It's 2008

Well, it's new year again...we went to two parties on the night, starting at Pat's, and then saw in the new year at Anne and Chris's party in Brentford. All the yummiest people were there and looking fabulous. The teenagers all behaved beautifully, and it was even relatively easy to extract mine at 2am...luckily, we left before other teenagers became unwell....oooh, one very popular person was in trouble...it was a brilliant night though, lots of time to catch up with everyone. The only flaw being the jukebox Anne and Chris hire. The teenagers get on there first and programme in all the stuff they like, and because the thing has a long memory, it takes hours to get to the songs one wants to dance to.
The night continued to be great, as Ali la Peche kindly put us up for the night, and even cooked us bubble and squeak for breakfast!
Music at parties, always a problem. The jukebox is a great idea, but needs a shorter memory (it could borrow mine); mix tapes or cds are a good idea, pre- programmed selection on i-tunes, maybe a DJ...these issues are all rumbling about in my mind at the moment, because I am planning an extension warming party.
Yes the two upcoming projects are, getting Dad and his flat sorted out, and then getting back to our newly extended house. I cannot wait.
Staying in Putney, although it has it's charms, has been expensive, and it is now cold. Dad's heating, which was in overdrive when the weather was milder, has decided to pack up completely.
The tiles around the bath which a builder/decorator only replaced a few months ago have fallen off, and damp has spread through the wall to the bedroom. Being cold in Putney gives me a flashback to my teenage years in our huge and draughty house. Although we had central heating, it always seemed quite cold, and I remember hugging hot water bottles sometimes to keep warm, as well as being told to put more layers on.
Dad will hopefully be coming out of hospital in a week or so, and there is a lot to do. We need to refine the sorting out of his belongings, and get his flat prepared for a total revamp. He will; move to a nursing home in a house a few doors up from our childhood home. We have to decide whether to sell his flat or rent it out. Either way, it needs a revamp.
Our extension is coming on apace, the shell is built, and the builders are waiting for the plumbers and electricians to do their stuff. Everything's very exciting. More soon, I'm off to Bristol now for a one hour meeting.