Well, it’s been a busy few days again.
Monkey Dust were back in the studio for rehearsals on Thursday and they had their first gig of the year on Saturday, funnily enough at the same place where they had the last gig of 2023.
On Friday we started birthday celebrations for the poet (ahem! a month early!) with a trip to the theatre. We went to see the Northern Soul play DO I LOVE YOU. He enjoyed it, which is the main thing. I was disappointed they didn’t play any of the songs all the way through, but we think that might have something to do with copyright. There were only e-programmes available too, which I was also disappointed about.
On Saturday we did our shopping, at the supermarket, the pet shop and the butcher. The poet went off straight after tea to go and set up, then he came back for me at 9pm saying there weren’t many in. By the time they started, the place was rammed and they had a great night. That’s it now again, though, until the end of March.
While he was setting up, I sat with the dog and did some scribbling in my notebook for THE SECRET OF WHITEHORSE FARM. This needs to really get a shift on as I’m very late with it now.
On Sunday we had a lie in before a flying visit to the mother-in-law’s, where we also saw the daughter and her family, and then we headed off again to go for our walk around Thrybergh Reservoir. Last time we were there, there was as sign saying the gates would close at 3pm, so we rushed to beat them, only to find out there was small print at the bottom: on 24 December 2023!
This morning the hedge-cutting chap came to do us a quote for the rest of the bushes and trees in the back garden. He thinks it’s definitely a two-day two-man job with two runs to the tip, which is pricey when he has a commercial vehicle. But he’s going to get a quote to the poet, and possibly a date, which is likely to be a Friday/Saturday thing.
Rufus wasn’t happy because the hedge man had brought his little dog with him and I gave her a cuddle, and Rufus could smell her on me…
This afternoon, I had to print off two forms regarding the sale of our parents’ house, the contract (yay!) and a transfer form, but I had to get the transfer form signature witnessed. I printed everything off and went around to the only neighbour I know well enough to ask – one of the poet’s oldest friends from childhood. If his mate wasn’t in, I was going to ask his mother, but he was in and he did it for me.
Then it was a walk to the letterbox (not that far away, actually!), as I’d already prepared everything to just send to my sister for her signatures, along with a stamped addressed envelope for her to return everything to. Our letterbox used to have a 4:30pm collection, but now it’s changed to 9am, so that means it won’t go now until tomorrow. We should have it back with the solicitor by the end of the week, though.
Rufus was even less happy with me because the poet’s mate also has a little dog and I had a bit of a play with him too…
In between, I did a bit more house-hunting work as well as some editing work. And then it was back to the writing.
All the paperwork required for everything takes it out of one, doesn’t it? At least you had cute dogs!
I’m hoping that it’ll soon be over. We’re on the verge of completion for the house and probate is all but done and they’re sending interim payments to us, which will be nice.