Patio Refurbishment

Blog 12 – let’s see where it will take us.

Just been an ordinary type of day until you stop and think (serious mode) a lot has happened over the past twelve months – not all good or happy, some rewarding lots that ain’t.  I’ll do a serious letter another time, anniversaries and the like are times for great joy and great sorrow – may joy prevail.

This morning being as I’m sleeping at all hours this morning was more like midnight, I decided that I would be productive today because (drum roll – trumpet fanfare ) the patio was lifted cleaned, cement laid and slabs (probably as old as methuselah) re-laid with precision and aplomb by my grandson and his mother’s partner. It hard to think of them unmarried (g-son’s mum and partner – I know you are too intelligent to think the other ) -  and to be honest why worry when they are such a great couple, so in honour of that special relationship I’ll call him Jim as in ‘sunny Jim’. He’ll like that - perhaps. G-son and Jim have been laying slabs forever, and years back made a vow – bit strong – they said when we’re ready they would come round and do it.

Well I’ve been weeks (maybe a couple of days) moving stuff off the patio, cluttering the garden so it’s reminiscent of the Somme during ww1. It looks like an explosion in a garden centre, with furniture and barbeques strewn at precarious angles –‘it’ll be okay – won’t fall promise- couldn’t get to the lawn (I’m being posh)– ours is a patch of grass that I cut when the daisies take over. No I don’t do daisy chains.

So having communicated with g-son (texted – what time will you be here?  8.30ish (reply). Well he must be on cet because the 8 disappeared and turned into 9 (don’t panic g-dad it’s always 8.30ish somewhere.) .

After the ritual tea and chat – ‘have you got a spade? Yeah, got two! Don’t show off! 5 minutes later – ‘have you got a trowel? Plaster or cement.  Both! Yeah got two -have you got biscuits and if you say ‘yeah two’ I’ll…..  I quickly dive into the kitchen to make (two) teas.  1 up to me maybe/ maybe not.

I had prepared the patio presuming that they would start at one end and work their way to the other -wrong -they started at the other end and - nuff said. After a number of hours the once wobbling monstrosities were shuffled, cleaned back and front, settled into their new abode and finally brushed off.  The patio looks tremendous with nice, neat lines and NO wobbly bits.

So getting back to being productive, I set to work giving the patio it’s final treatment – sealing!

When g-son and Jim finished I was under strict instructions NOT TO PRESSURE WASH THE PATIO FOR AT LEAST 48 HOURS!!  Those cruel people not giving me a chance to play – how annoying.  The next day dragged past so much so that I lost track of what day we were on, of what year we are on,. Of what planet we were on -  I’ll stop there it’s getting stupid. To make a long and boring (if I’m bored you must be as well) story short after the curfew I finished sealing the slabs and put the furniture back. With that done and with the fence I made the whole thing looks a treat – thunderous applause.

As the patio is more a house feature belonging to all and sundry the garden has changed ownership, ‘FAIRIES RULE OK?

Yep we’re back with the fairies and their new friends my two GGdaughters, Al & El.  These two little helpers have chosen the site for Santa’s Workshop. It is in a secret location in the garden, which of course only they, the fairies, Santa and entourage and the blogist can see.  Fairy surveyors have begun groundworks, and the elfish architect has designed a new workshop, very traditional exterior, belying the amount of technology inside. Instructions have been issued for the services, water and electricity (no need for gas – we have sufficient reindeer on tap), to be laid.  You will understand that we are unable to offer pictures of the site, or copies of the plans in case they get into the wrong hands.

Suffice it to say Santa is aware of the task ahead and has staked his reputation by announcing that there will be NO DISRUPTION TO CHRISTMAS WHILE HE’S IN CHARGE!!  

Keep up to date with the progress (fairy 1- ‘is the blogist all there?  Fairy 2 – what do you think?  Fairy 1 – shame!) tune in to this blog and remember the whole project starts tomorrow