Monday, October 15, 2007

Stuff and stuff, like decorating, family visits, seasides, and BMXs

I am the world's worst (or should that be best) person at putting stuff off to another day. Well, maybe not the world's worst (or best), but I'm quite bad. Especially when what I am putting off is decorating. Ever since we had the kitchen done -- back in May -- there have been a few bits of painting that needed to be done; truthfully the whole kitchen could do with a new coat. Additionally, the little lobby area between the kitchen and bathroom has been in need of redecoration for a couple of years. And there are a couple of door frames and the like that need some paint to cover the primer I laid a year ago. And there's the bathroom door, which has also been left primed for about a year...

Well, next weekend my dad is coming to visit. Him and his woman. Him and his woman and her two kids. They're not going to be staying here at the house. We don't really have the room for that many people comfortably; furthermore, we don't like kids. So they will actually be staying in a little B&B cottage about a mile away, if that.

Even so, they will be spending a bit of time with us at the house, no doubt. So, being as my dad is a painter and decorator, I should make a bit of an effort to make the house look like it's been painted and decorated. That's "I" meaning me and the missus. She's the driving force. Otherwise I'd just spend most of the time sat on my arse and then moaning about how the decor never got finished. Funny that.

So, it's been a tiring week, even though we didn't really have any work proper on the go. And we're nearly there. Certainly by the end of this week, we will have done as much as we could realistically have expected to. But this week we have to fit it around work commitments.

Yesterday we went for a a lovely couple or three hours' walk in Whitstable. I can't believe it's still T-shirt weather at the moment. And I think we both got a bit burned. We have taken to carrying leftover bread bits with us to give to the seagulls down there. Yesterday they were catching it in midair as we threw it to them. It was very cool! (Easily amused, yes.)

And then we did our usual routine of sitting by the skate park and watching da kidz doing they thang. There was a guy there that we hadn't seen before. One of the BMXers. And he was doing this crazy somersault shit, doing a 360 turn in the air and landing back on his wheels. In fact, technically, since he takes off while goin vertcally up the ramp, I suppose it's a 270, but that would be splitting hairs, I guess. Then another guy did the same. So there were two of them doing this death-defying shit. The bar has been raised down there.

There was also this cute little girl. Not seen her there before. All sweetness and light. She must have been ten years old. She borrowed one of the older boys' bikes, and after a while his mate said, "Hey, little girl, he wants his bike back." Quick as a flash, she replies: "Tell him to go fuck his mother!" Ah, kids today, huh?

Labels: , , , , , , ,

17 Comments:

Blogger Red said...

I wonder if the seagulls refer to the flying crumbs as bread or rolls...

15 October, 2007 10:20  
Blogger me said...

ooh dear! i'm off!

on the subject of bmx's, we used to have a series of humps and bumps that we used for years, as did kids before us for years, and since, but no more.
the council has bulldozed it.
their reason?

"health and safety reasons"

boring spoilsport cunts!

15 October, 2007 11:51  
Blogger Milla said...

Ah! This little girl must have been from my area! When I first moved where we live I was simply walking home and this kid comes to me and says 'Go fuck your mother' and of course I HAD to reply 'Go fuck yours!' which I immediately regretted doing cos a whole bunch of nasty 10 year-olds appear out of nowhere. Thank the gods they got distracted by another godawful kid getting himself run over.

Good luck with the decorating! Zorro hates doing that sort of thing too, that's why our house still looks a bit wonky in parts.

15 October, 2007 13:27  
Blogger * (asterisk) said...

Red: Now that is a very good question...

Cappy: Well, this skate park was built by the local council, so hopefully it'll stay in place. Fingers crossed...

Milla: Kids are cute, huh? Back in the day I never would have mouthed off to an old person like us. But these days the parents back up the kids' foul nature. (At least this girl was hanging with like-minded folk and just being a bit ballsy. For now at least...)

My sympathies are with Zorro.

15 October, 2007 13:31  
Blogger FOUR DINNERS said...

Wonder if Cappy could do that on his scooter?

15 October, 2007 14:35  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Now if you were really into the decorating, that whole butt-pirate question would be loomin up again.

15 October, 2007 15:40  
Blogger Martha Elaine Belden said...

wow. what a mouthy child. at least she has guts. hahaha... wow.

sounds like a pleasant day though. do you ever wonder how those BMXers learn how to do that stuff without killing themselves? i do. i mean, what happens the first hundred or so times when they land on their heads?

15 October, 2007 17:44  
Blogger martinobhoy said...

I know some people are offended by children swearing but I usually find it funny. Probably just as well I'm not a parent.

15 October, 2007 18:10  
Blogger * (asterisk) said...

4D: Hey, now there's an idea...

Franki: I think I'm starting to get a complex.

Martha: I liked that she had some moxie! Your question is exactly what Red and I were discussing while watching them, actually.

Martino: It is funny! I know some parents who really hate their kid even hearing random swearing in the street. But this is part of life, y'know?

15 October, 2007 18:27  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

swear in sign bcos m not sure how loud it comes out in talk

15 October, 2007 19:34  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

good weather, a nice walk and children to hang out near. Could you have asked for a better day? hehehe.

Good luck getting off your duff to do the little things. I always find the details the most dull. It takes me forever to get to them

15 October, 2007 19:56  
Blogger Avid Andy said...

i am bad about putting off things too. but it usually seems like it's not so bad once i start. and i feel so much better after it's done. still i procrastinate...hmmmm i guess dad coming by is good motivation. good luck.

16 October, 2007 01:29  
Blogger * (asterisk) said...

DP: It comes out loud, dude!

RefPo: Nah, it was all good, y'know. I think you're good and proactive. Look at all the carpentry stuff you do.

Avid: Procrastination is good, but the results are poor!

16 October, 2007 10:11  
Blogger me said...

4D. i did 5 years ago. not intentialy. and it totally ficked up my life! not recommended.
still smiling though!

16 October, 2007 10:55  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Haha. I probably shouldn't point out then that when I redid the cabinets I forgot about one and still haven't done it. I'm thinking I'll paint that one red. Of course its an excuse to delay.

16 October, 2007 12:36  
Blogger * (asterisk) said...

Cappy: Yes, I guess. Ouch!

RefPo: Ah well, them's the breaks, right?

16 October, 2007 17:19  
Blogger Judith said...

I swear like a fishwife at times but if I thought one of my girls would ever mouth off like that or the way they did to Milla they would be coughing up soap bubbles till doomsday - no wonder you dont like kids!

17 October, 2007 21:54  

Post a Comment

<< Home


Who links to me?