Saturday 17 November 2007

We're getting there!





It is a beautiful sunny day. J is up the scaffolding painting our new window frames, we have first fix electrics and plumbing completed, the roof is on and the floorboards are due to arrive on Monday. It is happening. But not quite quickly enough now, for my liking! We won’t be done for Christmas, but all our workmen have promised to try and get the kitchen in so that we can at least make a turkey sandwich from the doggy-bag mum and dad will, no doubt, provide.

We sit at night and look, not at our lovely open fire, but at our lovely new slipper bath instead (another eBay bargain!). We can see the TV (just) not that we watch it much anyway. We can also see cardboard boxes of extractor fans, light switches (antique dolly switches also stockpiled from eBay), taps and heat/smoke detectors (all part of building regs!). We can make tea. And toast. Oh! And we can warm soup on top of the log burner in the dining room – it is our only form of heating in the whole cottage and lit 24hrs a day.

I’ve finally killed the Dyson – it battled bravely trying to suck up dust and debris, but keeled over with a groan on Thursday. I’m posting on Freecycle for another one – it’s doomed before it gets here!

And next week I am 40! How on earth did THAT happen? I’ve an awful feeling that my birthday will coincide with the day the builders “do” the knock-through for the new staircase and I will have scuttled back to mum and dad’s out of the way. I’ve only been home a couple of weeks and my bag is already lurking in the corner, waiting to be re-packed!

Has it been worth it? Mmmmm. There’s a question! Truthfully? Yes. Absolutely. Are we broke? Totally. But our dream is taking shape and in the New Year, we will have such fun putting the icing on the cake of this wonderful job our builders are doing for us.

I can’t see out of the landing window as well but still manage to catch glimpses of our Jays, long-tailed tits and glorious bejeweled frosty mornings. We have had to relocate the bird feeders and this has caused a bit of a furore and the blue tits perch on the scaffolding and look in to tell us when they are running low! The wrens also use the scaffolding to peer in at us and the dunnocks tap at their reflections in the glass (although how they can see anything through the brick dust is beyond me).

I miss dabbling into all your lives but, to be honest, at the moment am too scared to even click on one of your blogs or visit the common room in fear of being side-tracked. I do think of you all the time and can’t wait for this all to be over so life can get back to normal. It is taking a marathon of self control to keep off the site, but I just wanted to say hello (yet again), please don’t forget me and I SOOOOO want to come back. And soon.

And next year, I hope the Welsh/Marches lot will come to me for a visit and see the end result in the flesh……………. In the meantime, if there’s a trip to Ludlow on the cards – I do still have Christmas shopping to do, girls!!xx

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

We'll all still be here when you do come back, I am sure! Glad you feel you can see an end to it all, it must be such an upheaval. Just think, Christmas 2008 will be spent in your newly renovated home, something to look forward to.

Crystal xx

Westerwitch/Headmistress said...

Berlimey you really don't do things by halves do you. Can see how busy you are so really appreciate you taking the time and trouble to let us know what is going on.

When is your birthday . . .we would like to put up a card for you. Hope there is no dust in your cake.

And yes it will be worth it - you will be amazed at how quickly you forget all that you have been through . . .honest.

Faith said...

I admire you for doing it all. Well done!

And as to 40 - blimey that is YOUNG! I would love to be 40 again, from the standpoint of 50. Make the most of it!

Elizabeth Musgrave said...

What a marathon but you are making such amazing progress. I am sure it will all be worth it. Just think, won't be long before you are living in a magazine! Would love to come down and see when you are all done. Don't know if I manage to see you in Ludlow but am there next weekend with my sister!

Wizzard said...

I was thinking of you only yesterday and popped in to see if I had missed any blogging by you.

Spooky!

Glad to see that you are still around and your building work is getting there - albeit slowly

Wx

Milkmaid said...

It WILL be all worth it in the end, you are lucky to see jays,one of my favourite birds, caught a glimpse of one the other day, but don't see them enough, catch up with us when you can much lovexx

CAMILLA said...

Glad to see you are getting there Woozle with renovation.

Oooh, 40th Birthday, wish I was that age again, you are still only a babe. Have a great day on your birthday Woozle.

Camilla.xx

Suffolkmum said...

Good to see a post from you Woozle, I was just thinking about you the toehr day. How exciting - you're getting there! And happy birthday , if I've missed it.

Posie said...

Have a fab birthday Woozle.....thinking of you and all that wiork is mighty impressive...well done you! It'll not be too long now. Best wishes,
Posie x

annakarenin said...

Ohh I will definitely want to gate crash that party when it happens.

We got our bath off ebay too it is a boat bath a little narrower than are old one which is gi-normous, but I do love it. Your extention looks g-inormous too.

toady said...

Just caught up. Things appear to be coming along nicely but I don't envy you the mess. It will be lovely when it's finished and you can get on with the pretty bits. We've got a Karcher wet and dry that appears to cope with all kinds of muck.

Rob Clack said...

Is that extension really bigger than the original house, or does it just look that way? Looks fantastic, anyway, so congratulations! Hope Freecycle comes up with a vac.

bodran... said...

Hi there, things really are moving on arnt they, a meet at your home would be great, can't wait . shame we couldnt meet up in Ludlow but we'll be renting the leominster cottage again in the future..xxxxx

CAMILLA said...

Just popped in to say Happy New Year Woozle to you and your family, hope you had a wonderful Christmas.

Love and Best Wishes,
Camilla.xx