Well the running is making a resurrection. I wont be marathoning at the end of the month. Maybe it's because I'm a lazy bitch, or maybe the time just wasn't right. I took my eye of the training ball and it sailed right past me before ricocheting off a post and knocking me out.
But now I no longer dread my schedule - now I can just go for a run. I've got plans for a half this year, and will enjoy both it and the training. I can focus on that speed and distance and not stress out about how much damn time it takes to run 20miles when 8 people are coming to dinner and you haven't had time to go shopping.
Marathon running - you were for me, but sadly it was just a fling. We might hook-up in the future but I wouldn't be holding your breath.
With that in mind I've been out a few times this week -nothing drastic, nothing stat worthy, but all good runs. Managing to maintain a relatively easy 9.30 pace which is nice to note. Gives me a base to work on. Have to up the mileage a wee bit though as the last 10k was a month ago! That kind of thing always freaks me out and I end up thinking I'm going to become unfit and decrepit instantly. Also managed to go to circuits again - bloody love that torture.
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SKIP THIS BIT UNLESS YOU CARE ABOUT OUR DRAINS (and our mental health)
We've had some real traumas this week - the drains, that never ending saga just ploughed on:
I got a written quote, was told the job would take a day and a half, and agreed to it going ahead. A day and a half later they called to tell me that the work done so far (the job agreed to) would be DOUBLE the amount quoted and the smaller amount left to do would be DOUBLE that again, by this stage we are talking about thousands of pounds.
When I questioned the difference between the quote and the amount I was seriously given the run around by a guy who was rude, patronising, offensive and threatening. (As in threatening to stop work and 'see if I could find someone else to do the job'.) I asked to have 5 min to think about it and then call him back. He called his workmen and got them to stop without further discussion. (TheO also called him to ask for a simple breakdown of costs and his offensiveness and rudeness was unbelievable.)
Luckily in the 2min before he called the guys I ran outside and told the guys who'd worked their arses off what had happened and that we were v pleased with their work and they were great. That all the difficulty lay with the accounts dept. We were very honest with the workmen. They were then called and told to rip out all the work they had done - bear in mind this is our main house sewage drain - and take the pipes away. **Note that whilst I had questioned why it was double at no point had I ever said we weren't going to pay. Also note that we've used this company 3 times before for pretty serious jobs and always paid promptly.**
The lovely workmen looked at me, and we just said "tell your boss we refused you entry to the property" - it's nothing to do with you and it brings it on us. We then realised that life would be easier if we just paid for the work that had been done. We handed over a cheque, apologised to the guys for all the palaver, and thought we were done.
5min later one of the guys rings the bell, and this is when the biscuit is really taken, and he says in a horribly apologetic tone that the guy in accounts "wont accept a cheque as it might bounce". We have to pay by card. We do - luckily not having to talk to the waste of air who's just lost his company thousands of pounds worth of work.
Only possible glimmer of upside - whilst giving the lovely workmen coffee whilst I was busy calling to pay by card - TheO asked if they worked for anyone else... you know, just asking... and they said they'd come back and finish the job for us on Saturday (probably)... and I think they might as I found all the pipes to finish the job hidden behind a hedge in the garden this morning! They are very nice men who work for a very stupid company. (And right is very definitely on our side!) We now can use everything except the kitchen sink and dishwasher. So TheO was to be found carrying pales of water into the garden to wash-up the remaining dishes from a dinner party for 8! She most definitely rocks.
Had the guy in accounts had the brains to make up some shit that sounded realistic then they'd have got the job; because he was an idiot we'll never use that company again and we'll make sure that none of our friends or neighbours do.
------
And breathe.
I will also note we had a lovely w/end (pre-drains) with RockGod and Professor. She told me about plants (and I took notes) and we travelled far and wide to find excellent cheap pottery, and delicious (not so cheap) chocolate. Result!
Oh yes, and my dad got married; and we were fine apart from the choice to begin the ceremony with many lengthy comments all starting with once in your life you find someone who ...- so you know, the last marriage, to my mother, the one that I'm a product of ... that was nothing. Brilliant. At best a thoughtless twat, at worst a complete twat. Idiot.
My 85 yr old gran also got drunk - she was hilarious and for me, saved the whole occasion. When she starts saying things like, "I'm a methodist, that's why I don't drink" whilst being neither a methodist nor sober you know the night is really kicking off.
And breathe again.
But now I no longer dread my schedule - now I can just go for a run. I've got plans for a half this year, and will enjoy both it and the training. I can focus on that speed and distance and not stress out about how much damn time it takes to run 20miles when 8 people are coming to dinner and you haven't had time to go shopping.
Marathon running - you were for me, but sadly it was just a fling. We might hook-up in the future but I wouldn't be holding your breath.
With that in mind I've been out a few times this week -nothing drastic, nothing stat worthy, but all good runs. Managing to maintain a relatively easy 9.30 pace which is nice to note. Gives me a base to work on. Have to up the mileage a wee bit though as the last 10k was a month ago! That kind of thing always freaks me out and I end up thinking I'm going to become unfit and decrepit instantly. Also managed to go to circuits again - bloody love that torture.
-----
SKIP THIS BIT UNLESS YOU CARE ABOUT OUR DRAINS (and our mental health)
We've had some real traumas this week - the drains, that never ending saga just ploughed on:
I got a written quote, was told the job would take a day and a half, and agreed to it going ahead. A day and a half later they called to tell me that the work done so far (the job agreed to) would be DOUBLE the amount quoted and the smaller amount left to do would be DOUBLE that again, by this stage we are talking about thousands of pounds.
When I questioned the difference between the quote and the amount I was seriously given the run around by a guy who was rude, patronising, offensive and threatening. (As in threatening to stop work and 'see if I could find someone else to do the job'.) I asked to have 5 min to think about it and then call him back. He called his workmen and got them to stop without further discussion. (TheO also called him to ask for a simple breakdown of costs and his offensiveness and rudeness was unbelievable.)
Luckily in the 2min before he called the guys I ran outside and told the guys who'd worked their arses off what had happened and that we were v pleased with their work and they were great. That all the difficulty lay with the accounts dept. We were very honest with the workmen. They were then called and told to rip out all the work they had done - bear in mind this is our main house sewage drain - and take the pipes away. **Note that whilst I had questioned why it was double at no point had I ever said we weren't going to pay. Also note that we've used this company 3 times before for pretty serious jobs and always paid promptly.**
The lovely workmen looked at me, and we just said "tell your boss we refused you entry to the property" - it's nothing to do with you and it brings it on us. We then realised that life would be easier if we just paid for the work that had been done. We handed over a cheque, apologised to the guys for all the palaver, and thought we were done.
5min later one of the guys rings the bell, and this is when the biscuit is really taken, and he says in a horribly apologetic tone that the guy in accounts "wont accept a cheque as it might bounce". We have to pay by card. We do - luckily not having to talk to the waste of air who's just lost his company thousands of pounds worth of work.
Only possible glimmer of upside - whilst giving the lovely workmen coffee whilst I was busy calling to pay by card - TheO asked if they worked for anyone else... you know, just asking... and they said they'd come back and finish the job for us on Saturday (probably)... and I think they might as I found all the pipes to finish the job hidden behind a hedge in the garden this morning! They are very nice men who work for a very stupid company. (And right is very definitely on our side!) We now can use everything except the kitchen sink and dishwasher. So TheO was to be found carrying pales of water into the garden to wash-up the remaining dishes from a dinner party for 8! She most definitely rocks.
Had the guy in accounts had the brains to make up some shit that sounded realistic then they'd have got the job; because he was an idiot we'll never use that company again and we'll make sure that none of our friends or neighbours do.
------
And breathe.
I will also note we had a lovely w/end (pre-drains) with RockGod and Professor. She told me about plants (and I took notes) and we travelled far and wide to find excellent cheap pottery, and delicious (not so cheap) chocolate. Result!
Oh yes, and my dad got married; and we were fine apart from the choice to begin the ceremony with many lengthy comments all starting with once in your life you find someone who ...- so you know, the last marriage, to my mother, the one that I'm a product of ... that was nothing. Brilliant. At best a thoughtless twat, at worst a complete twat. Idiot.
My 85 yr old gran also got drunk - she was hilarious and for me, saved the whole occasion. When she starts saying things like, "I'm a methodist, that's why I don't drink" whilst being neither a methodist nor sober you know the night is really kicking off.
And breathe again.
2 comments:
Wow, wow and wow. That was enough fodder for many posts! :) Bizarrely enough yesterday I was going to a) ask you about the drains and b) dare you to do the mental Namibian Ultra marathon that the Blue Peter presenter did.
Drain bloke just takes the biscuit :( - that's when you're glad you don't have Sleepy Whirlwind's job (Rock God's step dad, figured that name would work!), he has to deal with that kind of arse on a daily basis. Don't know how he does it, sounds bad enough when you're just overhearing it from his phone!
Re. the wedding, ouch, I'm sorry. I think it's the "Hallmark effect", getting carried away and not actually considering the hyperbole. My sister married a widower with two kids and they did things really nicely I think - including in the speeches a wee bit about Wife 1 and a toast "To absent friends". Not a dry eye in the house, but so very lovely a thought.
Your grandmother sounds wonderful. Did you get her out of an Alan Bennett play?
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