....a bit of light dusting....



Yesterday I took the train to the University " city" of Bangor
Fortified by a strong coffee and a Marks & Spencer scotch egg
I was ready for that challenge, all gay men like to face from time to time
And that is a spot of furniture arranging, room makeover titivating and rubbish removal.

Chris' work office was a ultilitarian, slightly bland lesson in functional academia.
You couldn't move for piles of research papers, box files and magnolia.....so my job ( and I was being paid just over minimum wage!) was to box up the shit, rearrange the office furniture to a more user friendly situation and ( and this was MY remit rather than Chris') to personalise the office with some judicious use of photographs and postcards, a collection he had tucked away, unseen in a drawer for an age.


A photograph we had taken of the Angel fountain in Central Park a few years ago now seemed to fit
the bill and by the time I had grouped it and other holiday snaps in a tastefully untidy collection that would impress any visiting Professor, the office looked more lived in and personal.
A colleague of Chris' popped her head into the office as I was arranging tea things onto a coffee table.
" I've made him some gingham curtains too!" I piped up
I wonder if she knew I was joking

61 comments:

  1. i swear i am going to eat a scotch egg tonight. has the council of scotch eggs gotten in touch with you? you are their best ambassador!

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  2. ...just the one egg?x

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    Replies
    1. I saved the other for my return journey

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  3. I caved an bought egg and bacon scotch eggs in Tesco Prestatyn the other day because they were on offer. I blame you that I am now £3 lighter and about 3lbs heavier.

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    1. They are more party food Hannah.....have a quality egg from marks.....lovely!

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  4. You are one hell of a person. Is there something you can't do, or that you let others do??

    :-)

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    Replies
    1. I cannot fly a plane or make a quiche without a soggy bottom

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  5. Dear John,
    the office of husband at university looks as the one you describe above - but I keep my hands away from it...
    With my young gay friend from Hamburg I happily roam through stores with beautiful things for a flat - then we go into a café and the men shoot wide awake glances between him and me (he doesn't look like my son), and the stiff Hamburgian ladies drop their icecream spoons :-)

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  6. Anonymous9:37 am

    You took a day trip to Bangor.......did you have a lovely time? God I hope I am not being too subtle.

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    1. Yup, I'm sure J.G. had a LUV-ER-LY time. But the question is - "On the way back did he cuddle with Jack?"

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    2. Blast from the past or whAt?

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  7. There's nothing gayer than a yellow duster; or come to that a pair of gingham curtains.

    Love your style John. Before you know it you'll be the new face of make-over programmes on telly.

    LLX

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    Replies
    1. Lol style and me don't always go handin hand

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  8. Wow! You travel and rearrange (lucky Chris!).... We could do with a change here if you want a trip abroad....there are several universities within a few hours drive ( including Ontario Canada) for the Professor and you could help with sheep shearing and lamb birthing too......

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  9. Anonymous11:01 am

    I remember the lovely job you did in a room of your own house you posted about. I'm sure the office looks very nice now and Chris will have a terrible time finding anything for a while.

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    Replies
    1. Well remembered.. Yes his yellow office at home IS rather sweet

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  10. i hope chris at least reimbursed you for the scotch egg!

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  11. I was also surprised your package contained only one Scotch egg. Also, regarding the gingham curtains, WERE you joking?

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    Replies
    1. Of course..... Mind you having said this.. Green gingham would look good!

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  12. Decorator/Interior Re-Do Specialist...contact John Gray

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    Replies
    1. Ys...but don't come to me about personal grooming......I look like the wreck of the Hesperus

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  13. Didn't you take any pictures and won't you show them?

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    Replies
    1. She is shy re work..... Hence no photos!

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  14. I'm sure she realised you were joking...gingham would be ridiculous...yellow stripes would be much better...

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    Replies
    1. Hummmm yellow stripes....... Now that sounds great

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  15. We've just had a director visiting (working) here for the past five weeks. As he's been very derogatory in the past about the South African and Indian food which we serve, I taught the chefs how to make Fish Kedgeree, Macaroni and Cheese, Welsh Rarebit, Pork Sausages and mashed potatoes(I told them to write BANGERS and mash on the menu) and of course Scotch Eggs! Now I have the entire other camp consisting of South Africans asking me for the Scotch egg recipe! Your meal above made me think of my job as keeping damn expats happy but for NO pay! Anyway, John, please won't you come over make me some gingham curtains? I am useless at any curtains: it's taken me three weeks to hang and correct the hanging of ready-made curtains in our lounge. I promise I will make you any type of English food you like! Greetings from Jo xxx

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    Replies
    1. Scotch eggs in Africa....... How wonderful

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  16. But will he be able to find anything ever again?

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  17. bwhahahaha! wales' very own martha stewart!

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  18. What? no photos of the office makeover? x

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  19. I love organizing stuff and rearranging furniture. My daughter, The Hurricane, and I used to get into furniture moving moods, during which we suddenly developed the strength of 6 burly men. Those were the days.

    Love,
    Janie

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    Replies
    1. I am paying for all the furniture moving today .. My bum pain has returned

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  20. I have to find a source for those eggs!!!

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  21. I am determined to make homemade scotch eggs one of these days. I'll have to make my own, since not a single soul in this part of the world has ever heard of them! I found a recipe that I plan to work from on the internet.

    I can't wait to see how they taste!

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    Replies
    1. Email me when you do....I would be fascinated to know
      jgsheffield@hotmail.com

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  22. Now I know you're good at de-cluttering, are you any good at cooking? Why? Because I've just come from shopping and seeing this recipe... Scotch egg Pie, a Waitrose Recipe card, thought of you, can't for the life of me think why?

    If you haven't got a Waitrose near you, I can either scan and email the card, or you can watch it being made online at waitrose.come/tv

    It certainly seems simple enough to make.

    LLX

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  23. There is a whole lot of satisfaction that comes with making order out of chaos, especially if there's a chance of being rewarded with a Scotch egg or two :)
    ~Jo

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  24. John Llewellyn Bowen. Hope you were wearing a nice frilly shirt for the occasion.

    I feel I must do Meg; by 'do', I obviously mean draw, so could you have a root around for a suitable pose for what will become a terrier triptych?

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  25. Could we have a picture?

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  26. The wife says that my office is a cluttered mess that has not changed in 40 years. I know where everything is.....well except for that um....err well almost everything.

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  27. Has Chris seen it yet? What does he think?

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    Replies
    1. Most of it he liked Jess....the titivating he could live without!

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  28. Photos of the office please!

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  29. Gingham! How de riguere!!

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  30. Anonymous9:17 pm

    What is the minimum wage? Just wondering.

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    1. Anonymous1:50 am

      The minimum wage in Michigan, USA is 4.79 pounds per hour. I found a converter.

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  31. Anonymous9:39 pm

    So that's where they hide the scotch eggs. Next time I get lost in Bangor, I hope I pass by Marks and Spencer so I can tick another "must do" off my list.

    janet

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  32. Have you tried the Gastropub runny Scotch eggs from Marks? Have to be heated in the oven before eating, but they are fantastic (worth the 15 minutes wait)!

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  33. I hope he found his papers after you were done, John. ;-)
    That was a great thing for you to do, John. I'll bet Chris can actually be more relaxed now.
    Happy Friday to you, both!

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  34. That's a lovely angel.

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  35. You sure are a handy fellow to have around the house... rearranging the furniture, organizing the clutter, and squeezing anal glands when the need arises. No need to fly a plane or make a quiche. (I'll refrain from making a smart ass remark about that "soggy bottom"...)

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  36. Personally, I wouldn't have got out of bed for anything less than 15quid an hour but you seem to have done a sterling job nevertheless. You're going to turn into a 'Scotch Egg' one of these fine days!Have a great weekend, Mr. x

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  37. It suddenly occurred to me - why don't they make Welsh Eggs?

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  38. On the possible list of my daughter. I was hoping not a Welsh one this time!!! ;-)

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  39. If you fancy a trip across the Pond, my office could do with a new look.

    I haven't looked for Scotch eggs here yet nor have i tried to make any. I have found a good, savoury scone recipe, though.

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  40. Anonymous1:17 am

    oh John you're such a tease :)

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