Great excitement yesterday morning. An email arrived from a builder who had given us and estimate for a job (which we had accepted) to ask if we still wanted the job doing ? We replied instantly, “Yes”, and he has said he should be able to fit us in in the next two or three weeks.
Then, today, a phone call from a Joiner to say that they had some spare time today and they might come to start removing our old summerhouse. “Good”, we said, and hurriedly got washed and dressed and breakfasted. We began , we are still waiting !to move a few things around rather ineffectually and then sat down to wait. And as at the time of writing, early afternoon, we are still waiting.
Sonnet 19: When I consider how my light is spent
BY JOHN MILTON
When I consider how my light is spent,
Ere half my days, in this dark world and wide,
And that one Talent which is death to hide
Lodged with me useless, though my Soul more bent
To serve therewith my Maker, and present
My true account, lest he returning chide;
“Doth God exact day-labour, light denied?”
I fondly ask. But patience, to prevent
That murmur, soon replies, “God doth not need
Either man’s work or his own gifts; who best
Bear his mild yoke, they serve him best. His state
Is Kingly. Thousands at his bidding speed
And post o’er Land and Ocean without rest:
They also serve who only stand and wait.”
Well, we waited, until we heard shouting. The Joiner and his men were already at work and were calling in the back door to say so. They emptied the summer house of its accumulated junk and then got on with demolishing it. I thought it would fall to pieces, but it clung together in places and had to be knocked about and attacked with electric screwdrivers to get it into manageable pieces. We found that it was standing on an octagonal base made of slabs cut to shape. The men swept this clear and put our garden seat on it, and it looks quite tidy. The surrounds are very wet from the rain and dew dripping from the unguttered roof and it will be interesting to see how they dry out now that the source of the wet has been removed and they are open to sun and wind.
So now we await their return to repair the potting shed which should then be in good shape for the winter and for a few more years after we have passed on.
