Up The Farway Tree

Week 4

Phew - the end of another week, although a busy weekend lies ahead! The plasterer was here on Monday and the entire extension has been plastered so gives a better idea of size and space. We got a little surprise on Wednesday when they said the joiner was going to start fitting the kitchen - and we had to point out we hadn't ordered the appliances yet because the kitchen was supposed to be further down the line. Queue mad panic, lots of googling and now the range cooker, dishwasher and fridge will arrive on Sunday. The joiner has fitted the units, which are looking really good and I am very pleased with our choice. We had a minor issue when we noticed last night that the wall units were lower than we wanted - especially for Andrew who thinks everything is small from his lofty height. It was only the carcasses up so we decided to say now and get them moved because it would probably only annoy us later - also I think there should be a slightly higher gap from the range cooker anyway. I was bit scared about seeing the poor joiner again this morning as he seemed to be having such fun yesterday, singing along loudly to his music and making good progress and we now wanted the units moved!! I did explain that as a midget I had not noticed they were low while he was working yesterday because I think everything is tall, whereas Andrew is the opposite. He was totally fine about it and was here at 7am this morning moving the units around. When I got back at lunch time I am not sure what came over me because I wandered in, saw he had repositioned units and added the doors, and casually said 'oh sorry to tell you but can those units go another 50mm higher'. His face was rather priceless and very relieved when he realised I was joking. I thought it was hilarious. Not sure he did. The work tops arrived today also and look nice - they will be bit darker once oiled, as they are solid wood so need to be treated first. This weekend they want us to clear the current utility room, which will become a small shower room - so of course dad has been recruited to come and help Andrew with that task this weekend :-) Me and mum will supervise.

 Kitchen area - integrated dishwasher to go in that gap and sink under window

Big gap is for range cooker and hood

Other side of room - will be dining table and hopefully little sofa on far wall looking out into garden

(those are french doors on left)

Tomorrow I am speaking at the organ donor network as I previously mentioned. This will involve talking as an organ donor recipient to around 200 people, mostly made up of donor families. I hope I can get across the message that this is such a priceless gift and one of the most selfless generous acts on the part of the donor and their family.

I am pleased with my new PBL group as they all seem very nice and enthusiastic. It is the first block of 2nd year and is quite overwhelming because there is a sudden jump in how much information they are expected to learn in one PBL (they do two a week). I am trying to keep them chilled about this - I remember 2nd year so well. It is renowned as the hardest year at medical school because most of the physiology, biochemistry etc have to be covered here. I loved 3rd year because that's when we really got into diseases and treatments, but you can't do this without the foundation. It's a shame I appear to have forgotten anything that doesn't involve the head though ;-)

Myself, Victoria and Kirsty have now got a blog for our fundraising - Team Glasgow. The link is at the side of my blog. We would like to work together to do some events for the charities close to our heart - Live Life Then Give Life will benefit from the ball, but we also would like to raise awareness about CF charities - in particular the Butterfly Trust. The Willow Foundation is another fab charity who provide special days for adults with serious illness - this is very unique as most charities only provide for children. I know many people with CF who have enjoyed special treats through the Willow Foundation. Anyway, thanks to Victoria for setting up and designing the blog :-)

Seb continues to push his boundaries. I am going to remove all the cushions in the living room when I go out because today he had clearly had a shot on ALL of them. I have two sets of cushions on each sofa and he had them all flattened down and covered in hairs. Yesterday he was on the window sill when I got home which must have involved jumping from a side table. He has also been sleeping in the hall because there is now only polythene between the kitchen and extension. He was very good the first night but I woke up last night to the pitter patter of tiny feet as he wandered into our bedroom! I took him straight back downstairs and he did appear to stay there all night but who knows. Here as some pictures of the kind of thing that happens whenever he gets into the extension.

Decides to go exploring down the back of plaster boards

Emerges at other end and looks surprised to see me there!

Polythene sheet where back door used to be - hence Seb not sleeping in kitchen.  An internal door will go on this side of door way and there will be a partition wall on left of this picture - making part of existing kitchen a utility area and the other part the hallway leading into extension.  So no external walls come down - yay!

 Will update next week with progress..... :-)