Between Christmas and New Year

Peter at work under the stairs

After the children had departed on December 27th we spent the day doing laundry, tidying up and going to the dump with the cardboard and paper!   Then we went to Southwold to continue our labours.  I refurbished another curtain for the kitchen and Peter attempted to put up a new curtain track for it.   Unfortunately he drilled rather too close to a power cable, smoke came out of the hole  and the trip switch went, but nothing worse, luckily.  However, he called a halt to his work and telephoned an electrician.  The electrician will call next week to check out the situation.  So a slight delay on getting the curtain up.   We took a brisk walk along the sea front as far as the pier and then back via the carpet shop to check on the front bedroom carpet, but the shop was closed for the holiday.

Instead we turned our attention to the cupboard under the stairs.   This has been emptied of coats and clutter so that the new floor boards that also run along the hall could be stained and varnished.   With the cupboard empty, the opportunity presented itself to freshen it up a little!   Hardly a priority, but the day was largely spent slapping white paint on.   Just the doorway and door and the skirting board to do and then we can get the coats back in.   It's an excellent space for storing 'stuff'.

Christmas 2016

This is how it works!

Putting on the decoratons

A large family gathering for several days over Christmas.  There were 9 of us in all and 10 on Boxing day when we were joined by Rupert's new girlfriend. 

Making Brunch

Simon and Tania cooked on Christmas Eve and Eliot and Nancy made brunch on Christmas Day.  The little boys dressed the tree and a good time was had by all!  Well, I hope so at least.

Tania

Our Boxing Day walk in Southwold was rather shorter than we had planned because we went to Gordon House for coffee and everyone spent time exploring and checking out what we have been up to.   There was general approval.

In the middle of it all, Eliot decides to inhale! 

Another step forward

More progress this week.   We now have curtains at one of the windows in the kitchen.  We also have carpet on the stairs and the upstairs landing.  Excellent carpet layers who took a lot of trouble to get it right.

Peter has started on staining the new floorboards in the hall prior to varnishing them.   A very awkward job as he has insisted on giving the same treatment to the floorboards in the understairs cupboard which is being decorated and will be a useful store as well as the coat cupboard. 

Front staircase - before

Front staircase - after

Bedroom staircase - before

Bedroom staircase - after

Upstairs landing

Progress

As of last Monday we have:

1. Completed bedroom (ours) with no curtains but a sheet pinned up at the window for the time being.   The bed is on castors and has trouble staying put on the polished floor.  We need to invest in some castor cups to keep us anchored!  Next job, make the curtains.
2. Cleaned and serviceable en-suite - apart from the absence of a shower curtain.  The pole fell down into the bath when I tried to attach the curtain.  Hilarious!  Next job, fix the rail and decorate the bathroom.
3. Newly decorated from bedroom - without curtains or carpet and now full of the contents of the study which is being decorated as I write. Next job, make curtains and order carpet.
4. Curtains at one end of the sitting room only.  They have thermal lining which keeps the heat in and the light out.  I have noticed the cosy effect already.   Unfortunately the curtains aren't exactly the same length.  One is just a smidgeon longer than the other three.  How did that happen!?   They have to come down anyway as Peter needs to fill up the holes he made putting up the track, so the defect will be remedied.   Next job, put up track at the other end of the room and make curtains.

There are an awful lot of next jobs! 😩