on to making a cup of tea and then settle down for real to work on the novel.  I've reached a difficult point in it and am not sure how to proceed.
Q:  You need help?
A:  Who doesn't!  Sorry about the exclamation mark, I try and keep a strict limit on them.
Q:  You're digressing.
A:  True.
Q:  Which novel are you struggling with and why?
A:  Goods By Hand (GBH).  It's finished but I'm changing the plot slightly. Trying to go back to the original idea for it.
Q:  Sounds simple enough.
A:  If only.  I want to avoid a complete rewrite, want to make it gel with what I've done on it so far.  And the seam keeps showing.
Q:  Aah, I see.  Can I help?
A:  Hope so.
Q:  Are you ready to start yet?
A:  Reckon so.  Thanks. 

PROJECT D.I.Y.

Well, it's certainly been a while since the last blog.  I'm a writer so coming up with excuses is no problem.  There are more than a dozen, trust me, but as I'm strapped for time I shall get straight down to it and see if I can write about a subject currently close to my heart.  Fingers crossed I don't get distracted (easily done for me) as I am addicted to multi-tasking.

Apologies in advance for typos....

Youngest child going to university.  Single mother has to sell up and move to a smaller place.  Irony:  House will be made beautiful again in order to sell it.  What exactly needs doing?  The list is so long that at least quarter of the ink in a biro would be used up.  How does it make the reluctant do it yourselfer (is there such a word?) feel?  Tired.

Week before Day 1 (below).  Contact a builder to come and do the jobs outside of the house that can't be done by a single mum with a dodgy back. Once the builder has been, done the work and been paid because he was a genuinely very nice man, then spend a few days admiring the fact that the outside work that has been waiting for sooooooo long has finally been done.  When the admiration is over, think about what shade the concrete/cement mix is and whether it is ready to be given its first coat of paint.  The undercoat.

Feel very relieved that the weather is slightly on the cold side and the work is drying slowly (the best way apparently otherwise it could crack).  Try not to panic that such a huge amount of painting (times two) awaits once its dried.  Check for paint brushes.  Throw away the old dried out ones. Go shopping for new ones as necessary.  Add the jobs to the list in great detail because when the 'ticking off' begins, the feeling of satisfaction will help improve the bad temper and tiredness.

Day before Day 1 (below).  Put the list onto the fridge door instead of carrying it around the house in a 'woe' is me kind of way.  Decide where to begin.  Drown the feeling of panic with a huge drink.

Day 1.
Decision made.  Starting work on the porch.  It's the overcrowded small entrance to the house.  The one the prospective buyers see after they have seen the driveway.  Try not to panic about the pigeon-pooped brickwork as someone withe a jet wash will be able to get that sorted and cleaned up.  I would love to send the bill to the pigeons but as that is impossible, perhaps send it to God because that is the person who created them?  A topic for another day.

Get the step ladder. Paint. Roller and tray. Paint brushes. Tub for rubbish. Mini stool for sitting on for when doing the low work. Find a long stick for mixing the paint.  Not a screw driver, they are not long enough. Rags.  Plenty of rags and two types of tissues.  Wiping up spillages and nose blowing (for the dust allergy).

Find the music, loads of music, as that helps calm this savage beast and find the extension leads to be able to play the music from a reasonable location so that it can be heard at higher than normal decibels.

Empty the porch of all the shoes. And then more shoes.  And some more. And don't forget the ankle boots. Oh and the knee high boots. The outside boots, and trainers, and then of course there's the various oddments of slippers that are worn and not so worn. Finally the floor is visible.
Hoover, dust, wipe and wash where possible.

Time for tea.  Day 1 start can be my next blog.  It is good for a writer to stop writing when he/she is in the flow.  I am certainly that.

Must ask my friend Milton about pictures for my blog: a ladder, paint pots and other paraphenalia, will add to help me get through this huge project.

Good Causes

What do I consider to be a good cause?  Something that is going to make a difference on a macro level or something more local?  Or does it have to benefit me or someone I know? It's common knowledge that scoundrel/s inveigle their way into charities and good causes and let the side down. So why should I give of my time, my money, my energy, my anything? I'm only human and it's natural to be suspicious. Apparently we are all created equally and in the image of the Creator. From what I've observed, the behaviour exhibited by so many believers around the world, does not convince me to become a follower. Lead by example please. How are you helping? What are your good deeds? Are you helping yourself or those worse off than you?

Tonight was the 2nd time we went to an annual charity fundraiser run by volunteers.  It was for a church, held in a local hall, a very reasonable charge, food included and a quiz.  For the 2nd year our table came last! We had a great time and we could have done a lot better if we'd cheated but we behaved!  In the hall and even at our table there was a mix of people, religous practitioners, believers and non-believers, but all good people who wanted to help.  And did and had a good fun time.

Together our efforts are going to help others who really deserve it.  All of what is raised is going to be used to help and not a penny will be secreted away to line pockets. Imagine if this hard work and honest endeavour was going on everywhere around the world?  Back to the point of my being human, time is a gift and the most precious thing we have. When I've given it to anyone who never help themselves, it really irks me!

Update

The last few days have gone quickly. The weather, for this time of year, has been lovely. A bit cold but plenty of sunshine. My drive is starting to get coated by autumnal leaves; beautiful. Of course, weeks from now, I won't be humming the same tune. However, I am glad that I'm not in charge of seasonal changes.

I'm also glad that I'm not in charge of making major decisions  That doesn't mean I don't have views, opinions and tastes, I've just learnt to be cautious. Hence what I'm about to write now will be put mildly but it doesn't mean that it hasn't been thought over for some time.  I want to write about the young Pakistani teenager (girl) who was shot a few days ago for writing a blog, for being too westernised, but I won't because 'they' have sent out their threats and why would I want to make myself vulnerable?  I'm a mother and want no harm to come to my family. I am going to continue playing safe behind all the brave ones.

Am I wrong?  This world has male and female. The continuation of our species is with the involvement of both. Females give birth to males...women have given birth to the gun carriers. So why does it go wrong for women in certain parts of the world?  Why does the mother's son kill the mother? At what point do sweet little male babies/toddlers/teenagers turn into bullies with guns?  I have my thoughts but am not brave enough to put them down here.

Put away the guns and pick up forks and spades, start digging. Not to bury those that the guns have torn asunder, but to plant seeds. Grow food.

First proper blog, so here goes.

I have hard enough time writing in my notebook, it's always just 'not to hand' so how I fare, only time will tell.  If I'm careful and watch that nothing too personal escapes me then everything should be fine. After all, the written word is forever...and ever...ever....

About tonight. Chilling out has been done with 21 Jump Street - had to fast forward through it - didn't hold my attention. Decided to re-watch Misery. Wow. I'd forgotten the tension. A film for writers? Yes, most definitely.  Drive carefully you guys!