Laxie through the Looking Glass

[Laxie]

Full report coming later this evening.  For now, I've day two of a garden to tackle.  Just thought I'd let ye know - Laxie is very much alive and well.  And blissfully happy into the bargain.  Who woulda thunk it?

[MrDickie]

Fantastic last few pages of your diary again Laxie. Wishing you both much happiness and joy.

[Laxie]

Full report coming later this evening.  For now, I've day two of a garden to tackle.  Just thought I'd let ye know - Laxie is very much alive and well.  And blissfully happy into the bargain.  Who woulda thunk it?

I lied.  Well, didn't lie exactly...just didn't get to it.  Won't be done tonight either.  Taking tomorrow off from garden stuff to give us a much deserved break and will catch up on here at some point during the day.  Proberly.  Really need to soon before me brain loses what I wanted to say.  Sooooo much gone on and want to get the lot down while I'm still thinking of it.  Life is good!  Hope all is well with you lot too.  x

[Laxie]

Can't believe how much time has flown by since the big move and barely a post here.  Sorry for the delay folks, but she's been a busy girl.  Not even sure where to start.  Will attempt to remember from the beginning...and more than likely miss a snippet or two.

The first night was a laugh.  After coming home with a hoover, iron and ironing board (you'll notice a trend forming soon...lol) we headed off to this wee Greek restaurant for dinner.  Not much to look at from the outside, but once you're in the door it's a whole other world.  Proper family run place with great food and a real character of an owner.  I'd so much on me mind that I froze when asked what I'd like to drink.  No worries...the owner was given free reign to surprise me and I can't remember what he made, but can tell you I was pleasantly surprised.

I'm a slow eater.  And ya wouldn't know it to look at me, but I can't get through a huge meal in one go.  Tend to pick at small bits all day besides tucking into three big meals.  This night was no exception.  Only, every time we turned around, the owner had another wee plate of tapas, fruit or whatever put in front of us.  We were going to be there all night if they waited on me to get through it all.  

Sure enough, by 11pm Jack and I were the only two left in the place.  It was a Thursday night, so the kitchen was closed and staff were already heading home.  I tend to run good in the 'lock in' stakes and tonight was no exception.  The owner locked the front door, brought out an ashtray for me and started pouring out shots of this special drink he'd received from Cyprus.  The three of us sat chatting for ages about all sorts.  At one point I looked over at Jack and got a fit of giggles.  He'd usually be home surfing the net at that stage of the night.  Through the giggles I thought to meself, "Lock in and free drinks hanging with the owner...it's plain Laxie has arrived.  Poor Jack.  GG his quiet life"

[Laxie]

Friday was spent basically showing me around the place.  We're not actually in Leicester as it happens.  I'm pretty glad of that too.  We're close enough for the shopping of a Saturday, but far enough away to enjoy the countryside.  Perfect combination if you ask me.

Jack likes shopping.  [ ] YAY!!!    Saturday we headed off to Leicester.  

The kettle had stopped working the day before and as I was the last one to go at it, we're saying I broke it.  So off we went to buy a new kettle for Jack...and a coffee maker for me.  Been years since I had a coffee maker!  The water in Ireland is packed with lime so nothing electric ever lasts long and I gave up replacing them.  No lime here = Laxie wired for sound on a pot of coffee a day.  wiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii

Leicester is craaaaazy!!!  People everywhere and shops abso packed.  Recession my eye.  You'd swear it was the Christmas rush of shoppers from what I saw.  Granted, I'm comparing it to much smaller cities and towns, but still...

[Laxie]

Friday and Saturday night I was carried to the local.  Yes, you read correct.  'The'.  Not 'one of the'...just 'the'.  I've come from a tiny village with a population of maybe 500 and SEVEN pubs, to living in a village with a population of over 3k...and just ONE pub.   

Met a goodly few while we were there and luckily it's a nice pub.  Truth be told, I'd got out of the habit of going out anyway with the past couple of years.  Reckon one pub is as good as seven for the odd time we'll be calling in.  But still...ONE pub?!  Blimey.

[Laxie]

Sunday - oven shopping.  We were heading to a place called Bunny for an oven.  For the record, I didn't break his previous oven!  Anyway, it's a fair drive to get to Bunny and it's Sunday.  "Have you phoned to make sure they're open?"  "No need.  It's an appliance store.  Of course they'll be open."  Off we went for a nice leisurely 40 minute drive to Bunny.  [ ] They were open. 

Jack doesn't smoke so I don't smoke in the car.  When we pulled up to the locked gates of Bunny I got out and lit a ciggy.  "Yeah.  Well done man.  Good call."  Then burst out laughing. 

He was trying so hard to redeem himself..."I don't understand how they could be closed.  It's an appliance store.  Don't they know people shop at the weekends?  You're going to post about this in your diary, aren't you?"

Tears of laughter now flowing..."Of course I am ya eejit!" 

[Laxie]

All the first weekend I was itching to tackle the yard, but Jack insisted there was plenty of time for that and I was to just relax.  To be fair, he spolied me rotten and we'd a really lovely weekend.  Roll on Monday.  Back to work for Jack and time for me to get cracking on the yard.

He'd not taken much notice of it...for years as it happens.  His neighbour Whelly sprayed the lot with weed killer a couple of weeks ago, so hopefully it wouldn't be too difficult to gut the place and start over.  I started with the front because it seemed the easier task... 

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[Laxie]

That was then, this is now...

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[Shogun112]

Seriously, get a 170 bar pressure washer on them paving stones, and they will come up like new..!!

[Laxie]

Neighbours were looking over all day and saying thanks for sorting it.  I'd run out of bins to put the weeds into about half way through and was having to make various piles - to be gathered later.  A couple of them brought their own brown bins over for me to borrow when they spotted the mounds forming around the yard.  Jack never had a brown bin before.  No need, obv.  The council have since delivered a bin to us.  

[Laxie]

Seriously, get a 170 bar pressure washer on them paving stones, and they will come up like new..!!

Don't worry...already been added to the 'to do' list.  Hoping to get to it early next week as this week is already booked up.

[Laxie]

So that was last Monday.  I'd the lot done before Jack landed home from work and was calling it a day.  The back yard is a whole other beast and was going to take some serious muscle to tackle.  Roll on Tuesday and the start of the back.  God help us...it wasn't going to be easy.  Good thing I like working outdoors...

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Click to see full-size image.

[Shogun112]

its a garden, not a yard lol

[Laxie]

its a garden, not a yard lol

Will be...when we've sorted it.