Deep Water, Deep Sleep

Day off work today but no lie in for us fitness freaks, we are up at more or less the usual time and running round the pond and park with Doggo. Three miles or so in a leisurely fashion, thanks to a dog who's more stop than go. Then we head off to the pool for 30 minutes there. I flounder my way to 20 lengths; L does more than that naturally. Apparently an early morning workout is good for your libido. So we head off home, hopefully back to bed and to test out that theory.

Life is never that simple. All of this running, swimming and hopefully shagging is to the worrying backdrop of the thought that the man from Whirlpool could turn up at any minute to fix our freezer. We get home and we haven't missed him, so, so far so good. I ring Whirlpool who assures us we have a morning appointment.

Another complication in the cunning plan is that the kids are off Christmas shopping with their father at 9am but he is naturally as late as late as ever. At 9.30 he rings to say he's on his way. Kids eventually leave, only one hour late.

No sign of Whirlpool, so, with one eye on the road outside for the expected white van, we leap (well kind of) back into bed and indulge in a spot of frantic, against the clock, sex. L doesn't work well under pressure. Normally in these kind of situations, if ever there's an interruption, poor old L ends up being frustrated but today she plays a blinder and we finish with seconds to spare before a van pulls up outside. I hurriedly get dressed to let Whirlpool in while L is still recovering in the bedroom.

Whirlpool man diagnoses the problem in about 5 seconds, our three-week-old freezer needs a new compressor, sounds like he's on the ball, so should be a quick job. Afraid not, he doesn't install compressors, we need another man for that! Could be after Christmas we're told. However a few phone calls later, another man is on his way down from Mansfield to sort us out.

Thirty minutes later, the man arrives and sets about replacing our dodgy Brazilian (no not that kind) compressor with a better Italian one. L hides Doggo in the back room in case he turns ferocious. He has a random dislike of some people; how he differentiates we can't quite work out. The man finishes the job and Doggo decides he loves him after all and both quickly become good friends.

We head into to town to get L's Xmas present, boots this time. Unlike our last shopping trip it is over in minutes as L is more decisive about her boots. We ponder on dress shopping and although it is a spectator sport that I quite enjoy, well the stripping off bit anyway, we decide things will most probably be cheaper in the sales. Something to look forward to. I have now being shopping more times with L in the last week than in the previous 10 years.

We head to the Bell to celebrate and have possibly our last ever H&H Rocking Rudolph.

Later that night we go see the film Deep Water and have a Hopback beer in the bar first. The beer is decidedly dodgy and I have to finish L's half.

The film is about Donald Crowhurst bizarre participation in the 1969 competition to sail around the world solo without stopping. The film includes 16mm footage shot at the time. Almost immediately his boat started leaking. It would have been suicidal for him to continue but returning home meant humiliation and financial ruin, so he faked his journey but then topped himself anyway.

The film is good but either doesn't hold L's attention or the combination of our hectic day has done her in because despite numerous digs in the ribs from me, she sleeps through most of it. I fill her in with all the details afterwards, so that if anyone asks she can sound knowledgeable about it.

Later than evening L seems slightly more awake so we head down the Plough for a couple of Sooty Stouts. Then have a glass of wine back at home.