Friday, March 23, 2007

Update on the crazy life of our parents!

I'm taking time out of preparing for Judas Maccabaeus, cleaning the house for Sunday's Ministry of Welcome party and generally coping to let you know where we are now.

It was too optimistic to assume we would complete on March 15th.. House is still ours and more annoyingly, the mortgage is due to be paid on Monday and there's no money in the bank.....
Solicitor is trying to get deeds corrected following the road being taken over by local authority after we bought house. So watch this space!!!

Judas Maccabaeus has caused us a few headaches and early mornings lying awake worrying. Biggest headache has been a lack of decent oboe players. The usual orchestra have a weekend in Galway and we've got gloriously able students playing, but our 1st oboe fell and broke her tooth on Tuesday and the 2nd oboe decided last week he wasn't available after all. Hey ho..
We have two flutes playing instead and recorders playing the flute parts. Very alternative.
Its tomorrow night in the North Cathedral, and I am, as usual, just hoping we'll get an audience.

Meanwhile, the georgeous Gerry finally turned up (without warning) on Wed. morning. BBIL was taking D & A to the bus and met a huge lorry pushing a loaded low loader backwards along the boreen. Needless to say they were late for the bus. Big little sis rang and said I should get there asap as Gerry needed to know exactly what to do. By 3p.m. same day he re-loaded the lorry and set off into the sunset taking all our rubble and leaving the Flanders trenches looking more like a garden suitable for a retired couple to get their teeth into. Its very exciting. He'll hopefully be back shortly to lay the kerbs and then when that is set lay tarmac right up to the boundary gate. I'll be able to set grass seed and start planting my shrubs and plants.

Bad news on the chimney front. Cecil's effort will have to be rebuilt at great expense. And big little sis thinks we should replace the stove. Its destroyed by rust. Don't fancy taking Cecil on but feel very fed up at the trouble we've got.

Its very exciting to be planning visits from various members of the family and hearing all the news. I'm so enjoying the blogs. Keep writing!

Tuesday, March 13, 2007

Best wishes to the travellers.

London Son is off with the EUYO. Our Parents wish him all the very best during the tour, which looks to be very exciting. See euyo.org.uk for details.

Kid sis has just completed her first week and is settling in and getting to parle le francais tres bien! We await more details when she can get to the internet.

Our parents are just about getting used to the house being child free. On my return, Murphy is still the same side of the door, food stays in the fridge and we can bolt the door at bed-time without worrying who is still out. Its so strange.

Today, thanks to the great energy and enthusiasm of bbil and big little sis we have emptied Franfield of all its contents and have shut the front door for the last time. All things being equal it will be sold on Thursday. If not the new owners have to pay a penalty for each day over.

The new Dean was installed on Sunday. The service went well and lots of people commented on the music. BUT... our new Dean thanked everyone from the Archbish, who preached, to his cats, and completely left out the choir and organists. It makes one very glad to be off.
Meanwhile there should have been a Rural Dean's inspection on Thursday. Now we've been told that they will wait and bring in the Diocesan Architect during the vacancy. I've e-mailed the Rural Dean and told him the reason Our Father gave 6 months notice was so that there wouldn't be a vacancy!

Am finding it very hard to know what to say to people who are guenuinely sad that Our ~Father is going. We have been told lots of lovely things and whilst mostly they say its good for us, they think the Cathedral will never be the same. Our Father has been, along with the late Jim Swanton, the unifying force through all the changes of Clergy. Meanwhile, RBW was told in no uncertain terms that Our Father will not be helping him out with his music problems at Moviddy.

Time now to get back to the house work..... ABRSM exams start tomorrow.

Thursday, March 1, 2007

Kid Sis going french soon

Your (Our) Parents want to wish Kid Sis all the very best in France. It should be a great adventure and I gathered today from her tutor, Nuala, one that she has earned by being one of the best students in the year. She mustn't get a big head, but I was told she is a very special girl, and that we can be very proud of her.

Your (Our) Parents will be rattling around in the auld home and will be totally alone after 34 years of family living with us. Boo Hoo!

I would just also like to say that Your (Our) Parents have five very special children each one of whom has made us very proud and now it is carrying on to the next generation. (See the latest posting from Life in a etc.)