Cautiously optimistic.

So the guy came out yesterday and took some measurements for the work I want done. I'm clueless when it comes to even guessing what this type of thing costs, but I had a random number in my head. I was chatting to G about it on Saturday. The number is my "I can definitely afford this" number. Any more than that and I would have to put some thought into maybe tailoring the work - getting less done or something. However, randomly, in a general conversation, the guy mentioned my number when chatting about something else.

"Oh, your work will be less than that," he was quick to clarify.

But he couldn't give me the quote there and then. He had a couple of things to do first, but he'd call me back.

Well... he did this morning. However I don't have the final price. He's given me the quote for the things I want done, but I also require some building work that he can't give me a figure for. If this extra work adds another 20%, then I'll be more than happy. That'll still be under my number and affordable.

I've got an email out there for another quote, but the base price from yesterday's guy seems fine to me, the materials are good quality (I did some online research) and both CC and S have used this company before, so I have confidence in the quality. 

The work won't be done until the end of the summer, which is disappointing, but the important bit is that it's done before the winter sets in. 

Nice to meet you.

It's been a social weekend. As blogged yesterday, I met up with G ostensibly for coffee, but it turned into a couple of pints.

The night out with The Crowd ended up being just me and S. FC and Mrs FC got unexpected guests and couldn't make it. GM was always an outside bet - he had previously claimed to be skint this month.

With that, I was nearly texting S to see if he wanted to meet up. S can be difficult at times - a lack of maturity - meaning conversations feel shallow and typically film-related. But he was good company last night and the conversation flowed easily.

And then today, my youngest nephew had asked me for a favour, so I went to visit. My brother-in-law asked me to stay for dinner, so we had a few drinks and chatted.

I'm knackered, but despite being an introvert, I do enjoy weekends like this. I get out of the house and I don't feel like I've wasted my weekend by sitting in front of the TV or at the PC, doing very little.

Let's go!

A week or so back, I suggested to The Crowd about meeting for drinks. it must be six months since we last did it. Everyone seemed keen, though GM claimed a lack of money, so would have to pass this time around.

Today, I followed up to see if people were still interested. I think it's still the same: everyone's keen but GM definitely can't afford it.

I suggested that we might stay local if GM is not coming out (S, FC/Mrs FC and I all live on the same side of town). There are about seven bars we could choose from, including CB Pub, and I don't mind any of them.

I'm not in a rush to make that decision, i just wanted to make sure we were still meeting, which seems to be the case. 

'Member?

It's an anniversary of sorts... a couple, actually. Firstly, it's ten years since I moved into this house. It's not the date anniversary, but it was the third Friday of December. I'd been at a work thing with KfW2 and spent the entire day massively hungover. The actual date was yesterday. 

It's a similar anniversary to meeting Chloe. Again, not the date which is actually the 15th, a few days ago, but yesterday being the third Thursday of the month was when I met Chloe on a night out with S, GM and FC. She was out on her own work event, being chatted up by some guy who didn't work with her, but was maybe related to someone she worked with? Those details are vague, but I was quite drunk that night.

And while I'm at it, I can't recall if I ever stated this, but Chloe reminds me of the blonde woman from the "threesome" dream post last week. Similar figure, smile etc.

Not going out.

Yeah, so nothing from S at all (unsurprisingly), so I sat in, watched The Flash (the film version, not the TV programme) and munched on snacks. It's actually quite good for a film supposedly stuck in development hell for years.

Still tbc

It's 7:55 PM and I've not heard from S. So I am going to assume that he's not going top be in contact and even if he is, I am rapidly settling into "cocoon mode" which means only a guaranteed snog from Jessica Alba could persuade me to leave the house.

tbc

Just back from lunch with G. As always, it was great catching up. As of now, I've heard nothing from S about going out tonight. The weather's awful here, so currently, my plan is to stay inside, turn up the heat and chill.

If S does get in touch, I'll reconsider, but I am not being proactive about this.

Plans

I'm meant to be meeting G for lunch tomorrow. I've not heard anything yet, but I expect a confirmation soon.

I'm also, supposedly, meant to be meeting S and his unrequited love tomorrow evening. It's S's birthday soon, and she usually comes to visit around this time. But these arrangements were made the last time The Crowd were out, so I don't know if they're still going ahead.

I describe her as S's unrequited love, but I think he's well over her by now, at least from a romantic perspective. They are close enough friends. I think I've explained all that before, so I won't go into it again.

S's unrequited love and I get along great. It'd be great to see her again... it's been a few years since we've chatted. But I'm not holding my breath that S will be in touch, and if he is, I'll play it by ear. Maybe go out for a few drinks and see what happens. I've done an awful lot of drinking over the past few weeks and it's reminded me how much I don't like being drunk, but I do like the social, people watching, aspect of it. Maybe I'll try and get home early in preparation for a chill Sunday.

Party Time.

Tonight was the night that I suggested to KfW2 that we went out for dinner and drinks, which she says she couldn't do for family reasons. so she pondered other dates which we've yet to talk about.

But that reminded me that we're getting into social season. As stated a few days ago, G's home, so there's an outside chance of seeing him tomorrow. I still have to message M, which will probably be a midweek coffee or pint.

I have at least four things to do this month - meeting FBS, D etc. next weekend, a gig to go to on the 27th, a possible work thing on the 28th and another gig on the 29th with my brother-in-law.

There's also the possibility of something with KfW2, but I doubt that'll happen until December, if at all. 

And December will be busy too - another work thing, out with S/The Crowd, the potential KfW2 thing if it doesn't happen in November and another gig. And I'm sure I've forgotten something else. 

I feel tired already. 

Night out.

It was a great night out. I was a little apprehensive when I first arrived at the bar and it was packed. While I've been out in bars over the past year or so, I've never been out when it's been really busy so the brief flicker of anxiety/discomfort was something new to me.

FC and Mrs FC were the first to arrive. Mrs FC was quick to ask if I'd lost weight. GM was the next to arrive. S was an hour late. He'd gone out drinking with other friends and took his time joining us.

We went to two bars - arguably my two favourite bars in the city centre. And it was great people watching. And I'm not gonna lie, it was great seeing cute women. There seemed to be a lot of women in skirts and boots too which was a bonus. 

There was one woman sitting at the table next to me in the second bar who was giving off serious Anna Kendrick vibes, but they weren't giving off "open to talking" vibes.

We called it quits around midnight, which was just right for me in terms of time and drunkenness.

Surprise, surprise.

Randomly, earlier today I discovered that FP had an Instagram account. FP, like me, was not a big social media kind of person. It was not under his real name, which is why I don't think it registered sooner, even if it was listed under the "suggested for you" section.

There are a few familiar names in there - Attractive Neighbour, FBS and S are the top 4 (along with FP). All of their accounts are locked down, though.

I don't appear in any of FP's Instagram posts, though there are at least a couple of pictures where I'm sure I'm floating around behind the camera somewhere.

I miss FP. It's his birthday soon.

Pencilled in.

After sending out a message to The Crowd a few days ago to somewhat generally positive responses, we might have even arranged a date: 18th October. It's the only date this month that FC is available. I'm free and I think S is, too.

If nothing else, I think we should meet even if the others can't make it. 

Party time?

After D's attempt to get us out soon, I took the plunge and sent a message into the WhatsApp group with The Crowd about meeting for drinks soon.

S was quick to reply in the affirmative and so, surprisingly, was GM. Nothing as yet from FC or Mrs FC, but maybe this time we'll get something sorted. I'd be surprised if we saw each other this month, but maybe the start of November? That feels doable.

GM's already suggested a Christmas night as well. Hopefully we can do both.

Talent spotting.

It's 15 years to the day where I sat very close to local celebrity/model Orlaith McAllister in a hotel. I think a group of us from work, including S, had nipped out to watch some footy. A World Cup match, maybe? Regardless, I sat within a few metres of her, but never saw her as I had my back to her, all while S had a good perv.

OM is not my type, not in looks, but I admit to a little crush on her. I have seen her in real life at other times and she is very pretty in the flesh, but still... an element of frustration involved.

Bah.

S never got back to me. I'm disappointed, not in the lack of pub time but the fact he's said nothing at all. That's what stings.

Tick, tock.

I've yet to hear back from S, and the longer it goes on without a reply, the less likely I am to pivot to the mindset of leaving the house. I'm disappointed, but at the same time, I've got a couple of bottles of nice beer in the fridge that should be ice cold by now, so if he's not in contact, I can still enjoy a few beers in the garden.

I could chase him up, but I'm feeling quite low energy at the moment.

Let's go?

Sitting outside CB Pub last night, in the sunshine, chatting with Nerdy Girl and getting an eyeful of cute women also sitting outside the bar has put me right in the mood for sitting outside a bar, having a drink and getting an eyeful of cute women.

So I've messaged S to see if he's busy on Friday.

He won't.

S didn't message at all last night, though per my last post, I'm not that bothered. I seemed to get off lightly in terms of storm damage, just a damaged fence between me and my neighbour... and it's her fence, so she has to replace it.

In other news, it's G's birthday today, so I'll fire him off a message once I get some coffee. Mmmm... coffee.

Will he, wont he?

I had suggested to S on Saturday that I'd meet him tonight for a few drinks at his new, local, favourite bar. However, that was before Storm Eowyn hit. Shops etc. have been closed all day, though pubs are now just beginning to re-open. The wind has died down considerably, though there is still an amber alert in place which means travel only when necessary.

Saying that, if S messages before 8PM, I'll go out. I want to be social. But I'll be passive about it. I'll not chase him up. If he doesn't message, then it'll be movies and video games.

Just some stuff

So, it was lunch with G and we stopped off for a quick drink on the way back to mine. It was great, but it always is great catching up with G, even if some of the news we share these days isn't great for one or both of us.

S also messaged, asking about drinks, but I wasn't in the mood. I did, though, suggest we meet on Friday for a few pints, which he accepted. So it looks like I have something to look forward to next weekend, at least.