No, still no broadband, but at least I have finally found time to tranfser a few photos to a memory stick and bring them to work for a lunch time posting. I know nearly a month after moving these are a little out of date but these are all I have with me so be greatful ! :)
Imitially my thrifty little sister gave us some grief about wasting money by employing a removal company and not just getting a hire van and doing some work ourselves. When she rocked up at 3pm and saw these vans I think she understood!
And besides. It was quite hard work watching.
A few snaps before we started to dump boxes everywhere gives you an idea of some of the downstairs space:
Kitchen: to be replaced very soon I hope.
Dining room leading to sun lounge (through 60's arch to be squared off soone I hope and with oh so dated wood pannelling!), leading through those white double doors ( which for some inexplicable reason only have handles on one side) to the lounge
Oh aren't empty rooms so interesting?!
Out the sun room you come to the garden
From upstairs you get views
Although these have now disappeared. I fear they may be steak.
Little sister, despite her scorn turned out to be quite helpful in getting us settled, scrubbing away happily.
Even that day we had produce from the garden
and one of my first acts in the house was to make this delicious plum cake from Nigella's Domestic Goddess Book
And yes, I know and no I could not wait!
As I expect you can tell, the house needs work in every room so we shall be doing bits as we go along starting as soon as we stop going away for holidays (Bath for the next fortnight and California for me in the first fortnight of October, Ireland for Dennis. And don't be taking his side on that one. It was his choice!).
We are glad that the frst task - due to be completed in three weeks - was always going to be replacement of the hot water system with a combi-boiler as this week the hotwater stopped heating then the pipes started to make alarming screaming sounds that caused us to have to stop even trying to heat the water. Clearly Something Is Not Right!
I have inspiration for all this work in the form of my old school friend ( well, she is not old, not much older than me anyway, but you know what I mean!) who now uses the moniker Working Mum. She is posting the before and after photos of her house renovation on her blog and I am glad to say is visiting soon when I hope she will reassure me that there is life after inherited white anaglypta wallaper and faded mottled brown carpets everywhere!
6 comments:
It looks wonderful, Helen. I like a house with enough things you want to change that you can soon make it your own, but not so awful that you can't live comfortably as you get to the changes. The garden looks AMAZING!
Sending virtual salt, bread and wine for good luck and wishes for many happy years in your beautiful home.
I am hoping to see you in California. We will be down for my birthday. I am trying to coordinate a trip to PIQF when you and Diane will be there.
It will be fun to watch your new house become your home.
This is interesting, I understand that in England you move first and then remodel the house while you are already living in it? Or is it just you doing it this way.
In the Netherlands, where I live, sometimes peoples do it the same way (moving first and then doing work on the house) but mostly people first buy a house, do the work while still living in their old house and then move when most of the work is done. The plus side is that you do not have to live in a building site, the down side is that you need a temporarily extra loan (called bridge mortgage).
By the way, we did it a third way, we first sold our house, then had to move to a temporarily rental place because we didn't find a new house in time and did the remodeling while living in the rental home.
Definitely! It looks like a fabulous house, can't wait to come and see it.
PS The missing bit of cake made me laugh.
PPS I'm 11 months older than you, so definitely not that old!!
Oh, I like the arch. Live with it for a while and perhaps you'll change your mind.
Hi! Helen,
You have a lot of work ahead but nothing that's not fixable I am sure your new house will be beautiful when finished, the views are great and the garden is stunning hope your not too worn out from your move.
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