I'm finished

In more ways than one, but more of that later.

I have finally finished the glossing.  It will require several days of hardening before it is open to the public, but the job is done, and while not exactly fanfares, there is some relief in Scobi Towers if for no other reason than we can clear all the painting paraphernalia from our bedroom, the hall and my study.  In the words of LO, "it has been hanging over us like the Sword of Damocles".

The rest of the day was spent cleaning the 'van and LO's car, using my newest birthday present, a power wash.  Now, I am not an overly gadget-obsessed chap, just as happy with spade as with an iPad*, but I have to say this is one gadget that I already really love, a love that can only grow deeper as I venture to walls and patios and other surfaces to clean.  I went for the Karcher K2 Premium, 25% off at Homebase**, which comes with two lances - number one the usual take-your-head-off nozzle, the second a flat beam that can be turned down to gentle and up to nearly-take-your-head-off.  It also has a built-in detergent tray, an confusing plug-in detergent gun, a brush and a patio cleaner.
I now have a handle on when to use each of the two detergent reservoirs - I used the internal one for wash, and the gun I added "Bobby Dazzler", a treatment added to the rinse phase to give sparkle.  This seemed to work well since I used the brush with the detergent, and just the gun for the Bobby Dazzler, which gave a pleasing gentle wide fan of rinse, just as the doctor ordered.

Finally, have taken the 'van back in to storage, and stopping via Homebase** to buy a pair of HoseLok connectors, mine having worn out, resulting in them popping off regularly, which is about as frustrating as you need when trying to do a jet wash.  I therefore arrived home expecting the shower, sit down and maybe doze off routine, only to be bullied in to the garden to pick up two hundredweight of leaves from the trampoline and garden.

Needless to say, when I did finally sit down, clean and ready for a beer, I was knackered, only to realise that I had a cold coming on.

Overnight, we have the most intense thunder and lightening, interspersed with immense downpours lasting maybe five minutes, followed by normal rain.  We had two power cuts, the first requiring investigation, the second one bring the Maggots to our room, so we all had a terrible night's sleep which for me was worse as I also had a sore throat, catarrh and a runny nose.

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* utter rubbish, but never let the truth stand in the way of a good story
** not my favourite store by a long stretch, but a discount is a discount