Chim Chimney, Chim Chimney

I had thought the brickies finished their work yesterday but they were back bright and early this morning (well, actually, it wasn't all that bright) to finish up. They put up the blocks for what will become a low stone wall that covers the front of the sitting room extension and wraps around on either side a wee bit. Once the extension has been finished, then the brickies will face both the fireplace and chimney exterior but also this wee wall with nice stones. They also then went around and did their finishing work on all the foundations.

Of course, the fireplace and chimney wall won't look like they do in the photo above once we've gotten the gas fire and its surround as well as the mantel and all the finishing has been done to cover the bricks around and above the fireplace. But it gives us a kick to be able to look out and see our fireplace.

Still no sight nor sound of the tiler. We've been in touch with our contractor and he has tried to reach the tiler, but has not been able to. This is a most unhappy development. We need a roof over our heads. But we are doing all that we can do, which is to phone our contractor routinely about this. At least we have seen some decent progress made on the job this week.

Last night's dinner out with Jackie and Eric was great fun. We had wonderful meals and shared a lovely bottle of wine. We all ate too much (we confessed in e-mails to one another today, saying we didn't sleep as well as we might have because our tums were too full). But we thoroughly enjoyed being together. They brought me a dozen deep red Sweetheart roses which are so cheery and positive. I love seeing them when I walk into the sitting room.

E-mails have been pouring in from friends and family wishing me well with my surgery. I have been overwhelmed by the love and generosity of spirit of these folks and have been trying to answer the e-mails, but as soon as I answer 6, another 6 come in! It is truly a blessing for which I am immensely thankful.

After I got home from Keep Fit and Don got home from doing some marketing in Crieff, we went to the White Church for the community lunch. I had gotten up early this morning to make a batch of Knobby Apple Cake as my "pudding" contribution. The ladies who regularly volunteer to work every Thursday love this cake and eagerly await my bringing it in. I'm afraid I disappointed them greatly the last time I made pudding because I made Key Lime Pie instead, so they were doubly happy to see the cake show up again today. This afternoon Don tried to play golf with Iain but it was raining lightly and just no fun, so they packed it in early.

Today my letter from the hospital arrived, telling me to pack up my goonie (gown), robe, slippers, and toiletries and bring my towel when I come. (Sounds like I'm going to overnight camp!) They want me there at 2 pm on Sunday afternoon so they can run tests and make sure I don't eat. (In a hospital, they can almost be assured of that because I would be surprised if hospital food here is any better than in the States, but I'm perfectly willing to be proved wrong on that point.) Looks like my Sunday morning routine is going to be truncated to say the least but Don is going to try to fit in a short, early game with Gordon. Helen is urging me to come there on Tuesday when I get home whether workmen are here or not. We'll see. I might just want my own bed.

I worked some more on the quilt. It now has an inner border and the two vertical sides of a wider side border. The work is slow because of the writing involved. (That's cryptic, I know, but all will be revealed soon, I hope.)

As with last week, this will be the first night all week that Don and I can sit down together and watch a film. Tonight's feature film is "Dirty Pretty Things" with Audre Tatou and promises to be anything but another "Amelie."