Well, after much wailing and gnashing of teeth, I’m back. I had originally intended to sit down a couple of weeks ago and twitter away quite happily about the happenings over the last month or so, but somehow I just couldn’t manage it. I had so much to say, too… Ah well, I’ve forgotten most of it now.
It’s been a curious couple of weeks, not least because I’m actually starting to enjoy my job again. I can’t be certain, but I think it might have something to do with Paul being off sick this week, which means I get to go out on all the construction jobs with Pip (Piper), rather than being stuck in the workshop all day. It’s been fun, which is odd, considering the fact that Pip oozes negativity. Seriously, he strangles bits of wood that don’t quite fit and shouts at hammers if he misses his target. It’s funny to watch, but you know how it is when you spend a lot of time with angry people - it just brings the whole mood down, so by the time we get back from putting a building up or somesuch, we’re both incredibly snappy and just “Grrrrr…” However, just lately I think we’re starting to work better together, which in turn puts Pip - who’s actually quite a nice bloke, really - in a better mood. He really made me chuckle the other day while we were out putting a summer house up for someone. “Crazy full of beans lady” he called her; she brought us some tea and biscuits out and I couldn’t stop laughing the whole time. She just stood there and looked at me as if I’d gone barmy. She was a lovely woman, mind you - probably mid-40s, very polite and just full of energy, and she was utterly delighted with the building once it was finished. That’s one of the perks of the job, really, when you see someone really happy with what we’ve just spend two hours putting up. It makes a change to see someone truly grateful, and her tea was marvellous! Of course, you also get your miserable, stuck-up, rich folk who expect you to just do the job and bugger off. I hate that…
There’s something else that’s been bothering me these last couple of days, too - America. Now, before you go off all half-cocked and assume that I’m anti-American, just hear me out. What I’m referring to is the big property developers down here in Cornwall. See, they seem to be moving closer and closer to the American ideal of suburban life, with perfect houses and pefect cars and pefect families, all going about their perfect business. We went out on a job yesterday where we had to put up 7 sheds in a new development in Truro, and honestly, it was like stepping onto the set of Edward Scissorhands or something. I half expected some woman (that everyone knows, of course) to come wandering down the street and shout “Avon calling!” Row upon row of boxy, pre-fabricated houses just popping up all over the place. It really is quite frightening to think of what our country is turning into. Gone are the days of mock-Tudor houses and quaint little villages, more and more I see developments for “affordable housing” which basically means “trying to cram as many people into as small a space as possible.” I don’t like it. I don’t like it one little bit. Anyway, enough of that…
On a random note; have you ever wondered why it’s more socially acceptable to “borrow” someone’s pen and not give it back than it is to steal someone’s money, even though the lesser of the two crimes is a hundred times more inconvenient? I just hate dipping into my pocket for a pen, my pen, only to find that the last person to borrow it has conveniently forgotten to give it back. £20 notes aren’t nearly as useful as a pen when you need to make a note of something important, let me tell you… Sorry, rant over.
45 DAYS!!! Yah, I just felt the need to shout that… 45 days until I hop on a plane and drag my sorry ass off to California. I can’t wait, seriously. At first I had some doubts and almost, almost managed to talk myself out of going, but in the end, I decided to just go for it; after all, this could be a once in a lifetime opportunity. I’m kinda hoping it’s not, but it could be. I think the main thing that was bothering me was not so much going, but rather leaving. It’s hard enough just hanging up the phone after speaking to Jess, much less getting on a bloody plane and flying home. Whatever happens, quite a few things in my life right now kinda depend on the outcome of this trip, so I’ll just sit back and try not to let it bother me for now, safe in the knowledge that soon enough I’ll be there in the November rain, having the time of my life.
Well, it’s almost time for me to stop boring you senseless and get back to some serious work, but before I do, there was something else I think I should mention… 6 years ago, a week after I turned 17, I decided to take my parents up on the offer to move out to Kos, Greece with them. I quit college (after a year of doing pretty much nothing at all anyway), packed as much stuff as I could in the van and set off for pastures new. While I was there, I met a wonderful young lady by the name of Rachel and we became very close friends. She was staying for the summer with a Greek family I knew quite well - as she apparently did every year - and in whos’ cafe I spent most of my free time, and so we got to spend a great deal of time together. Her age and her host family’s attitude towards relationships prevented it becoming anything more serious than just a very close friendship, but we were almost a couple nonetheless, if that makes sense? Anyway, she went home at the end of the summer and we remained in contact for a while, until circumstances dictated that I moved back to Blighty - more details on that some other time, perhaps… Anyway, shortly after the move we sort of lost contact, or rather, I stopped writing to her, and that was pretty much the end of that. Quite a few times over the following 6 years I tried to bring myself to write to her, perhaps to offer some sort of explanation, or more likely, to ease my conscience, but as you may have guessed by now, I didn’t. Maybe it was borne out of shame, possibly cowardice, but either way, the letter was not forthcoming. I guess I kind of assumed she hated me and didn’t want to hear from me… But I digress. Last night, I was sitting here, minding my own business and checking my emails when lo’ and behold, what should plop into my inbox? An email from Friends Reunited telling me that Rachel wishes to contact me and that I should click such and such a link to get the message. Well, I did. And you know what? She doesn’t hate me. far from it, in fact - she we very polite and talked of how lucky she was to have known me and other such pleasantries. Well, to say I’m shocked is something of an understatement. Anyway, I’ve replied and filled her in on the last 6 years, so I guess now I just wait and see what she sends back…
Yeah, so that’s it, really. The end of another loooooong and incredibly boring part of my life, I hope you enjoyed it.
Thought for the day: Watch your back - the past creeps upon you when you least expect it.
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