First House Renovation Almost Complete

30 November 1999

Well, as expected it has been a stressful and very tiring week. I have been working all the hours I have been awake. Or at least it feels that way. Claire has even been sending me to work with extra flasks of coffee and energy drinks to keep me on my toes. By the time I get home at 9pm (or even later sometimes) I feel jittery and can't get to sleep. Great for the paperwork, but no so good for my body, I suspect!

But having said all this, the house renovation is looking great and I am making good headway with it. I think I can expect to be finished by the end of next week and then all the fun and games start. I have already seen the next project which is a rental property in need a big makeover.

I don't know how Chris does it because if my tenants treated my property like that, I would be spitting tacks. He takes it all in his stride and just sees it as being part of the business he is in.

I couldn't believe it, but the carpet was stained and pulled up in sections. The house is still full of broken bits of furniture and general rubbish. The garden is in a right state and there are broken windows and cupboard doors hanging off their hinges. Funny thing is that these tenants still paid their rent.

I guess I would be tempted to treat any property which I own as I would my own home. Chris just sees it as business and if they pay their rent, then he doesn't really mind what they do to the house. It is all covered by insurance and he makes a good return on it.

I would be round there every other week telling them to pull their fingers out and sort out the garden or they will be out on their ear! I would be the nightmare landlord.

Sorry about being sidetracked, as today I really want to pay tribute to my lovely wife who has been taking the role of wife and mother to the extreme this week. As I already said I have hardly been in the house and she has been looking after the kids, sorting out all the shopping, dinners, baths and nappies without a word of complaint.

I have had my lunches packed for me, with the aforementioned extras. I have had shoulders massaged, baths run and free reign to watch the snooker. In short, I have the perfect wife and all you blokes out there should be very jealous indeed.

Of course, there is something she wants in return, that I am certain of and I expect I will know about that in a couple of weeks time. But I will be happy to oblige! Simply allowing me to get on and get this job finished has been a godsend and I am happy to supply a new dress, shoes or hair cut in return! I just hope that this is all she is hoping for...