Planing A Door

Hard to believe maybe but my DIY skills have now advanced to planing a door!  With the carpet and thick underlay, the door needed shaving back in the front room so that it would open smoothly.  I borrowed a classic old tool from my Dad, that used to belong to my grandfather - and he passed on more than 40 years ago, so it's quite an antique.  After a little adjustment to the blades and some hours carefully planing and re-hanging the door to check the fit, I think I have managed to do the job OK, for a novice!

Christmas in our new home

Finally, we were able to host Christmas in our new home after months of hard work. The family had a good time and all was merry and fine. Even the turkey came out well.

Is it a bird ...?

Is it a plane?  No, OMG, it's a carpet!  We have a carpet ... look here it comes, through the window, oh the soft spongey underlay, good enough to sleep on ... it's like Christmas five days early ... oh plaster dusted floorboards thou art but a memory!  Be gone!  Two more rooms recaptured from the invaders! Vamos Reconquistadores!

Polish Painting

Painting makes such a difference!  Thank you to Daniel and his team from Poland, borrowed from our neighbour, for this great speedy finish downstairs and in the hall.  Unfortunately the rest may have to be done by the householder!

We Have Painted Shelves & Books!

This will soon be a house one can actually enjoy living in! 

Cupboard Love

Oh we love these new bedroom cupboards ...

 

But who's going to paint them???

Dust City, Arizona

One of the things I have personally found most difficult about renovating a house from top to bottom is the continual battle with DUST!  Breathing it, walking in it, endlessly wiping it away, the constant hand washing ... OCD anyone?

Yesterday "the men" took the door off the box & bag filled sanctuary, where my last remaining remembered possessions are stored and ...
forgot to think about the dust that would then flow in. 

Can you spot where the scissors were (left)?  Can you see my footprints in the sanded paint outside the bedroom?

A 21st Century Chimney Sweep

This is Mick the chimney sweep, a man with a funny line on most topics - it could have been an impro sketch! He doesn't believe in climate change ... "after all the dinosaurs didn't burn fossil fuels for the ice age to hit"... And he helps out Father Christmas "we all go to a big conference round his place.  He's magic." Hmmm yes ...

However, he has given our chimney a clean bill of health.  Here is the smoke finding it's way 28 feet out of the correct chimney pot!

It's a white wash!!

The decorators have taken over and the downstairs rooms have turned all white within hours!

Needless to say, the dust is overwhelming and is in everything and everywhere.

Built-in Cupboards

"So I'd like the shelves put in so my boots will be able to stand up straight" she says "they don't like lying down" ... you couldn't predict it ... meanwhile in a partially successful effort to improve TV reception I have put together this in the cramped back loft.
Just need a TV now!

 

Nearly there, nearly there ... only a few more:

a) weeks?

b) months?

c) builders?

Answers to the blog please, calls charged at your standard msg rate.

Mick Wins The Carpentry Race!

Wow, Mick is quick, and quicker than Nick!  2 days and 2 sets of shelves completed! And good quality too, but he did have Dan to help him.  Ignore the scary primary colours that the project manager will not allow to continue to grace the wall.

Nothing wrong with Nick's work, mind ... he's doing fine and having to deal with very wonky floors upstairs!