Apart from the inescapable fact that I have caught what ever it is which has laid my son low the day has been almost unremarkable, except that is for the plumbers.
More of these cheery artisans arrived today to give estimates for the work which is to be be done on the bathroom to make it safe for a couple of old crocks. Old ,young or middle aged they have so far had one thing in common, a regrettable tendency towards the morose to the point where I have begun to wonder if it has something to do with their profession.
Knowing what the work is likely to cost and knowing the current direful state that the building trade is is p né would suppose that they would-be turning cartwheels at the thought of such a nice little job, but no nothing of the kind. Their observations and measuring up nave been universally accompanied with several sharp intakes of breath, shaking of the head and even positive groans of despair. Every one has displayed such a put upon air that one could almost believe that they were being asked to do the job at their own expense.
While I am willing to admit that our house is rather old and that is has certain quirks and peculiarities is seems that the very thought of fitting a shower in these antiquated premisses is anathema to these troubled souls. Né thing is certain , their remarks have hardly inspired Pa and I with confidence in their abilities. The chap who rocked up today spoke as if we had asked him to look at the job to deliberately upset him, he really was most put out.
I arrived ho,e from a trip to Th garden centre just in time to hear him telling Pa that there was no way in which the pipes could be hidden from view if the lavatory was to be moved. Had we asked for the pipes to be covered? No we had not! H e was so very defensive when we pointed this put that he practically told us that we really should want the pipes covered but that it was not his fault that this could not be done. Weird!
Sneezing ,spluttering and shivering I headed for the kitchen to make chicken pie for dinner while Pa showed our dejected visitor out, I did not trust myself to be civil under the circumstances and took out my frustration on the pastry.
My son is still feeling very seedy and in his own words can't be asked to do much, Pa is in one of his aggravating phases and is refusing to co-operate in the slightest and I needed another silly man in the house like I needed a boil on the bum! I soldiered on with the pie feeling unceasingly rough and in the end resorted to a strong black coffee with a large measure of whisky (one of last weeks party guests thoughtfully left a bottle of fine old single malt) which deadened the symptoms only slightly.
The heroic men of the family managed to drag themselves to the table from their various places of repose and deigned to ate the meal provided with a suffering air which I found singularly annoying. To tired to bother I cleared the kitchen made the poor boys a hot drink and then sought the comfort of solitude in my room.
The top floor of the house reeks of eucalyptus oil and my bedside table resembles a second rate apothecaries shop, I intend to take some of everything there is in the hope that something will work and that I shall be better tomorrow for if I am not then I am afraid that the poor dears will have to shift for themselves, in which case God help us all!!!!!!!!!
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