The major up-grade to Down the Lane is progressing well, but a little behind schedule, this being mainly down to me and my fussy ways rather than anyone else.
If all goes to plan, the ‘new’ Site will be up and running by early next week (w/c 16th. March), but with so many people emailing me about where the latest entry has got to, well about three people, I thought it best to re-direct you to this page.

Needless to say, much has been happening around these parts.

Work has been plentiful, but thankfully not so plentiful that I have not been able to pace it out and get my own ‘projects’ and social life in. Jobs in the last few weeks have included ceramic tiling, painting, assembling kitchen units, re-decorating a bathroom, sorting out external downpipes and much more. All this has enabled me to keep my head above water financially and go into Spring having achieved my first winter since downshifting nine years ago overdraft free.

After much deliberation, I have decided my Garden 6′ x 4′ Office simply isn’t big enough for such an expanding Empire and over the next few days will be erecting a new 8′ x 6′ modern building (tongued and grooved) ! In real terms, this means my Company HQ will increase by no less than 100% ! What other major British Business Magnet can boast such an achievement ?

But in true frugal fashion, the last Shed is not to be wasted and will become the new Chicken Home. The existing Coop House ‘Nettle Cottage’ has now seen it’s better days and one windy night could well see the chickens sitting on a roofless perch. To save the not so wanted job of breaking the old one up, the chickens will be moved into their smaller house overnight and I will burn the old one where it stands, a good cure for any Mite and other buggy problems, they will simply ‘go up in smoke’.

The only problem with rehousing could be a lack of eggs for a few days which is a shame as they’re just starting to lay quite well again, but if needs be etc.

All this has to be completed in 9 days. The new Office has to have interior walls and painted, so Leo will be here for a couple of days to lend a hand, the only problem being getting him out of bed before about half past two!

Another bit of major news is that after quite a few visits to the Doctor and ICATS plus one x-ray and Scan, my shoulder problems have finally been diagnosed as impingement and I’m now awaiting to have some keyhole surgery done to put things right.
Needless to say I can’t call the tune in so far as dates etc. and it looks like happening about half way through the Cricket Season. This may put recovery time beyond the reach of completing the Season, so I’m unsure what’s happening.
I’m fully aware that the Cricket Team needs continuity and also the Club is a business as such and I would never want to be either a passenger or put them to any extra work or cost. A fourteen hour day could be beyond my physical reach for at least a few weeks. We’ll see.

I’ve managed two visits to Southampton to visit family since my last entry and in fact, I write this entry down there, plus it’s my birthday today as well. On our way down we detoured to Selsey Bill, the town in which I spent a few childhood holidays at a Great Aunts house. It was odd doing this and a very sharp reminder of how life moves on.Gone is the Holiday Camp, the field between her House and the Beach have long gone to make way for a housing estate of typical 70’s type buildings.
But some things still remain, best of all being the Lifeboat Station which hosts that crazy day each year when fully grown people jump off with home made gliders of the like, 95% of which end up in the water no further than one meter from where they started.

So, all’s well Down the Lane, things are happening, certainly enough to put my mind of the fact the body is one year older than last year. Keeping active seems to be the key and I dread the day when I wake up knowing I can’t do half the things I can now. But, that’s a long way off yet – I’ll ensure it is !!