Coming up for air

It's not that things have been bad, just busy.

Mr B is running a marathon on Sunday. It's a fast, flat course so he has trained hard. Which hasn't been much fun for me. Especially with a puppy in the house, a little bundle of energy who needs constant attention.

Add to that Dad's recurring chest infection, the tax year end for the practice, and a new invoicing system, and well, you can see how blogging took a back seat.

I've been twiddling my thumbs this afternoon. The weather is mild and the garden jobs are done. The practice work is up to date. Dad is well this week. The puppy hasn't poo'ed or wee'ed in the house for a few days and apart from wrestling on the bed with big dog, she is being quite good. We start obedience classes next week.

It seems that my outburst at the builders has resulted in them being fired. I can't be sure about that but they mysteriously disappeared before the Easter weekend, and haven't been back. The driveway is unfinished, so I suspect another company has been asked to complete the work. Of course, their parting shot was to inadvertently knock down the neighbour's wall.

Anyway, I can see life in the garden from my perch on the picnic table. Bumble bees abound, birds having a feeding frenzy, the pieris is in flower. The bulbs are quite cheerful. Mr B hasn't had to mow the lawn yet, but it won't be long. The rain was very warm this morning.

Talking of rain, January was wet, February was cold, March was cold and wet. But April is the cruellest month (TS Eliot, The Waste Land, 1922).

So I'm looking forward to a weekend away. The weather looks perfect in Rotterdam. I may even get my beloved camera out and snap away.

Under siege

The neighbour's building works have entered their 8th month. We have been very tolerant of their tipper trucks, grabber lorries, cement mixers, 1000 plumbers, electricians, tilers and carpenters. I do not exaggerate. At Christmas we exchanged cards and a friendly chat over the fence during which he said the building work was nearly done. Well, that may be, but he didn't mention the 4, now going on 5, weeks of driveway rehab. This consists of dump trucks, graders, rollers, vibrating thumping trucks, going up and down, back and forth with flashing lights and health and safety beeping.

It is driving me mad. I can't work in the office for the all the noise and vibration. Brin is most indignant and barks whenever he goes in the garden. I don't blame him. If I had the energy I would bark too.

Mr B says thank goodness we can't see the house, it must look like a monstrosity by now. The village gossip is that the works have increased the value of the property by a £1million.  More pence than sense if you ask me.

I have spoken to the site manager at length about my concerns and have sent an email to the neighbours. I hope for a response, but given that we have only spoken once in 8 months, I won't hold my breath.

I'd love to hear your stories of your neighbours from hell. It would really help me.