AndyBlog

The best woman for the job was a man*

I had become aware, over the last few months, that my flat had succombed to untidiness.**

In a defiant and unbending effort to get it cleaned up, and in acknowledgement that under no circumstances whatsoever was I ever going to get up close and personal with the stuff on the floor (It's just too far away, darnit), I decided my only alternative was to ask for help.

Knowing my financial options were desperately limited, I knew I was going to have to ask someone who may start the job for money, but was destined to finish the other 98% out of some sort of pity for the state the place was in and maybe my own general lack of ability in the mobility department.

I made the call. So, after some further muted discussions today was decided upon as the day of destiny for my filthy abode. The door duly opened at the assigned time of three-past-ten in the morning and, after a few final expletives - breathed out in an awed voice as the full extent of the job made itself known to their eyes and nose, the work began in something approaching silence.

I lay, experiencing a feeling of complete rubbishness, as the silent minister went about his*** work. I dozed, once more awoke in a kind of stupor, and discerned the scream opf a vacuum cleaner at work. More dozing. A female voice. Bathroom fan...light....dark, Fan off. Silence.

More silence.

The flat felt empty.

I risked a chink of door open. No-one around. I risked everything**** and strode out into the hallway. Clean. Handles, clean. Stain on wall, clean. Switches, clean. Kitchen floor CLEAN! Washing up - DONE!!! Kitchen tidied, but not too much. Here was someone who knew how to respect an important mess pile. Lounge, vacuumed, dusted - CLEAN! Important man-piles respected. 

In short, the stuff that needed cleaning and tidying was done, but the important technical stuff had been left alone. I have never seen cleaning done so sensitively to the needs of a man such as me. The place is now a delight to be in, and my heart is full of gratitude. Really full.

I am hopeful that maybe, just maybe, I can tempt this same outfit back to repeat their work before it gets to be so bad again, thus enabling the work to be much more less un-easy.

Now I can look forward to welcoming people to the house group at my flat tonight. Now there's an event I love. :-)

Big thank to person.*****

_{*As far as I can work out, I didn't actually see anyone.}

_{** This, subject to a definition of "untidiness" which includes large piles of assorted stuff strewn pretty much everywhere, filthy carpets, a hay-strewn guinea-pig and a kitchen which would have caused the entire locality to be cleared by the military had they been aware of the molecular and radiation risk involved.}

_{*** Again, as far as I can ascertain. Infact, I will always call them "he", even though I cannot be absolutely sure. Essentially, it's easier this way and if it wasn't a he then my title becomes completely redundant. Wrong, even.}

_{**** Yes, I mean EVERYTHING. :-)}

_{***** You know who you are. (both?)}

Changing Rooms

Before ---------------------------------------------- After

Making, Modifying and Mending

Here's the wonderful Terry, adapting the speaker cabinet in a clever way.
Then on the right, the fantastic results of his labour. He's amazing. It's official.

So Terry was here today from darkest Durham and Paula & Dave were here from even darkest'er Yorkshire. We were a new grouping, but one that collaborated surprisingly well. Amidst such a wealth of DIY know-how, I wisely took a back seat - preferring instead to make drinks and sandwiches. I know my place. Besides, I had exciting things to do, like meet Jason after his long six month holiday away.

Not to be outdone, Dave, from Huddersfield, put up our DVD shelves.
It was a tricky job, but he had his Paula to help out. Thank goodness.
Liz did other, more secret, things. I cannot speak of them here, but they were outstanding also.

Obviously, you'll see our DVD racks when you visit, but suffice it to say here, that they were not easy to put up. IKEA stuff is, on the whole, very well prices and clever almost to bursting point - but some of the cheaper items are a little inconsistent. So Dave battled this as he tried to fit 8 Lerberg DVD racks flush next to each other on an undulating hollow wall. Massive respect to him for succeeding so well.

Terry's feat was also a significant one. In reality, a much bigger task to start with. Back at Griffin House, he made a huge coffin-like structure to house my two centre speakers for my surround-sound setup. It was a "hammer to crack a nut" solution, but it worked beautifully.

Coming here, the unit fitted nicely in the corner, but it needed to work a lot harder, as there was not room for more big speakers either side. So, Terry's job was to house a pair of Tannoy speakers for the Left and right - and a Celestion in the middle as a centre speaker. Not only that, he had to fit a shelf half way up and house all the AV gear - Amplifier, SKY+ unit and DVD Recorder. Then, on top goes the TV. Easy.

The amazing thing is that he did it - not only that, but it actually looks like it was meant to be that way all along. When you see it, you'll never believe that there are three full sized speakers in it - it seems like too little space for them. I find it hugely satisfying that he has made it all work. I'm relieved that the amplifier still works after over a year in mothballs.

I am still totally buzzing that we now have a lounge that we can really relax in. We are so blessed to have such a lovely space - after the "crampedness" of the last one, it feels like a cathedral. I took large spaces so much for granted at Griffin House - then I was taught that life can exist in much smaller spaces in the next two places I have lived. So much so that I really appreciate this one.

I don't want to gloat or be over-proud or anything like that - I just want to express my childish glee at having somewhere nice to be. It's so cool.

Later on, we had laptop lessons about Blog posting.
I wish I even had the first idea how to do that...
(Look at all those intent faces)

Leaving a Legacy

In recent weeks, the bulk of my working time has been taken up with a DVD project. It has, and still is, one of the most challenging projects I have ever taken on singlehandedly. At times I have wondered if I took on too much on my own, but steady work has gradually paid dividends and now the work is nearing an end.

What has made it even more challenging is that when someone asks me what I am working on and I tell them, I often get the reaction:

"Eeeewww!"

Sure, organ donation and transplantation is a pretty heavy subject, but I am surprised so many people react by wanting to avoid the subject at all costs. Even more interesting is that when people actually start to hear some of the stories involved, their stance usually softens and becomes far more sympathetic.

On the face of it, it does seem a shame that so many thousands of healthy organs are buried or burned each year, when they could have been used to either save the lives, or significantly enhance the lives of so many people.

I don't intend to preach here, except to say that it has surprised me that so many people are against transplantation - and that they are either unwilling or unable to offer coherent reasons why.

Having met so many people involved on all sides of donation and transplantation, I am more convinced than ever of the overwhelming good that is being done in the lives of people who might otherwise die. Equally, I am saddened that 450 people die in the UK each year waiting for transplants.

We are no longer in the dark ages with this. Recipients of transplants go on to lead full and productive lives in a majority of cases now. Perhaps it is time to do what we can to help change that social perception form "Eeewww!" to something more positive.

In due course, you will be able to see the film I have made for the Legacy of Life charity. Till then, feel free to visit their web site and download a PDF file of their book "Transforming Lives". It contains many uplifting stories, showing the good that is done through transplantation.