Kitbasher's blog: Too many ideas, not enough time.....

[kitbasher]

Still awaiting clarity from our house vendors as to whether they can meet the target contract exchange and completion/move dates we and our house buyers had agreed some weeks ago and put to our vendors.  The clock is ticking.....

Meanwhile packing has begun.  Most of the stash was already neatly packed but a couple of minor adjustments to stash box contents has been necessary to accommodate the 'pending' items that won't get a look in until waaaaay after we move.  Built models are all now carefully packed, as are all but three ongoing builds - the final few decals need applying to a Revell Ki-61, the Hawkerfied F-105 gets a bit of PSR now and then (sanded down one of the reprofiled engine intakes today) and construction of the 'In Memorium GB' Miles M.21 continues.  I really wan to get the Ki-61 done ASAP and the M.21 pretty much done before the move.

I want to give the Hawkerfied Thud a name.  'F-105K' is my shorthand name but it's not intended to be that.  'Hotspur' springs to mind but it isn't as whizz-bang a name as a pointy jet designed in the 1950s/1960s would probably get.  I want to avoid 'Hurricane' as that was too closely associated with the Hawker P.1121.  Maybe 'Havoc'? 

Actually I quite like that idea.

Anyway, M.21 and Havoc pics to follow when there's tangible progress to display.

[NARSES2]

Still awaiting clarity from our house vendors as to whether they can meet the target contract exchange and completion/move dates we and our house buyers had agreed some weeks ago and put to our vendors.  The clock is ticking.....

Ah, the joys of moving house   

[kerick]

I dread the very idea of that. And the arguments over what to keep and what to get rid of!

[kitbasher]

Well, that was a week!

Finally exchanged contracts on the house.  Well, houses - the one we're buying and our current one.  Less than impressed by the behaviours of our sellers, thankfully we and our buyers have worked hard to develop and maintain a good relationship.  Here's an indication - we put target exchange and completion dates to our sellers in mid-July (agreed with our buyers) then silence until a couple of weeks ago when they announce to their estate agent and (we suspect) their solicitor that they're off on a three-week cruise (booked around a year ago!) and can't complete until the start of October.  Some sharply-worded messages from us and our buyers forced the exchange but we have to live with 4 October completion.

Which actually turned out to be a blessing in disguise.....

.....because on Monday my mother-in-law fell and broke her hip!  Surgery on Tuesday to repair but she'll be in hospital/rehab up to late September.  On top of that diversion we're still trying to sell her house ahead of her moving in with us.  Madam Kitbasher consequently spending most of the next few weeks with her mother, I'll be up and down frequently and between the pair of us will be prepping to move to our new place.

How soon after that the mother-in-law moves in with us is anyone's guess, but after hospital treatment, rehab, etc - and subject to progress with the sale of her house - I don't see that happenning until late October/early November.  Looking ahead, the uncertainties mean I can't really plan for Telford (was within an ace of booking accommodation) and quite possibly won't be able to make it.  A bit of a pain but can't be avoided.  One possible solution - assuming she's moved in with us but her house hasn't sold - is to motor up to Solihull on the Friday, camp in her house, motor over to Telford Saturday morning, return to her place then head home Sunday morning.  We'll see how things pan out.

Oh, and learnt last weekend that grandchild #5 arrives in February.

Apart from that there's nothing happening 

[PR19_Kit]

It's called 'life' Dave. 

But why does it all have to happen at once? 

[Pellson]

Both good and bad news at once, methinks? Let's hope things get better from here.

[Rheged]

It is all, as Harold MacMillan said  ,  "Events, dear boy, events!"  No matter how good your planning, the events always come at you in the wrong order, badly timed and often back to front.

Madame R, who is waiting for her second hip replacement, asks me to pass on her commiserations  to your mother-in-law on her broken hip.

 Take the good points from the whole saga;  you will have a new house by the end of autumn  and a new grandchild by the end of spring.      Until then remember that the British way in adversity is lots of hot, sweet tea!!

[PR19_Kit]

Madame R, who is waiting for her second hip replacement, asks me to pass on her commiserations  to your mother-in-law on her broken hip.

Make sure she asks for a Charnley joint, they're THE best. 

[Pellson]

..Until then remember that the British way in adversity is lots of hot, sweet tea!!

There's a good man! 

[Rheged]

Madame R, who is waiting for her second hip replacement, asks me to pass on her commiserations  to your mother-in-law on her broken hip.

Make sure she asks for a Charnley joint, they're THE best. 

She already has one in her right hip, and was told at her pre-op meeting that they prefer to instal matched pairs.

[PR19_Kit]

She already has one in her right hip, and was told at her pre-op meeting that they prefer to instal matched pairs.

Yes, that's to ensure the geometry of the hips remains similar on each side.

After installing and maintaining the test system that Sir John Charnley used to develop his first hip joints I've become a serious bore on the subject. 

[kitbasher]

Yeah, life, eh?

Wasn't complaining about recent events, just reflecting on how sometimes stuff happens all at once.  Clouds can have silver linings, as is currently the case.

When we both took early retirement we'd planned a retirement holiday, then shifted the dates back a few weeks.  Coved struck, retirement happened but of course holiday binned (thankfully we'd only planned not booked).  Then mum became very ill - 'support bubbles' began in the UK the Monday after my last day at work so was able to devote pretty much all of the next 4+ months being her carer.  She passed away peacefully that September. 

I look back at that time with gratitude - so yes, silver linings.  To be cherished.

Hope Madame R's op goes smoothly, Rheged.

[Rick Lowe]

Glad you got to spend that much time with your Mum before the end.

[kitbasher]

Glad you got to spend that much time with your Mum before the end.

Yep, huge relief.  Couldn't have done it had I not retired (she was in Manchester, me in Greater London).

[Rick Lowe]

So the right thing at the right time.
Things mostly have a way of working out.