Apprentice Katy Comes Up Trumps

30 November 1999

What a great week! Yes I know this is not my usual blog material, in fact if I can have a moan about something I will certainly make the most of it. But this week has just been a breath of fresh air – for once.

I finished the house from hell and to be fair it turned out pretty well. Even better I got paid for it, plus a bonus for coming in both on budget and on time. I hadn't expected that, but Chris noted the extra effort I went to and rewarded me for it. Funny how it doesn't take much to feel appreciated. It makes me want to achieve the same results next time. So I guess he knows what he is doing.

So on the weekend - I treated Claire and the kids to a day at Legoland. Woohoo! I love that place. I am like a little kid. I queued up for the big roller-coaster three times, while Claire had to wait with the kids who were too small to go on it. We all stuffed ourselves with rubbish food and sweets and by the end of it the kids were zonked out in the back of the car and I was feeling just a little on the queasy side. Worth it though.

Then Monday morning my little star started working with me. Katy is certainly a hard worker. We had to start gutting the rental property we are working on. We have three weeks to get it in shape before it is rented out again. I could never have achieved as much as I did if I was on my own.

So between the two of us we managed to pull out the carpets, the door fronts in the kitchen (we are reusing the carcasses), and most of the bathroom. The appliances all need replacing and I am going to have to do a bit of electrical work to get it up to code. Then a general painting and decoration job will just about do it. The garden also needs doing.

We filled three skips with household rubbish as well. The things people will leave behind...kids toys, a load of plastic garden furniture, a ton of old magazines and newspapers and an empty hamster cage. I am wondering if we might come across that little creature at some point. Something tells me that taking its chances in the big wide world was preferable to living in that house.

Katy will be working Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. She then attends college for the last couple of days. I have to give her extra time off around her exams too. I have to admit that she couldn't carry as much as me and isn't as strong. But she makes up for it by being quick and small. She was able to climb into small spaces and didn't mind getting covered in dust and dirt. It is tempting to pass on the horrible jobs to her, but I have to remember that she is here to learn and I have a responsibility to teach her. So getting her make endless cups of tea is probably out of the question!

Even the weather has been on my side this week and it looks like a good weekend. I have to say that things couldn't be better. I am just waiting for the clouds to form, but I will make the most of it while I can!