luckykaa

So, extra-talkative landlady has been less talkative.  Still hasn't murdered me.  Have met other lodgers.  They're not stuffed.

Really the problem is, she's somewhat deaf.  When she does try to listen to me I can't really have a conversation.  Other slight annoyances are that she doesn't seem to be making much accommodation for lodgers.  The other two guys are okay because they don't cook.  I quite like to though.  This means I need a certain amount of storage space in the fridge and on shelves and I don't get that - at least not allocated to me.  I would ask Landlady about it but it's very difficult getting through to her because she doesn't hear what I say, then seems to go off at a tangent about what she thinks I'm talking about.

Job is going okay-ish.  We've established that it will take about 6 months for the team of us to finish this project based on finger in the air estimates.  I think this is probably the case. I also think one person could do it in half the time. Tools are a bit annoying in that the documentation is non-existent, the naming convention is trying to be to clever, and I'm not all that certain that we're actually justifying the use of the tools we're using.  Meetings seem to go on forever.  It is important to hash out these details from time to time but do people have nothing better to do? 

Will have to work out optimal travel plans.  Getting there isn't too bad.  Can drive up in a couple of hours.  Dartford tunnel doesn't seem to be an issue.   Getting back seems to involve crawling around the M25 during rush hour.  I know from experience anti-clockwise is a joke.  Clockwise has the dartford bridge, which has far too few gates at the toll plaza.  Could go by train instead but that would mean an even earlier start time on Monday and I think it may be a little more pricey.  Hard to say.  How much does 200 miles driving actually cost me?

Hoping that these work times become more predictable.  I am suitably close to the Stevenage cinema and London but if I don't know when I'm going to be finished, I can't really make sensible arrangements. 

So that's my current work life.  Will have to add a social life thing to this.  I'm finding myself really tired in the evening. 

Will have to update with a social life summary soon.

Saw two rooms.  Both quite nice.  Both have parking, are within walking distance of work, kitchen access and likeable enough people.

Can't decide.

Place 1: The landlady - Val - could talk for England. Natter natter natter. Was difficult escaping.  But she's a nice sort and intelligent - likes card games and old movies and a whole lot of other stuff. 

Place 2: Sharing with 1.5 young professionals (One person who stays there all the time the other disappears to tour with his band.  Is apparently very considerate with noise).  Place is a little tatty, but the room's larger.  Does have cable. 

So it's a question of whether I want companionship or personal space.

The other prospective tenant of place 1 came at the same time as me.  Turns out it's my project manager.  Would say I was surprised but really, since the landlady mentioned the other person was called Stephen and ProjMan - Steve - was talking about finding a place to lodge, I can't say I was totally shocked.

Edit: So chatted to my mum about this.  She started talking a bout a Roald Dahl short story about a remarkably similar situation where someone found a lodging for a new job and was murdered.