1. Having a new central heating boiler (a condensing one, I'm told) fitted. And, I'd have to say, fitted badly so that what was supposed to be a job completed on Monday is still ongoing as various problems surface. ("We've never actually fitted one of these before" doesn't fill a customer with confidence, I can tell you).
There was nothing wrong with the old boiler apart from the fact that it was, well, old and probably not too efficient. Our heating bills have been bringing the mister out in a cold sweat of late though I have a feeling that the habit of some people here (and yes, I'm holding my hands up) of opening the windows wide because the bedrooms are too hot has been part of the problem. But no more. We now have thermosatically controlled radiators in all the rooms upstairs. We've also discovered a leak where the boiler has been fitted in the kitchen and the pipework on the outside wall is diabolical (how I can make a feature of it, I wonder?) but some of that is hopefully going to be sorted next week.
2. Working on a lengthy report and presentations to meet pressing deadlines. Usually there's a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment once a significant piece of work is finished but I haven't enjoyed any part of this week's. It's meant being stuck in front of the laptop into the early hours and all in all it's been a bit of a drag.
3. Spotting a little splash of yellow as I collected the milk from the doorstep this morning. I've been looking for signs of life in the pots at the back of the house and had forgotten I'd planted these tete a tete at the front.
4. A bit of baking. Our now almost daily no-knead bread, a batch of very cheesy scones with a sesame seed topping and a coconut and lime cake were turned out yesterday as I took some welcome time out from all of that report writing.
5. Searching high and low for the TV remote control which had disappeared without trace after inexplicably pressing it's own buttons to change channels (who knew there was a Horse and Country channel?) and mute the volume.
Ah, mystery solved. In case you're wondering, Boo isn't in prison. He sleeps in a dog crate which is a recommended method for puppy training and which he now treats as his den.
His expression reminds me of something I heard in court when I was working in the probation service years ago. When asked how he wished to plead, one defendant replied tearfully "I'm not guilty but I promise I won't do it again".