Friday 27 June 2008

Weekend Working..............

Busy days ahead over the weekend here in bay window land. Richard who is our favourite chap (he does loads of things for us that Alan doesnt know how to and Alan assists and learns at the same time) is coming to widen our loft hatch on the landing, fit a very clever ladder we have bought off QVC and then hopefully Alan will supervise our two sons putting flooring down in the loft. I am so excited because then we can get some boxes up there out of the way at last. I would love to be able to sit in the wonderfully sunny conservatory we have without having to wedge a chair in between boxes and spare furniture.



The back room that we are currently decorating has taken a bit of a turn for the worse ie the decarting has ground to a halt. We have an extension (it added about 6' to the room) and the ceiling is awful you can see the tape on the plaster board and its also where the flat roof leaked so there is a nasty stain. It is artexed which I hate but only very slightly so we are having the whole room ceiling skimmed over the weekend. He is coming tonight to do the first stage and then Sat or Sun to do the rest of it. Then we can get on. The fireplace almost fell over when we removed the fire surround so Alan had had to make brackets to fasten it against the wall. The surround we have from my brother is lovely but the opening is a bit bigger than the fireplace so we are busy modifying it with black painted wood! It will look good - honestly! Alan also blacked the fireplace last night - it looks very good. We are getting there. It will be so nice to get the paper on at last I have always coveted the 'Percy' paper from and it should be an improvement on the room hopefully making it lighter as it is prone to being a little dark.



Have been trying to source some wall lights and a centre light fitting that we both like and can afford some of them are astronomic. So any pointers to websites or shops with good selections would be gratefully received. We prefer double wall lights and I wanted a triple centre fitting we also need four sets of wall lights hence the bargains needed.



I have written to the local council this week to ask if they have any record of our foundations being dug deeper than required for the garage then we can start investigating the cost of it all.
We are now trying to distribute all the things that we got together and Kate bought for when she was moving out. She is still looking for a house share with girls as she says she is ready to move out anyway. Hence I now have a new microwave because I bought her one! mind you mine was a bit dodgy and had a hole on the top side where I melted it by leaving a hot lamp next to it after a power cut!!

My gorgeous blue delphiniums were snapped in two by the viciuos wind we had - I was sooo cross. Am also cross with myself for deleting all the before photos of the garden. Anyway we got some more lettuce, carrots and beetroot planted this week.

Other big news here is that my son Adam and his fiancee have booked their wedding for next August. They have been very sensible and booked it all in a lovely local hostelry and we are having the ceremony there as well. It has a lovely riverside garden and they prefer to do small 'do's'. There are ex-parents to invite etc etc but they are determined to make it 20 close family for a wedding lunch (its a Friday) and then a do at a cricket club on the Saturday evening for the rest of the family and friends. So my frock won't need to be posh! and Vicky wants a really noce dress but not a wedding dress. They have both said they don't believe in spending loads of money on one day - it well be better spent on a wedding as they want to move to a whole house (ie not the quarter sized one they have now) as soon as they can.

Right must go and get on - but first be warned I had to give in with Supanet and pay them £103.91 to get out of the contract. Please, please be warned about these Internet Service Providers and read the very very small print - they have you every way you turn. In the end I just gave in and paid as I was starting to lose sleep over it. I would thoroughly recommend 02 we were up and running in one week which is fantastic.

See you all later, hope you all have a good weekend, in order to keep out of the workmens way I have offered to check out the charities and the Laura Ashley sale - now aren't I kind!!

Saturday 21 June 2008

Exhausted from stripping..........!!!!!!

These are some of the
things I have in and on
top of my dresser - I have
so many other boxes to
unpack yet I am going
to have to be selective
and maybe sell on some
of my 'stuff' !!









Don't worry I haven't got a night job - stripping the walls and washing off horrible gluey paste - yeuk. Poor old Alan thought we were finished and then I pointed out the wall at the top that is where they added an extension on - so more water in the steamer. We had the conservatory doors and windows open and it was pouring outside - all the windows were steamed up and so were we. More gardening last night after stttling own for a cool drink after tea and a 'watch the pond' session we made some decisions on the garden and got up and did it there and then. Shrubs out, acers moved. path planned, carrots moved!! all go.........

Tomorrow should be adding dado round the room, then painting of dado and all paintwork. Have had a delivery of my brother's unwanted 1930's fireplace. Tall with an oval mirror -in lovely condition. So tomooorrow I can see it in situ as the horrible dark shiny one is now off - so the nice clean, decorated front is piled high with 'stuff' again. Still we have broken the back of the job today and it was pouring down anyway - what more could you ask to be doing on a rainy afternoon - Yes I know, reading , resting , watching an old film, those days are on hold in this house.
Right its 9.30pm there is film I would like to watch but typical of tele now it starts after midnight and we only have trash all evening - we haven't even had it on tonight. May as well go to bed with Alan, tea and Country Living!

Tuesday 17 June 2008

Houston - We have lift off - Hurrah for 02

This posting is almost upside down so please bear with me when you read it.


Some more goodies acquired lately-wll there should be more pictures but blogger won't let me add anymore and as there is an orderly queue now we have broadband I will say goodnight - its good to be back and I have lots of pictures to add.This is the green shelf unit I showed a couple of postings ago - it now in situ with 'stuff' on it - I shall be moving it soon as I want to add a plate rack so I can unload the dishwasher onto it like I had in the previous house. I found them on David Mellors site so will treat myself next month and the unit can move ot the other wall - Alan is not completely aware of the imminent move - I have told him but he wasn't listening at the time - I know it..............This little beauty is my sewing box - it holds all the things you need to hand for speed and then often holds a current project. It is a great size and it good condition from a charity shopThese are my little vintage suitcases they are quite small - think the one to the front of the picture might have been for a small instrument. They are sitting on the top shelf of an Ikea wall mounted coat hook stand - I love themBeen so long since I blogged properly I cant remember how to add the pics where I want so excuse the jumble! The pictures of the panelling are for Lucy Bloom to see. We wanted to try and make it more like we think it would have been and the wall where we added the loo would normally have been wooden so we added wooden strips like we saw after trawling through books of the era. WE then painted and sanded the plaster wall and the wood together in satnwood so it looked all the same. It actually looks like wood and our carpet fitter came in and said ' Hmm original panelling eh' - we were cock a hoop!

Anyway the big news today is that Kate and Ross are now no longer moving in together - she has decided she isnt ready to do so yey - she says that passing her test has opened up her life so much that she wants to go out and about and enjoy herself !! Hmm I seem to remember saying something like that some time ago. Ross had apparently agreed and siad he wanted to go travelling before he setled down anyway (!! was that without KAte then??) Anyway he rang her today and said as she wouldnt move in with him then there was no point in continuing etc etc. She has gone to his house tonight to get her stuff and talk. I am hoping this is it and they stay unengaged to be honest. Although I have lost my plumber now and he took the radiators off the back room wall on Sunday so we could decorate more easily............and what about my bathroom???...... Aaaaaargh
I dont know if anyone agrees out there but although these young adults think they are soooo grown up now they arent really - everything has to be so intense in their relationships - they must understand that life isn't like Hollyoaks and the soaps, but hey what do I know. So we will see what happens tonight when she gets back -she was a bit fragile when she leftSigned up for 02 last Tuesday and here I am. Just got to a financial battle with Supanet now but I am so happy to be independent again. I am going to add some photos of the hall which is now decorated I am pleased to say - I didnt want to keep the spindles - we wanted square ones and we wanted to stain the handrail but there is so much to do we compromised and I must admit the hall is lovely and light an clean now. We arent having any carpet fitted until the bathroom is done because we all know its going to be messy isn't it! This was to be the start of the blog I seem to have to think about the end before the beginning when I post - is it the same for everyone - when adding pictures or am I stupid??





Wednesday 4 June 2008

Forgot to add the Wisteria!! after all that


Grrrrrrh .............no internet access

Well I cant send all my pics to work to add them to blogger because I have no broadband! and I have loaded them off the camera onto the computer so I can't even bring them here and put them on as I thought I was clever and deleted them off the camera - so I have one pic I took this am of the white wisteria on the garden side of the pergola.

Having arguments by letter with Supanet - gosh you must think I am simply awkward and argumentative with everyone as this sounds like the move but I am not like that at all -its these big companies who don't do their job. You feel so helpless.

A guy from our IT department came to give us new PC's and he was saying about just moving and how awful it was - he was in our chain!! with the same solicitors as us and he had the same terrible time - he was the second in line from the bottom of the chain. Mind you at least he is finished and in and not being accused by Customs & Excise like us of not paying our stamp duty - Drrrh!

Right must go, had my dinner break! Will read some blogs tomorrow - I dont go out at lunchtime on my errands anymore 'cos I have to quickly read blogs!

I think Kate is moving out at the weekend or next weekend. She and Ross got a 3 seater and 2 seater leather sofa less than one year old - they were almost £2k new for £700. They decided if they have not much else they can sit comfortably. They are big but I said if they don't fit you can always sell them. The couple she bought them off were splitting up which is sad, Kate said they obviously hadn't spent enough time snuggling on the expensive sofas. She has turned inot a little bairgain hunter like her Mum. They bought a second hand fridge freezer and the couple threw in a free dishwasher!

Right must go!!