DIY Day 4: Insania

It's all become a bit much. I have approximately forty five thousand things to remember and eight billion chores. I'm loving the challenge, the flat looks fantastic - especially the new and improved spare bedroom with its first coat of Extra Deep, courtesy of my parents' sterling teamwork - but there's a shamefully large part of me that wants to remortgage and hire Sarah Beeny to finish the job. Sky came on time and left within two minutes, having established that a bay window in the flat next door is blocking the satellite signal to my flat; now I have to schmooze my neighbour to see if he will let me hang the dish on his external wall. I can't see him minding as he is a carefree young whippersnapper who probably wouldn't notice if Parliament was hung outside his window, let alone a Sky dish but still, it's another thing to add to the list - and even if he agrees in principle, I have to obtain his written consent which may be pushing it. In other news, my miraculous plumber appears to have fixed my boiler (again) so I'm relieved about that but another £100 poorer. And I moved about a tenth of my books over there this morning in two Ikea bags each weighing the same as a small Mercedes - I can't quite imagine how I'm going to fit all my possessions in the flat but anything I can't take I have to sell or chuck so the incentive is there - again, though, the temptation to hire a minion to do the hard labour for me is increasing with each passing hour. There are so many pressing things for me to consider but all I seem to be able to focus on is whether to organise my books aesthetically (all Penguin Classics together etc.), alphabetically by author or in categories. And I think it may finally be time to ditch my CDs and VHS tapes. The whole process is all very emotional and strangely solitary. What is cheering, however, is the prospect of dinner at a swanky restaurant tomorrow night: I need a break.