Kong, karts, phantoms and tenants.

Another day, and another issue with our tenants.

I wanted to try to have a word with them yesterday, to basically find out what the hell is going on. Namely, whether they plan to pay us or leave. They didn’t seem to come home at all however, so I couldn’t speak to them. We ended up waking up in the night, however, and heard that they were now downstairs. They must have snuck in very late.

So instead I intended to speak to them early in the morning. I went down quite early (8:00-8:30 ish), but again, no one there, they must have snuck out early to avoid us.

I finally managed to catch them briefly in the afternoon and was told that he mother would be bringing down a loan cheque for us tonight. So far, nothing. Do I think that a cheque will materialise? Not really to be honest.

If not, I have made it very clear to them that if payment is not received by tomorrow, that under the terms of the lease, they will be required to leave. If they don’t leave then (apart from totally loosing my cool), Roz and I have looked into what is required to get them legally evicted.

I’m also pleased to mention that Elliot has been in an exceptional mood today, and has been a real pleasure to be around. It probably also helped that Roz was out with Elliot for some time in the morning and the afternoon, so I had a little break, which was exceptionally kind of her. Also, tomorrow, he’s going with his grandparents to see his great granny Machon, so that will give us another break tomorrow morning…

Films watched:
Phantom of the Opera
After watching the Producers at the cinema the other night, I was in the mood for another musical, and as I hadn’t seen this yet since we bought it on DVD, I thought that this was the most likely candidate.

It’s rather strange watching an adaptation of a musical that I love so much on the stage. There is much that is done right here, but also much that could have been done so much better. I guess that once you have seen this performed live, anything less than this seems a tad hollow. As such, I find the film less emotionally involving than the stage musical.

You also have to remember of course that this is directed by none other than Joel Schumacher. The director who brought us the train wreck of a film that was Batman and Robin. Thankfully, this film is him back on the same form as Lost Boys and Flatliners.

I must say however, that the most disappointing thing is that at the end of the film, when the phantom’s face is finally revealed, it isn’t THAT bad. Unlike the stage version, where he does look like a monstrous deformity, here it just looks like bad acne… and really, after that, any sympathy you feel for him flies out the window.

7/10

Games Played:
King Kong
I managed to complete this earlier today.

It’s probably one of the most immersive movie adaptations I’ve played to date (not that I tend to play them much) and also, dare I say it, better than the film it was based upon.

It’s strange that the game should work so well, splitting the action between third-person Kong and first-person The Writer (can’t remember his name), but strangely it does.



Mario Kart
Also managed to complete this a few days ago.

Even though I’ve completed the main Grand Prix mode, I still have the missions to complete and I’ve also been trying my hand at beating the staff ghosts on the time trials, and of course, playing online where my wins have just overtaken my loses in the ratings.

Great game, great fun.

I just wish that those online disconnectors could be dealt with…