MRI Scan

Just had one of those MRI scan things to make sure my brain is still there. Whilst changing into my hospital gown I was given a choice of music to listen to, which they play over headphones to disguise the noise of the machinery. I then spent a torturous half hour wedged inside a narrow tube with all sorts of weird, horrible sounds going on around me. My fault for choosing Westlife's Allow Us To Be Frank album I suppose (I can only assume that the "Frank" part is rhyming slang). Not really - I went for Classic 80's Rock and it was certainly very surreal being wedged down a rabbit hole with some nurses staring up my gown while The Final Countdown blared into my ears.

It did give me some time to come up with my top five most inappropriate songs to play in an MRI scanner though:
1. I Don't Want to Die In a Hospital - Conor Oberst
2. Die Young - Black Sabbath
3. Nice to be Dead - Iggy Pop
4. Brain Damage - Pink Floyd
5. Anything by Radiohead or Brain Ferry

Anyway, it seemed to go ok. Well, I don't have the results yet, but what I mean is the machine didn't explode or anything. They even gave me a CD at the end with my scan results on - I did consider loading it onto my blog but it somehow seemed inappropriate. I was disappointed not to get a T-shirt with the CD though - "I rode the Harpenden MRI scanner and survived" or something similar.

Day 3 - Final Result!

The Grand Decking Project - Lunch on Day 3

Handrail - done! Pointing - done! Handrail for steps - nearly done!

The Grand Decking Project - Close of Day 2

Great success! Got the steps done and the decking, just the handrail and gate to go now. An afternoon spent with another power tool - the pressure washer. Whilst not as powerful as the angle grinder, no less satisfying - especially when you can use it to accidentally soak your father. Oops. God got revenge on Dad's behalf though by sending down a particularly heavy shower of rain just as I had mixed my cement mortar, meaning I had to spend the next half an hour painfully stirring it so it didn't set.

The Grand Decking Project - Lunch on Day 2

So, here we are at lunch on Day 2. Day 1 was a grand success, getting all the basic structure up. We have been using the stone cutter to cut tiles for the steps, and laying the first few bits of decking. The stone cutter was a most excellent power tool and made me feel very macho, especially as I am now sporting a beard, albeit one with a fair few tints of ginger and (a recent development!) grey. In fact, I swear I discovered my first grey hair the same day we found out Em was pregnant. I know I am getting old now since my blog features my DIY exploits and I waffle about my grey hairs. Still, I have chosen Absolute Radio over Radio 2 for our builders' radio station of choice, so not too middle aged yet...

Actually - I say DIY, it should really be DISE as Dad it doing all the hard work in my opinion. Still, DIY and barbecues really seems to be the well-protected domain of all Dads. Perhaps, when Em has the baby in December, Dad and I will have to have a "DIY-off" to see which Dad has the true mastery of skills. I know who would win at the moment so I'd best get practising (cut to six months time, me with saw in hand: "your powers are weak old man, now I am the master". Dad: "Mike, I have something to tell you ... I am your father." Me: "Noooooo!!!")

Anyway, I managed to convince Dad to finally take a photo of me instead so it gives the impression that I am actually doing some of the work too (namely the bits that have gone wrong!)

The Grand Decking Project - Tea on Day 1

Well, coffee to be more precise. The rain started and stopped right on and after lunch, perfect timing. More progress has been made since and relations between the two builders are still as steadfast as the structure itself!

At the moment the vertical posts are sticking up quite far as we haven't yet cut them down to size. The neighbours are going to have a fit when they see it that high - at present it sticks up about 2 metres above their fence. It looks like we are actually extending the kitchen - I did consider moving the dishwasher and cooker out there and throwing a tarpaulin over the posts as a makeshift extension. May get a little cold in the winter though. The other option is to put a maching gun and barbed wire up there and build a little watchtower with searchlights. All will be revealed...

The Grand Decking Project - Day 1

Lunch on Day 1 - Rain Stopped Play

(or "work" says Dad)

So, here we are - the day has finally arrived for the grand decking project to begin. I thought I'd put up a few photies so you can check our progress (or lack of). No doubt the photos will evolve over the next couple of days to show two increasingly angry and frustrated men, threatening each other with ever more deadly tools. Perhaps the final photo will be a chalk outline of a body?

But I jest. Dad has come down to help - I say help, but actually most of the morning has been me taking pictures while he does all of the work! Ha! Anyway, best get back to it as the rain has stopped!