Brtitblog roundup 224: End of Half Term version

Typing a roundup squashed in a chair surrounded by boxes and builders junk is a real endurance test. It's so damn hot and the windows have stuck - painters eh!

Still another couple of weeks to go before the refurb in my flat and the building is completed - the stress is doing my head in. The smell of the paint is like the smell of bleach - not doing my allergies any good.

End of half term - school starts Monday ending the peace n' quiet around here. The European elections are Thursday - Just sent off my postal vote. With many people disillusioned with the three main political parties and voters looking for alternative choices, the possibility of a BNP candidate being elected to represent the UK in Brussels is a sickening concept - Real stomach churning their Billy Brit’ videos.

According to Natalie Bennett the obvious voting alternative - Why are people voting Green?

Labours Penny Red is certainly not a David Cameron fan - Shiny Dave and the Lightweight's Cant.

Still on the European Elections, Ranting Stan says, If not UKIP then who? The latest polls look grim for Brown - with one suggesting that they are likely to come third behind UKIP with just 16% of the vote - but the same polls are not exactly inspiring for the Tories as they are expected to collect a mere 30%.

Seems the good weather is bring out the adventurous spirit in some bloggers. Jonathan on his latest trip - I find home for well behaved orphans

The Langtons - Church Langton, Thorpe Langton, Tur Langton, East Langton and (though it is only a few houses) West Langton - are a group of villages in Leicestershire, a few miles north of Market Harborough. Like so much of the eastern side of this county, they are beautiful but hardly known.

Diamond Geezer's been walking in EppingForest - So, walking boots laced and map in hand, I took the train out to Epping and set off from there on a ten mile stroll. And blimey, why did I wait so long? Crikey a ten miles stroll! - couldn't get me to do it for all the tea in China

Again Roy Booth - On an impulse, cycling past on an unaccustomed route back from work, I stopped at the church at Winkfield, a couple of miles south-west of Windsor, and was rewarded by seeing this brass plaque to Thomas Montague 1630 A real yeoman of the guard... the plaque says he had lived almost 92 yeares - wonders! thought they had a short lifespan back then. What a strange way they spelt the words years as well.

Back to politics - Alan Johnson's suggestion that the voting system be changed so the results will more accurately reflect the voting intentions of the electorate has certainly hit home - make votes count.

From Cabalamat - Since everyone seems to be giving politicians advice regarding the constitutional crisis, I thought I’d have a go, in an open letter to Alan Johnson, the Secretary of State for Health, who recently called for a referendum on proportional representation.

Another post about Alan Johnson's bold move. The system proposed, Jenkins' AV+, is certainly an improvement on the existing model, although less clear and less democratic than STV.

Me-wonders how many voters actually understand the different voting system.

Crammer in his usual style has really touched a raw nerve. It's political correctness gone bonkers. Why on earth are the BBC cow towing to the Muslim Council of Britain - BBC offers apology and £30,000. As a regular viewer of Question Time can't see what all the fuss is about.

The Parliamentary 'Expenses Scandal' continues to hit the head lines - who is next we ask? The big question now. What about union expenses? Why Are Union Leaders So Quiet?

What a strange comparison - Caterpillars or people Whichever way you look at it, it's still an invasion costing the government money.

Local politics - Literally across the road from me, Kentish Town ward - JimJay writes Fear not, you haven't seen the last of Georgia Gould

Georgia Gould, 23, whose father is former New Labour pollster Lord Gould and whose mother is the publishing supremo Gail Rebuck, was picked on Tuesday night to fight Kentish Town ward at May’s council elections

Tip for all those gardeners out there - how to sharpen your garden shears. Sorry folks but there are millions like me who can't be bothered with the hassle - give me an electric hedge cutter anytime. I know the in word - Green, green, green but sometime being green is just too inconvenient.

Adding a bit of colour to this post is a photo of my garden - that's all I can contribute this week - hope you like it?

A wrenching story of pain, Jake talks through her family’s reactions to learning she was sexually abused by her father a so called good person- I am an incest survivor

My family narrative is also that I am just wrong, my sexuality, my theology, my politics, that I am manipulative, a drama queen, crazy, so the conclusion was drawn, not that I am crazy in part because he raped me, but that I accused him of rape because I am crazy.

Cruella writes the truth about antenatal classes and birth.

The f-word blogs is very popular this week with a rash of nominations - An advertising gimmick to make money Gendering food & Beauty Pageants. Don't know why feminists bang on about Pageants - All that glits and glamour - millions love them including many women.

Another feminist post but this time spot on - Humourless feminazi *2: why it's not about you. Men need to stop interpreting every mutter of the word 'misogyny' as a personal attack: it isn't, not even for those feminists who DO see men as oppressors. It might come as a shock to some of you, but most feminists do not spend their time plotting ways to undermine men.

On the subject of Stonewall

Gay equality campaigning is about to change direction. This month marks two decades since Stonewall was first founded – and heralds a new era in the recent history of rapid advances towards lesbian, gay and bisexual equality. So Stonewall's focus shifts from changing the law to changing social attitudes.

Another subject that gets right up people's nose - Atheist Bashing. Just wish Atheists would keep their opinions to themselves though.

Nanny state gone mad - Ken Frost's Prat of the Week award - the danger of Fish and Chips

Lakenfields is a sheltered housing complex for elderly people. It has a good community spirit, whereby each week George Pretty (72) would do a fish and chip shop run and bring back fish and chips for his 18 fellow residents who were not able to get out. Can you guess what happened next children? Yes, that's right, the health and safety gestapo decreed that there may be a health and safety risk wrt the ambient temperature of the fish and chips.

Finally a very witty post - hard to keep ones lips buttoned

Heathrow staff are on the whole, incredibly rude. They practically invite abuse. Especially in the security areas. Now airport security is AN IMPORTANT AND SERIOUS THING, but it seems to be that with every person you meet along the way, the rudeness builds accumulating to tolerance bursting levels in the average traveler. If Jesus Christ were to be trying to catch a flight from Heathrow to Jerusalem (Easyjet for sure. He likes to be with "the people"...) even he'd end up taking a paddy somewhere along the line. He may even use his own name in vain.

Well that's all for this week

Next week's Roundup will be in the care of Mick Fealty over at Brassneck. He's such a brilliant writer will nodoubt be an interesting read. Send your nominations, as ever, to britblog [at] gmail [dot] com.

IslintonNow magazine is now on line

Always on the ball when it comes to modern technological innovations, Islington Council have now started to publish an online version of the residents monthly magazine - IslingtonNow May 2009. It says About IslingtonNow

Our residents' magazine, IslingtonNow, is delivered to your door every month. It keeps you up to date with what’s going on in the borough. If you don't get a copy through your door, you can pop into Islington Town Hall, Contact Islington at 222 Upper Street, or one of Islington's libraries. You can also download the latest issue at the bottom of this page...

Not sure I'd want to bother downloading a copy but I would like to know what happened to deliveries this side of the borough. Haven't received one for the past two months - thought it was because of all the cost saving measures after reading some moans about the production and distribution costs. Have already sent my own email moan asking what happened before noticing the online version - Out of all the bumph that the council send out it's the only literature I actually find useful.

Homes for Islington have posted their latest press releases. Seems they are keen to inform residents they are taking anitisocial behaviour and harrasment seriously with another Injunction for antisocial behaviour

Homes for Islington has obtained a 12 month injunction against Michael Wheatley, of Partridge Court EC1 for antisocial behaviour. Under the terms of the injunction Mr Wheatley is banned from:

• Playing loud music that can be heard outside the property
• Banging at a volume that can be heard outside the property
• Shouting at a volume that can be heard outside the property

Failure to follow this injunction could see Mr Wheatley taken back to court and prosecuted.

Factual statement from Doug Goldring, HFI’s Director of Operations: “Noise nuisance can be very disrupting to the lives of residents and over a period of time very distressing. All residents deserve to live free from this kind of stress and disruption".

Couldn't have worded it better myself - specially the point "Shouting at a volume that can be heard outside the property". Pleased to read it is an issue that can now be reported and is taken seriously. Some people don't care a hoot about people living around them and shouting out of windows at the top of their voice they think is acceptable behaviour.

Partners Residents Form - Ending term of office

In the midst of all the chaos of the on going building works in my flat, took me ages this evening to fish out some suitable clothes for the last meeting of the current Residents Forum - term of office expires 1st June.

The meeting's agenda was the strangest I've ever seen - hardly any content other than the Terms and Conditions and Code of Conduct. Somebody in their wisdom at Partners office decided we would need half an hour to ratify the documents. Having already questioned the rationale behind setting such timing got a glib rather patronising response that forum members will need to go through it properly. The implication being that members don't communicate between meetings.

Really felt like swearing - we've already had a special meeting spending nearly 3 hours going through it line by line. Many telephone calls later - the docs having been emailed around for any last minute changes - as far as we were concerned it was a done deal. What was obviously behind it - one of Partners staff didn't like some of the stipulations and thought he could influence the members to change or omit some of the content.

Well members were having none of it - the chair was more than adamant. A lot of work has gone into the wording of the documents - apart from one word change, grammar issue, both docs were ratified by a unanimous vote.

Then we had the issue of late nominations. Having included formal elections procedures in the TOR, members had agreed before hand that any late nominations, regardless of who they might be, had to wait until the Forums new term of office. What was the point of residents rushing to meet the nomination deadline otherwise. It's appreciated by everybody that we need to encourage resident participation - late nominees who are still interested and attended Forum meetings as observers can be seconded later.

Again somebody at Partners office thought that we would just agree to second them there and then. Wasn't even a discussion - again a unanimous vote against the idea. Should think so too - how can rules and regulations be ratified one minute and a minute later broken.

Had to bite my tongue at this point - felt like telling the Partners staff I told you so. Perhaps next time he will listen when informed of members consensus of opinion over issues before formal meetings so we can save time and not keep rehashing what has been decided in advance.

Feeling in a buoyant mood the way and manner in which the meeting had gone - pleased that all these weeks working on the docs they were now done and dusted. Back home before 9 pm - shock horror what did I find but another water leak in my kitchen - was absolutely speechless....

Islington: Andrew Cornwall continues to triumph

Would have liked to have attended last night's the full council meeting but just couldn't add more stress to my already chaotic week. Have a Tory friend who promised he'd email the result and any juicy tit bits.

What's the excitement - Who would be the new leader of Islington Council. There was a presumption that the vote would be in favour of Lib Dems Terry Stacy but internal plotting around the Cllr Andrew Cornwall factor was the real interest. Labour were determined they were going to be part of the key administration.

Got the bullet points as expected by email but one can trust the Islington Tribune to explain the nitty gritty - Chain of command: New mayor as Labour move in

Town Hall meeting was over­shadowed by the latest actions of rebel Lib Dem former finance chief Councillor Andrew Cornwell, who teamed up with opposition Labour councillors to oust Lib Dem councillor Meral Ece from her role as chair­woman of the council’s overview committee.

With Cllr Cornwell at the helm of the overview committee and membership being raised from eight to nine, the most important and controversial decisions will now rest on a consensus between Labour and Lib Dem councillors and will rely on Cllr Cornwell’s casting vote.Key positions on the Islington Strategic Partnership, Cripplegate Foundation and the Angel Town Centre Forum also went to Labour councillors.

The other news I'd completely forgotten about is the change of Mayor. This time it is justly deserved Anna Berant. Felt so angry some years ago when she was totally overlooked - real ageism. Rather than kick up a fuss she has quietly bided her time. Last year outgoing Mayor Stefan Kasprzyk appointed her his Depty Mayor and on Thursday using his casting vote ensured she was elected Mayor 2009/2010.

Just hate the way some news papers make a big issue about age as if she is on her last legs or something. Anna becomes Islington's oldest Mayor. However considering her age, whether she will stand again is uncertain but what a crowning end to her service to the community.

PFI: water overflow sorted

Back to more mundane matters - the water pouring out from this property. Just this evening it's finally been fixed.

Early Monday morning the electricial team arrived to install the new cables. What a marvelous job - gone are all the historic boxed wires. The two pin socket in the bathroom looks brilliant. Considering the £25 cost of it, one can understand why it's a case of buy your own if you want one fitted. The repositioning of the bathroom light as I requested and the extra sockets in the sitting room eliminating the need for so many extension cables was the icing on the cake. More great gaping holes in the ceilings but that can be sorted later.

Had completely forgotten that some of the key staff site were attending a 4 day First Aid course, a legal requirement every couple of years so was mid morning before I was able to get hold of anybody to report the water gushing from the overflow pipe. Give credit where credit is due, the heating engineer came rushing round to see what had happened. Lots of umming and arring, it was decided an emergency pressure valve part had to be ordered - couldn't put on the central heating in case the boiler blew and flooded everywhere - couldn't have the washing machine temporarily plumbed in either. Had to give the emergency electrical heater back to the owner so a replacement was organised.

Tuesday no sign of the part and to cap it all the the cheapo heater didn't work - the cold and damp from the rain was really affecting these old bones. Another replacement was dropped off which later in the night didn't really help much - it kept cutting out.

Very early Wednesday the pressure valve gave way completely - water literally poured out of the property like a tap turned on to the max. Didn't know what to do at this point - with the suddenly drop in the weather, I was more concerned about keeping warm. Couldn't even finish typing my reports my fingers were so stiff - the whole situation was really getting me down..

Lunch time, for once somebody else reported the problem and bods turned up en masse to access the situation. No solution at this point but lots of suggestions - the obvious option was to turn off my water completely but that was a definite no no. After health and safety electrical checks in my flat and the flat below, they left. Around 3 pm got a call from the heating engineer to say the part had arrived and they would fix it Thursday - nobody was immediately available to sort it out even as an emergency repair. Wasn't a happy bunny but what could I do.

Another one of those strange miracles of life - back home at 4.30 got another call from the heating engineer to say that somebody had offered to fix it on his way home from work. The old adage if you are nice to people the benefit's come back to you in spades - well I seem to be getting my full share lately.

He arrived like a knight in shining amour - the part fitted, the pouring water stopped. He took great care to check the boiler and carefully linked up the earth wire. Waited patiently while the remaining radiators heated up and connected up my washing machine. After 6 days of misery the warm enveloping my flat took away all the stress. Just before 6 pm he was off - he'd didn't even want to have a cuppa for his effort. Sat down and had mine - not even the mountain of washing could put a damper on my mood - was just so nice to feel warm again.

Thankfully nothing is supposed to happen again now until next week.

Chris Rennard, Who's been a naughty boy then?

Been watching the news as the latest revelations on MP expenses rolls on and on. It is quite breath-taking at times. There seems to be a strange fascination with toilet seats. Now it's the turn of the Tories - will be interesting to see what will come out of the woodwork.

No doubt we will see revelations about the Lib Dems later in the week.

With the Daily Telegraph on the case of MP's in the Commons and daily more scandal bursting out from all sides, was wondering when they would get round to the Peers. First up Liberal Democrat Lord Chris Rennard courtesy of the News of the World

Peer pockets £41k expenses on holiday home Saturday, May 9
LIB DEM campaign guru Lord Chris Rennard

For peers to claim for second homes, their main residence has to be outside London. But we can reveal that he spends almost all his time in a house just TWO MILES from Westminster.
Lord Rennard—said to earn £90,000 a year as his party’s Chief Executive—claimed the £41,678 cash [relating to a flat in Eastbourne] over six years from 2001/02.

The reference to him holding lavish parties at his home is fact - I've been invited several times in the past - regular events especially at the end of the year. Puts on a good spread. Until now, don't think invitees actually gave a thought to the cost of it all and who actually bears all the expenses. Peers don't have a salary like the MP's but collect a mega sitting allowance - House of Lords Members' Reimbursement Allowance Scheme General Guide - General Guide Eighth Edition April 2009

Some have high profile jobs and collect fees from being on various boards but Rennards party salary is not to be sneezed at

When it comes to the remuneration for MP's the reality of the situation is that their salary has been pegged for years around £66,000. If you consider the current market rates for most high profile managerial posts, so they have milked the system to claim on expenses. However it's what they have been claiming for even if it is covered under the current rules that is angering the electorate.

More annoying and bordering on the criminal in some cases, it is the out and out fraud .
The electorate don't expect their MP to be seen to be stealing which in reality is what some are doing. Lesser mortals would be charged by the police and brought to book via the courts. The cheating on mortgage payments and non payment of capital gains tax on the sale of second homes is just not acceptable under any circumstances.

To understand more about 'flipping' to minimise capital gains tax read this post by Mark Lee on his Tax Advice Network blog.

We will no doubt see explanations be turned into a mistake - with apologies and some payback from those who can afford it. With the mood of the populous at this time, many people out of work and having to struggle just to exist, a more radical approach has to be taken. Would like to see if the Party leaders have the 'balls' to sack, deselect or even expel some of their MP's regardless of who they are.

Meral Ece and my family tree

Quick review of some of the blogs this morning - Islington Councillor Meral Ece bemoans the fact that her cousin - can't work out the lineage when it's a child of one's great grandparents - is being, Tracey Emin wooed by the Tories?

One of those strange coincidences in life - quite recently while working on my family tree found my own cousin is a Lib Dem whose partner is a district councillor and will be standing as an MP at the next General Election.

Thought at the time - all those years of going to conferences not knowing a direct relation is walking around somewhere in the midst of the crowd - beggars belief.

Keep getting emails and calls asking me how I am getting on with the family tree - still plodding away but time is a little against me at the moment - too many meetings. Have been collecting more certificates. As I've mentioned before they are not cheap so have a list of strategic names to prove lineage along the family lines and have been sending for them gradually. Now have my first civil partnership cert in my collection. Hadn't seen one before so when I found out about it my cousin sent me a copy of his - absolutely fascinating.

Just yesterday received the death cert of Angus Alexander, the same one married to Ruth Riddle mentioned in a previous post. There are so many family trees online claiming him as a distant relation with only one son Archibald - somehow just knew the dates were all wrong.

Proving lineage prior to Sept 1837 is very difficult and more than time consuming going through parish records. The Mormon, free Family Search website has some records pre1837 but it's not complete and you have to know what you are looking for because it doesn't sort records like a spreadsheet. As a direct descendant I was quite determined to find out what happened to Angus and his wife Ruth. With neither of the names on any of the early census records from 1841 or later living with their son as happened back then when parents were too old to look after themselves. It is therefore presumed they died before 1841.

Found two possible deaths for them, both at the same time in 1837, living in the correct area - took pot luck and sent for Angus's cert. Was wondering what could have happened that they could have died around the same time and so young.

When the cert arrived, at first I thought I'd made a mistake because the informant was a son John. Suddenly dawned on me that as their known about son Archibald Alexander born illegitimate 1814 and was only baptised 1818 after his parents married, they may have had another child. Quick check on the Mormon site and found him, John Alexander born 1818 to parents Angus and Ruth Alexander baptised in the same church as his brother.

Angus's death cert says he was 56 years old when he died which makes his date of birth much earlier than presumed 1781-1837. How did he die - from Typhoid - a now treatable disease still prevalent in Africa and other parts of the world caused by drinking contaminated water.

Have now sent for Ruth's death cert presuming she died from the same thing.

Other news about the tree is minimal except for my mums cousin Joan - her first cousin Nelson Smallbone who she is keen to find out more about, killed in action in WW11 is featured on the Commando Veterans Association website as being buried with military honours in Italy - aged 25 Sgt Nelson Arthur Michael Smallbone 6764594 Royal Fusilers It says A very long time after the Lake Comacchio battle had gone into history as a ‘Battle Honour’ for the Commandos, this author must make the names of No. 2 Commando ‘fallen’ part of the Commando history. Reading about what those young men went through is stomach churning.

Keep being asked if I can post one of the old certs on my blog - haven't had to time to work out yet how to scan a doc so it opens up large on line when clicked on. Will do soon.

PFI not going as smoothly as planned

Continuing my blog report on the refurb in this property...

Already stuck to the inside of my flat front door in a smart plastic folder are the diagrams, tech stuff, certs, notes about the various small changes and info about the bits I've purchased myself, schedule of works and emergency numbers etc .

According to plan, strip out day Thursday, organised like a military operation was absolutely amazing. Just after 8am the first press of the door buzzer - The supervisor arrived with two hunky Lithuanian guys. He pointed out to them all the things that were to be covered in the bathroom plus the fittings to be removed and kept aside - most I had already taken off the walls myself but the toolbox got buried under a mountain of bags so I had to leave the rest for them to deal with

They then set about covering my internal hall carpet and partially covered the sitting room floor. Usually they cover everywhere but as it is being changed I told them there was no point.

Fittings removed, they proceeded to transfer the cooker, fridge/freezer, washing machine and microwave into the designated area in the sitting room. Was difficult to disconnect the cooker because it was wedged into a small space and connected with a short flexible gas tube - no problem the adjacent unit nearest the door was literally yanked off the wall - takes a fit man to do that without any tools.

Next job, to move the tall fridge-freezer. Thought because of the size, it's fractionally smaller than a standard doorway, I'd have to remove the food items from the fridge section - at least those in class jars. A quick look inside I was told there was no need- kept my mouth shout and watched.

They rolled and twist up a thick wad of their protection material - put it underneath and hoisted it upright. Held my breath as they lowered it almost to floor level as they moved it through the kitchen doorway and again through the sitting room doorway. When in place I opened it and was amazed that nothing had moved inside.

That done, using the same type of cloth, for protection against the dust they then draped/taped up the doors leading into the bedroom and sitting room - going from room to room it was like walking into an Arabian styled tent.

Demolition - With one man working in the bathroom and one in the kitchen, strip out was quick and everything was taken outside. This time most of it was stacked against the street wall - bit embarrassing but space wise it was the only solution, see photo below. Learned the quick way to remove wallpaper a bucket of Fairy washing up liquid - even the wall lining paper came off easily without scraping. Can't imagine how long since the grotty wall in the photo above have seen the light of day. Worse are some of the discoloured floorboards which must be part of original building.

The RLO Chris was back and to with various other bods coming in and out. With the bath panels removed and wrapped the first job was to check for possible leakage underneath the bath. As I expected dry as a bone - obviuosly the leak downstairs is probably to do with the external down pipes - proving until now wasn't possible.

The window repair surveyor came to check and mark which window sills and frames are to be replaced including those in the flat upstairs. The electrician came to mark out the electrical points.

Later the RLO came around with and NVQ assessor. She said that along with my blog and Residents forum feedback report she would appreciate as well an independent customer service report. My overall response to her was that I was impressed with the way everything was being explained down to the last detail - no query was to much trouble. For people like myself who understand building works questions are mainly technical but my thoughts are always with those who haven't a clue what things are being done the way they are and the elderly/vulnerable residents for who the whole process was extremely traumatic.

She commented on the draped protection cloth over the doorways - saying she hadn't seen that done before. Showed her there wasn't any dust in the two rooms and told her it had completely muffled the noise - even the sound of the horrible grinding machine was barely audible.

The workers knew the time I was going out so it was arranged they would finish off in my flat and proceed with the strip out of the internal flights of stairs and the hallway. Was so impressed that within that short time they completed the whole job - will look good when it is carpeted throughout. More surprised that because of the extended time it took to complete that assignment the internal cutout work in my kitchen originally planned for Friday had also been squeezed in - saving a day of more noise.

The plumber and RLO came back just before 5 pm to connect the temporary sink and set up the mini two ring cooker. Nothing now will happen until next week - least that's what I though until later in the night.

Dashed out to to buy a new dust bin do some shopping and - arriving home found the whole place was absolutely freezing. Had expected a drop in the temperature because of the open floor boards but not the extreme cold. It was actually warmer outside than inside my flat. Even the echo and the voices coming from flats around which usually amuse me weren't so funny at the time.

Turned on the water to have a hot bath and water boiler wouldn't work - I was hopping mad - had to put on a winter coat just to keep warm. Don't understand how my head works at times but one of the few things I didn't pack away was my folder of manuals - good thing I didn't - was able to fish out the boiler manual. From the instruction found the the emergency start button and pressed. It didn't last for long - kept having to climb up and press the stupid thing over and over again but then noticed was a slight smell of burning of rubber so had to switch the whole boiler off - shivering in the cold getting rather irate was thinking what to do next.

Suddenly noticed the water pressure was down to zero which shouldn't be like that - realised that because they had removed some of the radiators the plumber had turned the pressure gauge down and not turned it back up again. To late to call the emergency number had to sit down and read the technical section of damn manual to make sure I didn't turn it up to high.

Finally I adjusted it back to the correct pressure and everything is back to normal - fell asleep absolutely shattered. Woke up early morning to the sound of water gushing outside. Felt to cold to go outside to even look. Had to wait until shop opening times - with two coats on feeling rather awkward going out without bathing, rushed along to my friends shop to collect an electric heater to warm up the place. Well that has temporary solved that problem.

Refreshed and a change of clothes went outside to have a look at where the water was gushing from. Couldn't see much with the scaffolding planks in the way and as the water seems to be draining away it can stay like that until Monday.

Had to go out to collect some paint charts - not having the yucky colours chosen by the contractors hoped it would lift my mood. Back home later, making something to eat found the grill pan for the cooking missing - had to improvise but that's not the point. Somebody is definitely going to get the sharp end of my tongue on Monday.

I'm quite a resilient person - having experienced managing basic living in strange circumstances across the globe when I was younger but this is England with certain expectations. Can understand why so many people living in small flat get decamped, some in hotels, while the work is being done.

Results: Partners Residents Forum election

The results of the Residents' forum election are in. Seems the number of residents who submitted a nomination fell short of number of seats available so that means all those that applied automatically become members by default.

The required number is 30 representatives, made up of 20 tenants and 10 leaseholders.

Bit sad really that of the 6500 residents living in properties managed by Partners more people didn't come forward to help - would have been fun having a Partners residents-wide election.

The good news is that there are some new faces this time around with more people from PFI2 than PFI1. The full list of names will be published in the June issue of the Partners Gazette and will be available on the website.

The current term of office of the Forum ends this month with the final meeting 21st May.

We are still looking for members who are interested in joining the team. There are some late nominations and I have a local banker friend who will be joining us as an observer at the next meeting. These residents will probably be seconded on the forum when the new forum takes office.

Freecycling while packing.

Continuing my diary of the refurb events in this property - What a weekend I had packing - boxes everywhere.

Found so many things I hardly use - some were just stuck in the cupboards taking up space. I hate to waste or throw any things useful away so quite impromptu, as I found them I offered everything one by one on Freecycle - the give it away free or collect what you need for free, website. Seems many people stayed at home this bank holiday - I was so surprised that everything went on Sunday/Monday, just hours after posting.

Courtesy of an elderly community helper living down the road, even my old cottage style 3 piece suite was taken by an elderly lady from Highgate. Put the chairs outside Sunday and they came to view - perfect was the response. How to move them - they wouldn't fit in his car. Had no choice but to carry the chairs down the road to his house. What a laugh - even the shopkeepers were waving - though they are not surprised at anything I do anymore.

Seats gone, had to go and retrieve my old padded garden chair from the shed to sit on - getting a bit to old to sit on the floor.

Monday finished packing what I could manage - most of my everyday kitchen stuff was carried to the shed. Wasn't an easy task because the space between the scaffolding poles restricted the size of the boxes that could be taken down the stairs to the garden.

My grandson seeing all his toys in large plastic crates in the hallway was really worried that I was going to give them away. In the shed I explained what was happening so he proudly wrote his name on the box containing the children's plates and cake things. As he and his sister were slowly walking down the stairs to go home, he looked up and asked the inevitable question - Why was there a big hole in the wall. Couldn't stop laughing - anybody seeing it for the first time would ask the same question never mind the curiosity of a child's enquiring mind.

This morning bright and early the packer arrived to complete the rest. He made it seem all so simple - box after box was filled. As he was working, the supervisor in charge of the scaffolding and hallway works called unexpectedly. My kitchen stripout day is booked for Thursday morning so he's arranged the stripout of the flights of stairs and hallway in the afternoon the same day. Makes logical sense to get it over and done with in one day but what a nightmare it is going to be. The packer as good as gold packed up all collective personal items as well to clear the way from the front door to the top level.

Lunchtime, the removal van arrived and out it all went. Impressed the way they manoeuvred the furniture down the curved stairs. One couldn't help worrying in case they damaged them.

Just before 3pm they drove away. Gosh my flat looks so empty - dozens of Morrison/ Sainsburys strong reusable shopping bags everywhere - ever so handy in keeping things off the floor.

One touching moment of the day - Back home later this evening found a bunch of roses and a thank you card from another neighbour down the road. Haven't got a vase left to put them in, a glass bottle will have to do but they just made my day. Small things like that make my helping people in the local community all so worthwhile.

Britblog Roundup 220

This weeks roundup can be read over at mreugenides blog - he say. Where there is discord, may Britblog Roundup 220 bring harmony...

Rota details and a complete archive may be found at the Britblog Central website. As ever, nominations should be sent as usual to britblog [at] gmail [dot] com.

Euro Elections next month

Vote cards have started dropping through letter boxes - mine arrived Friday. Just realised the European Parliament elections will be held Thursday 4th June this year.

The existing the 9 London Euro seats will be reduced to 8 this time around - means each party will produce a list of 8 candidates. With just one vote for each person the seats are then allocated in proportion to the number of votes cast for each party. Euro candidates

Haven't seen anything to interest me about this election - not even sure if I'm going to bother to vote this time.

It goes on - another week of building works

Another week of building works has gone by - what a week it has been. A kind of organised chaos is a polite way to describe it all. The noise all around has been absolutely deafening - with one drama after another the only choice is to grin and bare it.

The roof wasn't finished according to the works schedule because the flashings for the Velux window didn't arrive with the window frame - of course with all the heavy rain last weekend the water leaked down onto the freshly laid flooring in the loft and through to the ceiling in the flat above me.

Monday the plumbers arrived. As there was no access to one of the water tanks in the flat below, the site manager came and collected me from the shop asking politely if I would mind them breaking the wall in the hallway so they could have a look at it from the other side. What choice did I have - I don't have a spiteful bone in my body so naturally I was there to help. Least the workers were good about helping to carefully shift all my personal stuff.

When they smashed up the plasterboard and cut the support beams - what a mess - all mixed up with the junk that had been wedged up behind the tank against the wall which fell out. Only God knows how long it has been there. So weird having a hole into somebody else's flat. Will be boarded up next week after they have checked for the source of the leaks in the hallway.

Earlier the same morning, the plumbers turned off the water without telling anybody and I forgot about the young lady upstairs. They are supposed to give you advance notice - tempers at pitch level, they had to sent for some bottled water while it was sorted out.

Last week the special radiator for my bathroom arrived. Sad the neighbours couldn't have just been nice and just collected it for me. I was only in the garden out back to get away from the all the noise. Redelivery Tuesday the builders did the good deed so it is ready and waiting for the refurb in my flat.

The theory of the works schedule is that each gang is supposed to clear up their mess each day and take away their equipment, there's a rubbish skip in the side road, For some unexplained reason the builders left their cement mixer, sand and everything else behind. It's been there for over a week. The result being that the plumbers, roofers, and carpenters had nowhere to put all their stuff - the front looked like a real junk yard. Ended up with a carpenters workshop out in the street. Could hardly get in the gate with all the wood and planks positioned against the wall in the street - so embarrassing.

I've actually been looking forward to the carpenters doing the works downstairs because while the kitchen has been stripped down to the bare stone walls, everything going on below was like being a fly on the wall. Worse was while in the bath or having a private moment on the loo with voices all around.

Pat the site manager has been marvelous in sorting out the problems - he keeps saying if things are not going to plan phone him. He's been up and down like a yoyo. He finally agreed to help sort out a hot water problem that has been going on for the past couple of years.

He went mad on Thursday when after the roofers finished, swept down the scaffolding and took away their rubbish I phoned to tell him the builders stuff was still there. Coming back home met a young man on a bike asking where the skip was - said his boss was so angry and he had been sent to clear everything.

Such a sweet heart - not the most macho of men, he struggled a bit but everything except the sand was eventually shifted. Felt so sorry for him - told him not to worry about the sweeping up - it was the least I could do.

Thankfully it's all quiet now - my turn next week after the hols. Got to get on with the packing - with loft now dry some of it is going up there. The bulk items are going into storage so I can decorate the sitting room before the new carpet arrives.

Of all the things I am looking forward to is seeing what is under the floorboards in the sitting room - you never know what you may find down there. They are going to replace or reset some of them to hopefully stop the annoying squeaking when anybody walks on parts of the floor.

Will also be an absolute blast to hear what conversations will be heard coming from my flat when upstairs after they strip out the kitchen. Well next week is just around the corner.....