DAMNED TIDY PEOPLE

 We went around to a neighbour's place the other night for drinks and takeaway dinner.

It was very pleasant and we enjoyed ourselves and drunk too much.

The trouble was though, that their place - an old bungalow - has been renovated to a very high standard.

I could see The Old Girl looking at: the spacious kitchen with it's gleaming appliances; the lounge and sitting room with its windows that close and seal properly; the tidy deck with the new adjustable covering; the back deck, shed and garage that were nicely painted and in pristine condition; the well-kept garden with defined areas for lawn, vegetable garden and flower borders.

All this and - everything was spotlessly clean, shiny and fresh looking. The lawns appeared to have been cut with scissors and nail clippers. Basically it put me to shame.

I realise that the man of the house there has some sort of OCD compulsion and, going by the state of the house generally his wife must also suffer from some sort of cleaning compulsion.

Our house is an old villa, a bit older than theirs and in no way in as good condition. I'd have to spend a month of sundays cleaning, scraping, painting, weeding, mowing, fitting, replacing, building, renovating and getting tradesmen in and still wouldn't get near to their standard.

 It's no coincidence that today The Old Girl is spring cleaning the house and I have a big list of things to do. 

Bugger!