At long last our block of flats has Sky. Two blokes on ladders came round on Saturday and installed the whole shebang and I kept them going with cups of tea as it was so chilly. One of them told me that I was the first person who had offered them a cuppa all week which always amazes me. Whenever I have workmen outside wherever I have lived, or inside working for me, I always provide refreshment. When I had my kitchen gutted and replaced a few years ago I had a box put together for them to use while doing all the hard graft (I cleverly managed to be on holiday for the first three days) with tea bags, coffee, custard creams and Kit Kats - had found out their preferences before I left - and kept it topped up when I came back. One young kitchen fitter didn't drink either tea or coffee but lived entirely off Diet Coke so I made sure there was plenty of that as well. Result, a happy and cheery bunch of guys who also painted my kitchen for me (was not in the remit) and laid the flooring (also not in the remit). You catch more flies with honey than with vinegar...
I digress. As ever.
Man came back this morning to link the individual flats up of those who had decided to subscribe and it was all quite painless. Noted with approval that Steve, for that was his name, took his shoes off before coming in. When I thanked him he said he always did it after once tramping dirt and mud in to one house and really getting an earful. Fifteen minutes later all set up and I now have a remote control to add to those for the DVD, Television, Digital box and stereo. I decided to label them all to avoid confusion and also took one look at the Spaghetti Junction at the back of the TV and decided to sort that out as well. On hands and knees and unplugged everything one by one, traced it back to its origins, labelled those as well and then tied them all together off the floor. As I had nothing to tie them up with but a length of pink ribbon, used this and all my wires now boast a jaunty pink bow. Flicking over the channels and looking at what I could now watch gave me quite a thrill, but after checking the Radio Times Monday realised there was nothing I wanted to watch today. Found myself gawping at Hawaii 5-0 for ten minutes before I came to my senses and switched it off. Still, nice to know if I want to watch total rubbish I now have so many more channels to choose from.
Over the weekend I swapped an old sofa with a friend for an armchair she was getting rid of and, having slung a throw over it and a few cushions, all is now comfort and it supports the back beautifully. I now have a small side table next to me whence reposes all the remotes listed above, the paper, my glasses and a cup of tea and all is comfort and cosy and gemutlich.
I, therefore, spent the afternoon snuggled up in said chair NOT watching Sky or anything else, but reading Lucia on Holiday by Guy Fraser-Sampson. Utterly utterly joyous and wonderful and I adore Mapp and Lucia and hope My F-S continues with these gorgeous books. Will be reviewing very shortly.
Oooh I see there is some tennis on later. Jolly good.......
