WE PASSED!!!
Paul and I passed our Skippers Ticket the other Wednesday, so we are now considered to be ‘proficient’ whilst out in our boat! Yeay! We were both very, very pleased with ourselves and it’s another thing to tick off the list of ‘To Do’. It was OK actually and not too difficult. Much to my disgust though, Paul and I received different multiple choice papers, so we couldn’t cheat! :o( But the good news is that I scored two more points than Paul! Ha ha! He got 26/30 and I got 28! Go me!
Our jubilation was short lived however as the rug was pulled from under us on Friday when Paul put a call into the Building Supervisor. Seeing as they have continuously promised that our house would be ready before Xmas, Paul phoned the supervisor to push for some dates to schedule our painters and tilers to go in. We’ll the Supervisor threw all his toys out of the pram and said that there was no point keep phoning him; the tiler had over run, we had missed the slots for the other trades and there was no way now the house would be ready before mid January! How upset were we!! We emailed the Builders and really expressed our disappointment and for once, they really took our complaint seriously! Our supervisor has been told not to deal with us anymore and we have to deal with his boss now. They are disgusted with how far the house ‘hasn’t come!’ Head office thought that the house had been painted (it hasn’t), that the tiling was finished ages ago (it still isn’t), that the second fix electrical had been completed (it ain’t!)….. the list just goes on and on. We met with the Senior Supervisor on Wednesday who gave us his honest opinion that the house won’t be ready for hand over until mid Feb! Drats! Having said that, this last week, things have been happening! We had the smart wiring done this SATURDAY believe it or not; so all the data, TV and telephone points have gone in. The alarm system was installed on Friday and the tiler has been working hard all weekend to get finished; he was still working at 7.30pm on Saturday evening! He has told us that he was under pressure to get the balcony finished as the balastrading is being fitted on Monday and the painters are also due in to paint the ceilings, coving and door frames / doors. The second fix electrical is also due and it looks as if someone has been in, pulling all the cables through. The plumbing second fix is also due, but the plumbing company are at least a week behind schedule apparently. The swimming pool has been back filled now and has more sand in the bottom than an egg timer :o( We’re also due to have the cooker and hood delivered sometime *soon* although every time the supervisor chases delivery of this, he’s told that it’s ‘on the lorry’ for delivery……… (STOP PRESS: It’s been delivered today!)
Paul and I passed our Skippers Ticket the other Wednesday, so we are now considered to be ‘proficient’ whilst out in our boat! Yeay! We were both very, very pleased with ourselves and it’s another thing to tick off the list of ‘To Do’. It was OK actually and not too difficult. Much to my disgust though, Paul and I received different multiple choice papers, so we couldn’t cheat! :o( But the good news is that I scored two more points than Paul! Ha ha! He got 26/30 and I got 28! Go me!
Our jubilation was short lived however as the rug was pulled from under us on Friday when Paul put a call into the Building Supervisor. Seeing as they have continuously promised that our house would be ready before Xmas, Paul phoned the supervisor to push for some dates to schedule our painters and tilers to go in. We’ll the Supervisor threw all his toys out of the pram and said that there was no point keep phoning him; the tiler had over run, we had missed the slots for the other trades and there was no way now the house would be ready before mid January! How upset were we!! We emailed the Builders and really expressed our disappointment and for once, they really took our complaint seriously! Our supervisor has been told not to deal with us anymore and we have to deal with his boss now. They are disgusted with how far the house ‘hasn’t come!’ Head office thought that the house had been painted (it hasn’t), that the tiling was finished ages ago (it still isn’t), that the second fix electrical had been completed (it ain’t!)….. the list just goes on and on. We met with the Senior Supervisor on Wednesday who gave us his honest opinion that the house won’t be ready for hand over until mid Feb! Drats! Having said that, this last week, things have been happening! We had the smart wiring done this SATURDAY believe it or not; so all the data, TV and telephone points have gone in. The alarm system was installed on Friday and the tiler has been working hard all weekend to get finished; he was still working at 7.30pm on Saturday evening! He has told us that he was under pressure to get the balcony finished as the balastrading is being fitted on Monday and the painters are also due in to paint the ceilings, coving and door frames / doors. The second fix electrical is also due and it looks as if someone has been in, pulling all the cables through. The plumbing second fix is also due, but the plumbing company are at least a week behind schedule apparently. The swimming pool has been back filled now and has more sand in the bottom than an egg timer :o( We’re also due to have the cooker and hood delivered sometime *soon* although every time the supervisor chases delivery of this, he’s told that it’s ‘on the lorry’ for delivery……… (STOP PRESS: It’s been delivered today!)
Our double oven and extractor hood. Look nice, don't they? :o(
Our en suite shower with the mosaic strip.
The balcony tiling is now done.Never mind! Sam competed in his first Surf Lifesaving event last weekend. The surf carnival went well, although he must have been exhausted when he eventually got home at 2pm as he left at 6.30AM!
Wun Wabbit......
He had to do lots of ‘iron man’ activities and ‘run, swim, runs’. He did really well and Paul was very proud of him for entering into the spirit of it all and putting in a major effort.
Go go Sam....
We were also doubly proud of Sam and Darcie last week when they both received Merit Certificates in their assembly! Sam got his first from the Principal, then Darcie went up for hers and he asked whether it was a ‘national Day of Delaney?’ Bless…..
Darcie gets her certificate from the Principal.
Very proud, isn't she?
Sam the 'cool dude' collects his certificate.The kids were very excited about the arrival of 1st December and its accompanying advent calendar. Mum posted them one each from Blighty as you are spoilt there (with that thing called choice!) Sam has an Arsenal one, Darcie has ‘High Five Newsical’ (as Adam calls it) and Mr Cheese has his own, personalised one with his name on. Lucky, lucky children!
:o)
Yesterday we were also excited to see the arrival of Santa at the local department store via helicopter. He does this annually. I’m still nervous about him getting his beard caught in the rotas, but so far, so good.
Santa's Company car has recently been upgraded.
He distributed lollies and goodies to the waiting kids, although it’s a sign of the times when Sam was actually more interested in the 96fm Coast Girl – the promo girl handing out the goodies. She got a ‘Leslie Philips style ‘Hell-low’
The gang ready for the Santa Experience.
Sam strokes something that's dry and wrinkly..... NO! Not me, thank you.
Last Wednesday, we picked Adam up from playgroup early (unheard of!) and headed off down the boat. Sam was trying all the practical manoeuvres we had to master for our skippers (and was doing them VERY well!) when Adam decided he wanted a go. His grin says it all I think as he laughed and steered for a sand bank. The kids are getting really good on the boat now. Sam helps with the ropes when we come to moor and calls us back in with Sea Rescue when we get back to the pen. Darcie has her job of cleaning the boat’s number plate and Adam has his task of nodding off, then eating biscuits and getting crumbs everywhere!
Ha ha ha - bump!What else has been going on then…… Well Xmas is coming and I’m trying to get the Christmas shopping done. Trouble is, I’ve only got limited time without the kids and Adam is a shocker for telling the other two should I dare to buy something when I’m out with him! He’s even worse at keeping a secret than Sam – and I didn’t think that was possible! Sam still has a few admirers at school ‘his chicks’ as he calls them and every night after school this week, he’s been going to the skate park with them and buying them drinks and sweets. I went with Darcie this morning to empty her school tray and had to laugh. Everyone else’s had pencil shavings, pencil case and the odd note from friends; Darcie had LIP GLOSS in hers! Talk about old before her time.
I kinda came unstuck with Mr Cheese as well in the week. I went for his school meeting – to find out all the info about his new school in February – and they were saying about what they expect of the kids and how we can help them to prepare for school. One of the ways is by teaching them to recognise their surname as well as their Christian name. No problem, thought I, feeling very smug – Adam knows that, no problems. So when I got home, I was messing around, tickling him when I asked him what his name was. ‘Adam’. He said. ‘Adam, what?’ I asked. ‘Adam, Mr Cheesey!’ he said. Back to the drawing board, then!
