Busy busy busy

But mostly in a good way, I think!
I got the vital birthday present finished and wrapped up in time to take it to the midlands on Sunday morning - we were up and about scarily early, M was muttering that we were half an hour late leaving and it was all going to be terrible, but we were still on the road by 8.45am and there by 12, so at three hours it was a pretty average journey and shouldn't be moaned about.
We took his girls out for lunch at a pub in a village near where they live.  It was a very nice roast, and not too expensive, although despite the flash website with restaurant menu it's pretty much a locals pub, and the atmosphere was a little bit strange... the place was empty when we got there so we were settled in before any of the regulars arrived, but there were a few raised eyebrows at the presence of strangers... but we were pretty well off the beaten track, so it was probably a rare occurrence.
It seems strange to go and see his girls and take them to the pub, with one of them driving us there... it seems about a couple of months since we were visiting them and looking for parks and playgrounds to entertain them, although it's a fair number of years now!  The stress of SATS has long since given way to the angst of A-levels and the upheavals of university.  It seems a short time since my daughter was fighting her way towards GCSEs, now she's a grown woman watching her own kids doing the same...

This morning, I locked myself in the little hut at the bottom of the garden which serves as my office these days, and was just settling down to work when M appeared in a slightly agitated state... Conservatory Man had just turned up at the door, and announced he was meeting with the neighbours, and would we please come and join him... M was in the process of getting into the car to go to work, hence his agitation, so I said I would go... as we headed to the door, Conservatory Man and his chum (who I suspect is actually his boss!) arrived on the doorstep, all smiles and happy faces - "All sorted, they are very happy, no problem at all" - they'd walked in, sat down, listened to the neighbours' concerns and been able to explain how each of them was going to be catered for.  The neighbours agreed that work could start next week and everything in the garden was metaphorically rosy!
Naturally, as soon as Conservatory Man had driven around the corner I rushed next door to check that they were really happy... he does have a vested interest in making me believe they are happy, but they are actually not just our neighbours, they are our friends and we want to be sure that they are completely happy with no residual doubts.  Anyway, they certainly seem to be, they were still laughing about how earnest Conservatory Man had been!  So we are all on course for the base to be laid next week, with the actual conservatory being erected some time in early January, as soon as the panels have been manufactured.  This means that there will be a series of dinner parties, parties and general festivities just as soon as I have a place to put the dining table where there is actually space to get the chairs around it - yee hah!

It's dark now... it's not even 5pm and it's properly dark.  I might just slope off from the studying that I am supposed to be doing and sneak myself a nice hot bath.  It's 2CV club Christmas Party no 1 tonight... no idea what I ordered, I remember ticking things off on a menu ages ago, ah well, it will be a surprise!