Working Holiday

 Some time ago my Mum and Dad decided to install a new kitchen into the bungalow they will be soon moving into. Their house in Martock, that they lived in, and raised a family in, for nearly 40 years, was put on the market and sold within days.

I decided that when the job was scheduled, I would fly over and help my brother Dean install the new kitchen. Dean is working for himself once again, doing home renovations. At the moment he has a lot of work on his books, some of which is for my Mum and Dad. He, along with our parents, are renovating their soon-to-be new home in Kingsbury Episcopi. As a surprise, Lisa and I decided that Cora would come with me to help out a little and spent some time with her Nan. Violet would spend the week having a week with Mummy.

Nan and Pop had a nice surprise when they picked us up from Heathrow airport. We had a lovely drive back to Somerset. In fact, the weather was nice the whole time we were home.

Here's Mum and Dad's new home - a gorgeous three bedroom bungalow with nice gardens, on the edge of the Somerset levels. The open fields are just footsteps from their door. Dean has been hard at work for weeks, plastering rooms, updating plumbing and re-modeling the bathroom. My Mum and Dad have been working most days stripping wallpaper and re-decorating.

 On my first work day, we re-plumbed the kitchen, ran electrical in the walls and finished off the wood flooring.
Also, on the first day, it's worth noting that my Day split his head open after hitting it on the car boot latch, causing blood to cover his face, and I drove the car into the metal gates in front of the bungalow, denting the front of the car and smashing the gate. Not the best start to my trip to help out and be useful.

Day Two started off better; Dad had calmed down over the smashed-in gates and damage to the car. His head was healing nicely and Dean and I were off and running with the kitchen fitting.
For the first time in his life my Dad will have his own work shop. Cora helped out with painting the garage that will become his own space for the projects he's always working on.

 Over the next three days, the work went well. Dean and I cracked on and got all the cabinets and counter tops fitted. During the whole trip we pretty much worked from 9 till 7:30 with fifteen-minute lunch breaks. Dean's a bit of a slave-driver.

It was really nice working with Dean again. He really is a hard grafter and does good quality work.
As far as the kitchen install goes, I'm still not sure if my trip was a success. What with the gate and car I think I did more damage than good.
With that said, being home with my family and working with my brother is always worth it, no matter what the cost.

On Sunday, our last day - and my birthday and Father's Day - we all, Mum, Dad, Dean, Jenny, Euan, Olivia, Cora and I, went to a country fair. It was a nice, relaxing day after a long week.
We went on a tractor and trailer ride, had a ploughman's lunch, drank cider, watched Cora and Euan on a climbing wall, and looked at old cars. All in the fresh air of the sunny English countryside. Only two things could have made it better... Lisa and Violet.

The week went so fast. Cora spent much of her time with Nan, which they both enjoyed. I spent my time working. Unfortunately there was no time to see Dunc and his family or Andy and Jen or other friends and family. I truly wish there was more time.

It came time to leave and return back home to Valencia, only this time I not only said goodbye to my family but also the home I grew up in. The small two-bedroom house on Whellers Meadow, Martock, that holds so many memories. I am sad that my parents are leaving, but very happy that they are moving to a beautiful new home, in a lovely village surrounded by stunning Somerset countryside.