Not very interesting stuff to report today. I realise I haven't yet displayed the full glory of the tiled walls, which I am very pleased with. The tiler was a complete perfectionist, which might have grated on another soul but made me rather happy.
The plumber was on site at the same time. His key personality trait was at all costs not to ask me for my opinion. As well as replacing the faulty stop valve he decided to fashion a false back to the cupboard which makes the real stopcock even harder to access. When I discovered this I was so fed up that I told him I didn't want to use the shelves and sent him away without letting him cut the shelves down so they would fit in the new, shallower cupboard. I regret this hasty action less than I rejoice at getting rid of him. What is it with plumbers? I haven't yet found one who is both competent and congenial.
We've had a guest speaker at the Buddhist group for a few weeks where we've been discussing a couple of ancient poems. He is an excellent speaker and writer, having written several notable books with a Buddhist slant, and I'm reading his latest work and enjoying it. He also led the study weekend I attended in Shrewsbury in April. It feels a bit like hosting a celebrity, albeit a very minor one.
Two events combined on Tuesday. Lola II and Mr M gave me a three-month trial of the National Art Pass, which gives free and discounted admission to various museums, galleries and exhibitions around the country. Lola II has also made some disparaging comments about the state of my 25-year-old sofabed mattress. The manufacturer is still in business, allowing me to order a replacement mattress despite the original sofabed design being long discontinued. The mattress was not cheap, but on top of that they quoted an extortionate amount for delivery so we agreed that I would collect it. Rather than make quite a long journey just for this one purpose, I found that Aston Hall is on the way and offering free admission as part of the Art Pass scheme.
Aston Hall is a Jacobean mansion that has survived remarkably well over 400 years - obviously not everything is original but there's plenty to impress. Admission is only allowed with a tour, but there were only three of us visitors and a very knowledgeable volunteer guide who didn't particularly hurry us through. I stopped for a picnic lunch - the gardens weren't great, but the weather was wonderful. Then I picked up the mattress, spent a very small amount of time looking at washing machines, and came home. It will be another trip to the launderette tomorrow. I'm finding it rather difficult to buy a replacement, mostly because I find it incredibly tedious.
BMI - no change this week. This always happens - good weight loss that just stops for no reason. I'm trying hard to maintain motivation and continue.
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