The story I related a week or so back about 'the right sort of pen' is a good example of something that I have come to call 'Doing a D*' when I relate some of my business partners extraordinary behaviour to Trx.
I suppose after four years I have some idea of what makes him tick, but its a fascinating 'study'.
Here's another example, from last Friday.

He's off for the day.
Sailing.
One of his friend's has a small dinghy moored locally.
(For a start he can't just take day off. We have to know why, where and al lthe details...)
Rang into the office at least three times for various non-reasons.
Like to get someone's phone number.

Hello -i it's me!
Oh. Hi. Are you OK?
Yeah - I'm in so-and-so's boat, just off thingy. It's cool. Bit windy but -

(So you're ringing just so that I know you're out sailing and I'm not?)

Listen. Can you get me so-and-so's number. I need to talk to them about thingy.
But you're sailing. Having a day off?
It's OK. I just need to know what time thingy is happening on whotsitday.
Can't you get it on Monday?
(Long pause)
What, what's that? I can't hear you. Go onto my database and look for...

(So he doesn't be overheard responding to being questionned)

Yes, I know how to, I just don't see why you need it.

(So you're ringing the office so the people you're sailing with can see how important you are?)
Lots of people do this.
Ring other people, wives, offices etc for no reason just to make themselves appear indispensable.
I don't get it.

Have a day off. Go away.
Like the saying goes, if I cared, I'd ask.
Sounds harsh, and I don't mean to be.
I just really don't need to know, and we can, surprisingly, manage perfectly well without you.
He has to ask Jo where she's been and what she's got in her bag whenever she comes back from lunch. And while she's out he reads all her emails.

I don't think that's right really, is it?

Anyway, that's "Doing A D".
There'll be others...

A new name has entered the picture.
We've been looking for a middle name to match the other girls, who are called Mary, Mabel and May respectively.
Two family names (her mum, my gran) and one that just sounded perfect when we fitted it with Elsi (my great aunt).

It should have been obvious, but not until reading from Luke (10:38 onwards) has the name Martha come into play before.
It's great. Of the right sort of period, solid pedigree, and begins of course with 'Ma'. There is no family connections that we are aware of, but that isn't too important.

Trouble is, it doesn't sit well with 'Dorothy' and that is favourite now by a long way. Until Sunday, it was Dorothy Grace.
Dorothy Martha Smith?
Not bad. I'll say it a few times.

Too many 'th'-ses???

Another meeting of the Church Fabric Committee tonight (I'm just writing up the minutes) but only two of us turned up so it was less than amazing.
And of course no-one has had a chance to do anything since last time, so we went over the same ground.
Levelled it a bit, and discussed a few new ideas.
Plan now is to actually implement some fundraising instead of just talking about it, write out a new Action Plan and get the ball rolling.
The theory is that once a few jobs get done (lightning conductor, ventilator/chimney thing, drainpipes...) these will generate some awareness of things 'going on' in the building.
It's in a very prominent position on a corner and with a bus stop outside, so lpts of people pass by and can receive subliminal messages over time.
Part of the problem is that I haven't received copy or pictures form the people who said they would send them to me last time!

Had CB on the phone before the meet, giving her apologies.
Seemed no real reason to do this, but she's clearly upset and reaching out again. I've been advised to stay well out of it - sounds horribly complicated - but I just want to get straight in there and have her talk it out at me! I'll reinforce my invite for lunch over the next few days, but it's really hard to know how to proceed. She was in tears on the phone and I could feel her pain, so there's obviously a lot going on again.

Then spend an hour and a half on the phone to my Big Girls, whose lives at the moment seem relatively calm and organised. Biscuit starts her A1s tomorrow and then has three weeks of intense exams. She's been to see the da Vinci Code at the weekend and thought it was "crap".
Kink is 'between boyfriends' again at the moment.
Seems she acted on my advice to dump the last one, which is scary and cool. Trouble is now, her attention has been caught by a guy whose already living with someone else.
She does like it complicated, that one.

Like her Dad, I suppose

You know how there are times when you see the same person over and over again during a short period and wonder why? And then just as mysteriously you don't see them anymore?
Last year, over the summer, there was the woman at the Farm when Stan stung his hand, who I then bumped into twice within a month.
There is a girl round here who caught my eye a week or three back with her amazing big long black hair, goth boots and generally striking and very sexy appearance. Just caught my eye as I cycled home one day - as these things do.
Noticed her again a day or three later around the shops, because she has a very distinct walk that is just a little too slow and she leans back just a little to far.
Then the weekend before last I was in the park with the kids and she came by, sat on a bench and just looked into space for a while. Looked amazing then too...
It's weird how this happens.
I went to Fopp today, and she was in there. At lunchtime in town.
With a mate, and she's probly a student. Carrying a folder - that's a clue
Then, b*gger me sideways with a pointy stick, I went to deliver some maps to a bookshop later on and she was in there too!

I've given up trying to understand - there may be absolutely no point to this whatsoever.

What a crappy wet yakky weekend.
It rained all day yesterday and is still p*ssing down now.
Hopefully the sky will be all rained out over the next few days...

Picked up the roofbox yesterday - its enormous, and we've started making out a list of 'stuff'.
Turns out we have to take our own bed linen - what a pain in the bottom that is!!
Bang goes all our extra space...

Shared out some very useful dividends today, and decided to take £500 of mine in cash.
Feels nice...
OK, so I brought diaries, scrapbooks and audio-stories (Roald Dahl, Postman Pan and Maisy!!) but I also had to get myself some music.
Essential in East Street really is closing down!
Shame, but to be expected sinc ethe arrival of Fopp in the High Street. They have some great bargains and loads of loss leaders for £5 which must make it very difficult for independent retailers to compete.

Today I picked up:
Nick cave - Murder Ballads
Nick cave - Nocturama
Kraftwerk - The Man Machine
The Wedding Present - George Best Plus.
one of the best albums in the history of everything. Saw them two or three times in the late 80s and I've never seen anyone play with so much energy, enthusiasm and humour. great to have this on CD at last. Includes such classics as
Nobody's Twisting Your Arm
My Favourite Dress
Give My Love To Kevin
Anyone Can Make A Mistake and the very wonderful
Shatner

Also been informed today that Shadowman has indentified one of the background tracks from the 'officialcathedraloceans' website that I downloaded and sent to him.
Turns out to be "The Projectionist" off the new album.

Speaking of new albums, I have also 'become' the proud owner of a limited edition copy of The Drift, by the mind-b*ggeringly wonderful Scott Walker. 4AD certainly kow how to package something - even if they do have only one design!
As I said in my review - "There won't be a better album released this year."
Heartbreakingly wonderful.
Mad as A fish,too of course.