Tradesmen!

From http://ianrstewart.blogspot.com/

What can I say? No sooner had Jo left for Inverurie yesterday afternoon than the loft insulation workmen started to do that thing that it seems tradesmen all round the world have perfected - the long, slow intake of breath as they consider how they can sting the poor mug punter for a bit more.

The insulation in our loft is of differing thicknesses, as explained to us by Carillion's surveyor when he priced the job a couple of weeks ago. Strangely enough, the thinner it is, and the more insulation you need to bring the thickness up to modern standards, then the cheaper it is, as the Government part finance the scheme, giving the most help to those lofts that require it the most.

Well, the workmen yesterday disagreed with their own surveyor and said they could not possibly put in the thickness that the surveyor had quoted us for - not unless, of course, we were willing to pay £100 or so more! Bloody typical - the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing.

I proclaimed our innocence in all this - we hadn't measured the loft, nor decided on the existing thickness of the insulation - but we had signed a contract with Carillion for a certain amount of insulation at an agreed price and I think they should honour that contract.

Anyway, the workmen left and I've now put in my formal complaint and we await their response.

So, tonight is the golf club's AGM - and that will formally signal the end of my one year spell on the Committee. I've got mixed feelings - I don't feel I did much during my time, nor did I feel I had a real job to do anyway, but I didn't feel I could change matters from within either, and, given the amount of time we're going to be away from home this year, I wasn't going to be able to contribute more in 2012.

Hope to get a game of squash tomorrow - haven't had any exercise at all since last week. I should really be at Bannatyne's just now, but I keep finding additional things to do - like this blog - it seems like I'm dodging the gym. Should I give up my membership? I don't think I've even been there once a month since I had my knee ops 15 months or so ago.

That's it for today - I'll just add the quick photo that I took with my Blackberry this morning and put on Facebook - me with my new PTFC mug in the office:

It always looks slightly weird when you hold the camera and take a photo of yourself!

Blood test

From http://ianrstewart.blogspot.com/

Working from home today because I had to go see the nurse at noon for a blood test, following my visit to the Doctor yesterday. He wants to eliminate the possibility of a particular bacteria - Helicobacter Pylori it's called (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helicobacter_pylori). Seems that half the world's population have it. Should get the results in a couple of days. Assuming negative, then it's the specialist and endoscopy for me.

Got a call last night that the loft insulation men are arriving this afternoon, so it's just as well I'm at home, or Jo would have had to forgo her trip to Inverurie to see Liz, Carole and poor little sick Luca this afternoon. By coincidence our new loft ladder arrived yesterday - just in time. The instructions for fitting look pretty complicated, so it could be that we just use it as a simple ladder for a while and don't bother screwing it in to the loft.

Oh - and I went to the Royal Mail sorting office to pick up a couple of small parcels they tried to deliver last week. One was a book for my holidays - The Art of Fielding, a debut novel by Chad Harbach (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/bookreviews/9012593/The-Art-of-Fielding-by-Chad-Harbach-review.html) that was featured as Radio Two's Book of the Week not long ago - so I thought I'd take it to Oz with me. The other parcel contained the bits to fix our leaking shower - all we need to do now is get Ross' pal, Dan to fit them. He's still waiting for our order for new ceramic ware for our downstairs loo - Jo can't quite find what she wants yet.

That's about all for now - back to my work now.

Another hectic weekend

From http://ianrstewart.blogspot.com/

Busy week at work was followed by a pretty hectic weekend as well. We were down at Firhill partaking of the corporate hospitality on Saturday (check http://bvetsfootballgroup.blogspot.com/ for photos etc) and then on Sunday, it was Luca's (slightly belated) birthday party at Hoodles (http://www.hoodles.co.uk). It was all go with Luca's group of 19-20 kids plus other parties going on in the adjacent rooms and buildings - it's quite a set-up.

Luca was as high as a kite but was able to run off some of the surplus energy safely on the padded floors and walls of the kids' gym. He was really pleased to see his pal from nursery, Michael:

Could be love?

Luca blew out the candles on his cake - check http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8X0v3LIxzb4&list=UUBDeleoM99bWx2-P6rMydgA&index=1&feature=plcp

Carole asked me to take a photo of the cake:

So that was the weekend - now for the medical reports. Jo was back at the cardiologist last Thursday and she went through another ECG stress test, which she passed with flying colours. This means the pains she has been getting are not cardio, but probably just pure stress.

As for me, I was back at the doctor's today. My 6 week course of stomach pills has come to an end, but they don't appear to have completely resolved the problem, so I've now to get a blood test tomorrow to eliminate the possibility of a bacteria (which could be treated with antibiotics). I'm also being referred to the specialist with a view to having another endoscopy. The young doctor alarmed me a little when he said he didn't think it was the Big C! It hadn't even occurred to me until he said the word!