test please delete

[NickFitz]

New reading glasses have been installed

Lunch: a chicken bake and a sausage roll from Greggs

[WTFH]

Another fun day on the slopes has drawn to a close.

[NickFitz]

I’ve managed to cram a remarkably large number of books on to the two living room bookcases, temporarily at least, which is good as it’s freed the space they were piled up in, and that’s where the existing bookcases will go when they’re moved here on Sunday

I’m toying with the idea of using an IKEA (capitalisation courtesy of the iPad’s autocorrect) Kallax unit as a partial room divider. I’ve got the space and I think it would work very well, but I’ll see how I feel about it once all the bookcases are in.

Anyway, I’m now stretching out on the chaise longue portion of the couch having a rest, as the traffic will be too bad to head back just now

And tonight I’m going to the pub with an old friend for a farewell-to-the-neighbourhood drink

It’s my farewell to that pub too - not because it’ll be too far away, but it’s closing down; New Year’s Eve will be its final night

[NickFitz]

Moving bloke just phoned - his van’s poorly with starter motor issues and can’t be fixed till Monday. Profuse apologies and can we reschedule to Tuesday morning? I was delighted, as having the extra time to get everything ready to move is a huge relief

[NickFitz]

Just realised that the tap on the basin in the bathroom here is the same kind, or at least the same brand, as the ones in Premier Inn bathrooms! So that makes me feel at home

[NickFitz]

Back home again. On the way, my watch pinged to tell me I'd left two items behind. I knew the iPad was there, but couldn't think what else might be, as my phone and wallet were on me. Turned out it was the AirTags that I set up for the two cars ages ago, but then left in a desk drawer and which have now been transferred over there along with the iMac, the big monitor, and assorted office junk

Ah well, at least I now know they work

[NickFitz]

Tea: battered fish (can't remember if it's cod or haddock) with chips and beans

[xoggoth]

Nightmare. Now there is a big leak in my water pipe in the garage. Couldn't work the stop valve, totally jammed, so had to turn it off at meter in road. What with that and car not starting.... SWEAR

[NickFitz]

A pleasant night at the pub

Going to the bar for last orders, I was served by the chap running things so asked him why they were closing down. I got more than I expected; he carried on talking for about five minutes. He's not the kind of guy to do impassioned rants, but if there's such a thing as an icy and deliberative rant with acerbic asides, that's what I got

Long story short: sounds like the owner is the microbrewery equivalent of Elon Musk and has decided to shut the place down because he just feels like it and can afford to

This means the staff are out on their ears, but there are also flats above the premises, and he's sold them and all the tenants are being evicted. He always seemed OK to me but apparently he's done this running-a-microbrewery thing now and wants to do something else so everybody and everything can go hang. Not really the mainstay of the community that he liked pretending to be for as long as that was the massaging his ego wanted

I gather I'm the first one to have been told all this in such explicit terms, but as the chap said to me, he can only be asked the same question so many hundred times before he has to tell somebody the truth, and he's known me for twenty years or so, so…

[NickFitz]

Nightmare. Now there is a big leak in my water pipe in the garage. Couldn't work the stop valve, totally jammed, so had to turn it off at meter in road. What with that and car not starting.... SWEAR

Sounds like a right hassle