First-time house renovation

Yoo Hoo everyone :hello:

I've popped into my son's house to check my e-mails so have come on quickly. We're hoping to get our own computer up and running tomorrow but for some reason Virgin seems to have given us a new account/e-mail address instead of just transferring us - no idea what they're playing at .

Anyway, I've only had time to skim quickly through the messages, will read them properly when I'm back online at home.

Just have to say Jamtart so sorry to hear about Grandad, I'm sending you a hug.

OH's new chemo starts on 27 April and his bone marrow transplant will be after the third cycle at the latest. So we have less than two weeks to get as much as we can organised.

The moving day was pretty awful. We had just two weeks notice so hadn't had time for a sort out as we packed. Anyone who has to move, do try and find time to clear unwanted stuff out, it will save a lot of hassle on the day! The new people came in at 9am bringing their boxes in before we'd taken much out, and they were on our tails all day. Luckily we had two very willing helpers who packed last minute stuff and humped boxes over for us. The charity shops are doing well as we haven't got room for everything and some things are no longer appropriate (talking knick knacks here that suited the old house but not the new one).

We are surrounded by boxes still, the decorators are still in, they didn't come the day we moved in then had Good Friday-Easter Tuesday off, only coming back today, so still only the loft and two bedrooms are finished. I keep ringing up my d-i-l to ask which box whatever is in. The first day it was "Tracy, where's me knickers?" :rotfl:

One of our beds wouldn't go up the stairs (dog leg staircase with a low ceiling) so we've had to sell it (it was only 12 months old) and must organise a new one, but we're managing at the moment.

The kitchen almost looks like a kitchen now, dishwasher and fridge are fixed and their doors on. The oven works and I'm very pleased with it (I've gone back to a gas oven). Still waiting for the one worktop to be fixed and the hob fitted but the chap should come soon. We're trying to find someone to do the self-levelling job on the kitchen floor so we can get the vinyl laid. We had the vinyl laid in the bathroom last Saturday and it's looking lovely.

The builders are back today re-felting the store room roof and finishing off some little jobs - door architrave in a couple of rooms, fitting four rads, replacing the bathroom mirror (the sensor didn't work). The electricians had to come back yesterday as the shaver socket, which I use to recharge my toothbrush, was dead as a dodo and the porch light and outside light weren't coming on. All sorted now.

Oh dear, looks like Motor Mouth is off again :rotfl: , I only meant to post a short message just to say hello :rolleyes:.

Right, I'm going back home, hubby's chasing me. Home is in chaos with all those bodies around, my cat doesn't know what to make of it as it's too noisy for her. Aw, she had to have some dental work the day we moved and ended up having a tooth out. But, she's settled into the new house really well and has come back every time, she hasn't tried to go back to the old house.

I haven't got any photos of the move and hope that I can remember enough to update the blog again soon. I'm looking forward to seeing all your blogs too.

Just one last thing ........... I absolutely love the house, despite the fact that it really does look like a bomb's been dropped on it! It just feels so right, as though we belong there. We've no curtains but not to worry, the early morning light means I get up earlier, I don't think I'll put my blackout linings back up when I get around to new curtains. And with no internet I've been going to bed earlier too. I must sort out a new routine and not stay up till the early hours once we're back online.

That really is it, honest. I'll be back soon when the clever computer chappy has been and sorted us out.

Bye for now.

Morning folks

No update on the house but heard yesterday that I'm going to be made redundant. bit of shock to say the least and I'm still not quite sure whether I'm coming or going. Part of me thinks that at least I'll be able to get more work done on the house.....

Electronics. there will be some kind of redundancy package but no details yet. I've been told it will be more than the minimum legal requirement apparently but I suspect not by that much.

Hello again! We're back online. I don't try to understand Virgin but it looks as though you were right Andy - we can still use the old e-mail addresses at the moment, OH has spoken to them and they seem to think we'll be keeping them.

helping_hubby It's no consolation but my OH is like yours. He doesn't think to do anything off his own bat, I seem to always be suggesting that things get done. He's a "last minute Larry", I'm a forward planner and it does cause problems at times when things have been left too late. Hope your feeling better about things now.

matt_boro So pleased that you got the house, your list of works looks good. Not sure if anyone has answered you about the blog (I haven't read all the posts yet) but yes, a blog is a MUST 'cos we all love 'em! The Google one that lots of us use is good and easy to use (has to be for me ). There's a link in my profile to my blog if you want to see it, then you can take it from there. Of course, if you're clever with a computer then the sky's the limit!

Josepina Looks like you had a few problems but I hope they're all sorted now. It starts to get a bit more exciting now that you can go out and choose tiles and things.

andrew-b or should I say Tarzan . I used to call OH Tarzan as he used to be so heavy handed when turning taps off he was constantly stripping the thread. I changed to quarter turn years ago . Good service from Crosswater :T. Just read your blog. Well done, your vanity unit looks good. And I love the white pipework - that's what I wanted but I didn't seem to have a say in the matter, we've got grey but it does all seem to be hidden.

latecomer Looks like you've been busy too. But where's your photos? . Sorry to hear about your redundancy. It happened to my OH years ago but as one door closes another opens - that's how we ended up owning a restaurant. You never know what's round the corner. Perhaps you could take up house renovation for a living , you'll be an expert by the time you've finished your bungalow!

jamtart6 Love your idea about the railway sleepers for your garden.

Shimmyhill OH did some spraying for woodworm/woodboring insects and it was very smelly. He bought a Silverline 28 day Respirator mask which did the job it was supposed to do. Fumes didn't get through at all. Same sort of thing Latecomer mentioned.

lisal0u Ooh, a garden design course. Can we all send you pics of our gardens and you can come up with ideas for us? I'm sure you'd love something to practice on . We actually cleared out the smallest border which was just caked mud after the builders had been washing down the patio, etc. OH dug it over and I helped clear it and we've planted some alpines and succulents. We bought a paeony and a foliage plant called Curly Red (can't remember the proper name), they're waiting for permanent homes. I've planted up some potatoes in bags and have a few more vegs to plant (they'll all be in containers, garden is very small) including red bell peppers and some veg seeds.

I hope TomsMom comes back soon!

Awww, it's nice to be missed!

I think I've covered everything since I went away, sorry if I've overlooked anyone's posts.

Clever computer chappy came and got us sorted. As I suspected, there were some problems with my PC. I had AVG 7.5 which stopped updating a few days ago while I was offline, and I never went for the new AVG. He's taken it off and put Kapersky on for me, says it's a lot better and as he gets a bulk licence it will only be £20 for a year so we're happy with that. The scan showed up some Malware and other stuff (I don't actually know what I'm talking about here ) but it's all OK now. Only cost us £30 for him to do all the work, he was here about 2 hours. It's good to live in the sticks at times :rotfl: .

Painters are still cracking on but it's coming together. The sun room had it's final coat today and I'm really pleased with the colour, and the kitchen was started. Same colour as the sun room as it leads straight off then turns a corner. The loft and the bedrooms are Timeless and they're looking really fresh and nice. We'll be able to put curtain rails up tomorrow (oh no, shopping day out so it will be Saturday instead) so we can then put the old curtains up temporarily, they're not wide enough but will be better than none! I was watching wild rabbits at 7.15 this morning. They live by the Round House, 4th picture up on this page of my blog . The sun woke me up just after 6 and I didn't get back to sleep so gave in just after 7.

We've got lots to try and get done tomorrow, probably the last shopping trip before OH starts his treatment so it will be a long day. Then it's back to trying to sort out our mess at the weekend. I'll get OH to take some pictures and try and update the blog (I should be ashamed, can't believe I'm saying I'll put pictures of the mess on the blog!)

Here you go guys and gals, if you want to see the mess we're in I've updated my blog and (blushing wildly) put some photos on that I took today.

Hope you're all having the same lovely weather that we've had today and getting everything done that you've planned.

P.S. If you're moving house when your renovation is finished, pack well in advance, label the boxes and put them in the appropriate rooms as you move in, and dispose of unwanted items before you move (saves having to find room for them just to chuck it out later). You know who didn't don't you :rotfl: .