The Weekend.

Hi everyone, I guess you are wondering how I got on last Friday and over the weekend. Friday lunch time was really nice cos Katie made me some shepherds pie. Apparently she made it the day before for her dinner and she saved some for me to have for lunch on Friday. I made a bit of a slip up though, because I had the shepherds pie for lunch I didn’t eat my sandwiches and mum wondered why! Anyway I just told her what was going on and she said to be careful.
Because Katie was so kind I decided to offer to give her a hand getting her stuff sorted out as I don’t think they give her much chance to do stuff also she needed a hand moving some of the heavy stuff around.
After I got done work dad took me to pick up my new car which was all very exciting, I couldn’t wait until the next morning when I could go for a drive in it. In the afternoon I went Katie’s as they gave her the rest of the day off so we did a load of work which was fun and then in the evening we went out to the local pub and had a meal. It wasn’t a romantic or fancy meal, just something to eat and have a chat over.

We All Have Bad Habits.

Today I took the plunge and spent my lunch break at Katie’s place. I wasn’t sure how welcome I would be considering my lack of enthusiasm yesterday but I need not have worried. I was making a pretence of dead heading some Fuchsia’s in a trough outside the dowager house at just before 12 so I didn’t have to wait long before Katie appeared. She didn’t seem so bright and friendly at first but that soon lifted when I asked if the offer to share lunch breaks was still on. I will try and get a layout of the place if I can sometime so you can see what its like but for now I will just explain that attached to the big house is a row of four houses three of which are for the estate staff. Katie has the first one from the big house, then it is the dowager house and the next one is where the woodman lives and on the very end is for the game keepers little helper. So you will see from that it is only a few paces from the dowager house to Katie’s place.
I followed her inside and she took off the white coat that she wears to work. It may sound strange but I was relieved to see that I was wrong about her not wearing anything under it, this day she had on shorts and a T-shirt. She now went and let herself down by picking up a pack of cigarettes, taking one out and offering me the packet. I think she knew what I was thinking because when I declined she said, ‘No smoke no like – right’? It’s true I was disappointed as I don’t really like smoking but I said that I was more surprised that someone in her profession should be a smoker. She said we all have bad habits which is true but most of them don’t kill you. Anyway I agreed with her and left it at that saying that if we are to be friends we have to live with each others habits.
Then I went and did something I feel bad about now – well, a bit bad. Thing was mum texted me to say that I would have to get my own dinner tonight as everyone would be out so I was answering the message as Katie was showing me round and I don’t know why but I got an urge and went and took some covert pics of her with my phone. It didn’t seem that bad at the time but now I feel a bit guilty, I was actually intending putting them on here but I guess that would make it even worse.
Anyway it was very nice and I will be going there every day until she kicks me out. I’m thinking I might offer to give her a hand because she has loads of unpacking still to do. I’m not sure how that will go down with anyone else but who cares as it’s nothing to do with anyone else as long as I do my work.
I just had another look at the pictures and there is one of her face that is quite nice so just so that you can see what she looks like I will put it on but may remove it some time in the future.

Sorry about the quality but it was with my phone and I was trying to be sneaky.

Something To Think About.

This morning I got a call from the housekeeper asking me to take in some veg for the shoot dinner on Friday. I receive all such instructions through the housekeeper now so it was no surprise when I got there with the veg to be told by her to fill the log boxes as they would be having fires now that the weather is turning colder.

Down the wood cellar.

I think the gentleman is here at the moment although I haven’t seen him but you can sort of tell when he is here just by the way the cars come and go and little things like that. One of my daily tasks is to go and check on the sheep across the road. They have a flock of rare breed sheep so to save the farmer coming out to look I keep and eye on them and if there is problem I report it to the manager who then sorts it out. Anyway this morning I was just wandering up the drive to the road when Katie pulled up in the dowager gentleman’s car. She put down the window and said straight out before I got chance to do anything more than smile good morning to her, ‘How was the pie’? I thanked her and said it was very good and that she is a good cook. She then said that I needed to change my lunch break and being curious asked why.
‘Well I have to have mine from 12 till 1 same time as the family so if you had the same time you could come share more pie with me’.
This came out of the blue and left me a bit speechless. I must say that I am getting to enjoy her company more and more but I thought that changing my lunch break so I could spend it with her was getting a bit close to the same road I took with Nicole.
‘What’s the matter, don’t you like the idea’? she asked.
I said that I liked the idea of having company for lunch as my job is very lacking in that department but I was thinking about how bad it would be to go back to having lunch by myself in the potting shed after she got fed up of me dropping crumbs all over her flat. She was surprised that I would give up an invitation just because I was afraid of what might or might not happen in the future. She couldn’t hang around any longer so just left the invitation open, if I want to take my lunch with her I was welcome, I just had to be around her place at 12. I have to confess to getting to be more and more interested in the idea, today though I stuck with my usual routine but having considered it all afternoon I think I may give it a go tomorrow so watch this space.

Veg for the shoot.

Love Pie.

I was asked yesterday what happened between me and Nicole. Well to be honest I don’t truthfully know for sure. Everything was going great until she went to visit her parents for the weekend. We were in touch every night until the Sunday and then she never called or answered my calls until very late in the evening and when she did all she said was that I had to cool things down and when I pressed her as to what was the matter she said for me to go to bed and she put the phone down. I tried calling her on the Monday from time to time but her phone was off and then when she was back on Tuesday morning I went to do the logs and get my jobs from her and she just spoke to me like I was the gardener and also said that there was no further need for me to go to the house in the mornings as they wouldn’t be using any more logs for the time being so now I just go straight in to the gardens and find my own jobs. I never see anyone from one end of the day to the next. I did manage to get her cornered after a week or so and I asked if it was something her parents had said and she said they had said nothing. All she would say was that we had a good time and should just leave it there and that’s all I have ever got to know. The wonderful Tony has disappeared back to London and everything at the big house seems to be back as it was although as I say I see no one so don’t have any real idea what is happening. Today was one of the best days I’ve had in over six months and for the first time in ages I am actually looking forward to going to work tomorrow. Now I know what you’re going to say when I tell you this but really I’m not going down the same road again.
This morning I was planting up the Dowager lady’s wall borders which she asked me to do yesterday when I saw her in the garden with the new nurse. Anyway I was getting on well and was just thinking of taking my tea break when the nurse came out of the dowager house. I had resisted bringing forth a stiffy all last night for fear it would affect my judgement of her but this morning I woke with my pyjamas under considerable strain and I have to be honest and say I succumbed to the pressure so when the nurse put in an appearance this morning I couldn’t help pay more interest than I had previously. She seemed much prettier than I remembered, very slim with long legs. Nicole is quite tall but the nurse is probably even taller. This morning she was actually dressed more like a nurse, or perhaps more like a doctor actually as she was wearing a long white coat over not a lot as far as I could tell – I do tend to notice stuff like that. I think she knew that I was already there because she didn’t show any sort of surprise when she saw me and went straight in to a conversation about the pansies I was planting. She also said that she has to step outside for a breath of fresh air as the old couple have it very hot in the house which was perhaps why the nurse didn’t appear to have much on under her coat – there again it was probably just me and my wishful thinking! She told me her name which is Katie and I passed a comment on the wonderful smell that was coming through the half open door. She announced that she was baking an apple pie which surprised me a little as it’s not the normal thing for a nurse to do but it turns out she is more of a PA come housekeeper than a actual nurse to the old couple although she does have nursing duties as well. After asking when my lunch break was she told me to come back then and she would bring me out a piece for my lunch. I wasn’t sure if this was ok with the old couple but if she was able to pull it off I would willingly eat it. So at just after 12:30 I was hanging around outside the dowager house having finished the planting job some time previously. I was there more in hope than any real belief that she would actually show up with a piece of pie but she didn’t let me down. It was wrapped in foil which was warm to the touch. I took it back to the potting shed where I enjoyed it immensely while I tried desperately not to fall in love with its creator. I’m such a sucker for a kind heart and a pretty smile. I’m sure if she read this now she would laugh at how some one can turn a kind gesture in to a love affair. I’ve just realised there must be something attractive about her because I have hardly given Nicole a thought all day!

Once Again Inspired.

Its a while since I last posted anything because of several reasons. One reason being due to the time of year and all the work that involves. Not so much at the hall as they are fixed hours but after work I go off on contract jobs for the farm. Another reason for not writing has been my frame of mind which has been played upon by a certain person so leaving me pretty much down in the dump all summer. That person being the lady bitch Nichole although even after all she has put me through I still find it hard to really see her in a bad light. I reckon if she wanted I would still get sucked in all over again by her beauty and sweetness even after all the humiliation and heartache.
So why am I suddenly back bloggin'? Well apart from having more time again now I've had a moment today that's inspires me to put pen to paper once again.
About 3 weeks ago I saw her ladyship with this woman who at the time I took to be a friend, mainly due to the way they were acting and the fact they appeared to be of a similar age. Then last week I saw her driving in and out of the place a couple of times on her own so wasn't sure what or who she was. Then this afternoon I saw her and the dowager lady walking around the garden while I was clearing some old plants out of the greenhouse. Next minute I see her making a beeline for the greenhouse by herself. I met her at the door where she announced that she was the new nurse and did I have a container they could put some apples in? I do save a few boxes for just such occasions so as I went to the potting shed to get one I pondered the fact that we had 'A' nurse let alone a new one. I know the old couple have been having some troubles over the summer but I have heard no mention of them needing a private nurse and she certainly wasn't dressed like a nurse. My thoughts were interrupted by her asking if it was safe to enter the potting shed? I wasn't sure why she was asking but said it was quite safe. She then surprised me further by saying she had been told to give the potting shed a wide birth. I immediately went on the defensive thinking Nicole had been saying something and I think she realised that she had said something wrong because she tried to backtrack by saying that she heard tails of what gardeners get up to in potting sheds with their dibbers. If this was her idea of trying to cover her tracks she wasn't doing a very good job because it just made me more convinced that she knew something - or is it just my guilty conscience? I may have cursed Nicole a little as I have become good at that but would probably have thought no more of it had it not been the look she gave me as she left. It was the same sort of look Nicole used to give me when she was up for some fun. Its fair to say that the nurse is pretty enough but our first meeting didn't have the trouser splitting effect on me that Nicole had on our first meeting. I can't deny it though, she is preying on my mind tonight. I'm trying to be cool and not get sucked in to any stupid idea's like I did last time but what if she is up for some fun? Can I resist? Should I resist? What is it with me and 30 something women?

Bright Light.

Not a lot has been happening today really. I had the wonderful Tony pay me a visit in the potting shed this afternoon as I was pricking out seedlings, his visits don’t hold the same appeal as Nicole’s did and I just feel depressed afterwards when I think about it. I know there is no reason to be as I now have more time with her than ever but it just makes me sad to think of the plans we had for the garden and stuff and now they will never happen.

Today Nicole took mum to York for a girls day out as she calls it. I guess this sounds stupid and petty as well when I say I felt real envy at mum having the day out with Nicole. Well there is one good thing, they’re getting on like a house on fire now, you’d think they were best mates.

Nicole stayed for dinner with us so we spent some time together afterwards. We went up the shed and looked at what lambs are left in there as she loves to see the lambs.
She has become a permanent fixture at dinner times now, everyone is quite subdued on the days when she isn’t there. She even has her own place between me and dad and no one sits there if she isn’t here. Even Tyrone comes out of his shell when Nicole is eating with us. Tyrone is my sister’s boy friend, things are back to normal between them now and all that other stuff from a few weeks ago is forgotten about. I thought it was quite amusing a few nights back when we were all there having dinner, we’re all talking in our northern accents to varying degrees and then you have Nicole with her refined upper class accent. It’s funny as well because dad is there trying to teach her to speak like us and she is trying to teach him to speak properly like her. It’s all done in good fun and like I say dinner times are a ball now and take forever to get through with all the talking and stuff. She is such a bright light, I am so proud of her, I am very lucky. Our only argument so far apart from the back seat of the car incident is who is the luckiest me for having her or her for having me.

The Answer.

As much as I love to receive your comments I am pleased to see that there wasn’t a flood of them all giving the right answer to the question I posed last night or we would have looked pretty stupid. Now I will carry on where I left off.

‘and’…? She said looking at me intently.

Really I couldn’t see what she was driving at and in the end she put me out of my misery pointing out that the Scott’s, even though never seen by anyone from the main estate back home are never the less still employees of Lord A! I couldn’t believe that it never even occurred to us. We do everything to make sure Angela and the others have no idea about us and never even gave the Scott’s a thought when in reality they are no different to Angela or any one else on the estate. I offered to go somewhere and wait while she went and looked at the property but she said that was no good as she had already arranged with Mrs Scott to have rooms ready for us to stay over. The one good thing was that as far as she could recall she only ever referred to me as a friend when making arrangements with Mrs Scott, so I went as a friend and we just hoped that even if they did mention it to some one back home they wouldn’t catch on that it was me. There was one thing in our favour and that was on the Sunday morning Archie [Scott] enquired that if Nicole took to the place would she be looking to employ people. Well Nicole has brains as well as beauty and was quick to say that there was a very good chance that she would be looking for a few loyal people to help out around the place depending on what she decided to do with it if she had it. Of course another good thing is that with me being a bit younger than Nicole people don’t tend to see us as close friends if you know what I mean. Nicole told me tonight that his lordships father mentioned to her about taking someone with her to view the place and she just said that it was a knowledgeable friend who was there to advise her. We both love the place but its semi-derelict. It could be nice but needs loads of money spending on it. We both cracked up on the way home because she was on at me to say more about what we could do with the place and just tell her my idea’s and I said that I didn’t know anything about business and that she was the smart one with all the idea’s.

She laughed and said, ‘Jake that sounds so strange, you’re the only guy I’ve been with that ever said those words to me. Usually they just throw cold water on my idea’s’.

‘I’m sorry, I guess I am being a bit negative about the place’ I said thinking about what I’d been saying about it needing loads of money spending on it and what have you.

‘Believe me Jacob, your words were no more than the finest mist, when I talk of pouring cold water on my idea’s I mean bucket full after bucket full of cold water until the whole idea is well and truly washed down the drain and I’m left feeling stupid and worthless’. She leaned over and kissed me and said not to worry that we would work something out. There was an old man and woman opposite, they both smiled when I looked at them.

Nicole was here tonight and she was talking to my parents about the place and dad said, ‘why don’t you do like Jake when he needs some money’?
I could tell dad was up to mischief and when Nicole asked what did I do he said he asks his dad!

She laughed and said, ‘Yes that is an option, it is after all what daddies do best’ and gave dad’s arm an affectionate tap.

So the way things stand at the moment is we’re waiting to have a full survey done on the place, which is what her father has advised her to do before she agrees to anything so it could be a while before anything is decided she is also taking advice from someone as to how much she could expect to receive if she went through proper channels instead of working out a deal directly with his lordship. She would rather do a deal though as she doesn’t want a load of hassle from him about things.

Before I finish I would just like to say well done to Matt for guessing the right answer, I think we will have to employ him as our advisor or something.