First-time house renovation

TomsMom

andrew-b wrote: »

I'd pester them a few times tomorrow to see if the situation changes and Tuesday morning too before chemo starts. I'm a bit cynical too being 2 beds not available..maybe they have an outbreak of something on the wards (like mrsa)..do hope not!

Funny you should say that, it did cross my mind!

We'll see what info he can get out of them tomorrow. Phoning them on Tuesday is not really an option, depends what time transport picks him up, it can be as early as 7am but always by 8.30.

We've been in the garden today. OH moved the concrete bird bath so that we could get into the corner behind it and clear the weeds. Cleared the border where the runner beans were, removed the gladioli now they've finished flowering and moved them to a temporary home until it's time to cut off the leaves then will group them all together in a new place.

Cleared out the bizzie lizzies in planters that have died - not good in that position so wont bother next year, probably put geraniums in. We put some miniature daffodil bulbs in the planters ready for early next year. We dug up those daffodils and brought them with us from the old house, they've been a bit neglected, just been in a bucket in the store room so hopefully they will flower.

Bought a six-pack of mini cyclamens from Wilkinsons for £5 and put those in, plus some larger daffodil bulbs and half a dozen tulip bulbs we found.

Still a few things in pots we have to find a permanent home for but couldn't do any more today, backache and rain this afternoon put a stop to it.

Anyone having trouble with slugs and snails and tried all the pellets but none worked? Since we put in the large lobelia (cardinalis, scarlet and cinnabar rose) we've discovered that these are the favourite food of these pests. We changed our brand of pellets to Bio Slug & Snail Killer (with animal repellant and showerproof) and boy does it give you great pleasure to go out the next morning and see that at last you've got your own back on these pesky blighters. On a good day we can gather up a couple of dozen dead bodies, we bag them up and dispose of them safely out of the way of birds, don't want them to eat poisoned slugs or snails.

Hope everyone else has managed to get done what they had planned for this weekend.

Spicey

TM, I am lost for words! (if you know me thats really something) I do hope TD gets his treatment soon, it must be a nightmare.

The extension is coming along, continuing with all the layers for the oversite. Inspector coming tomorrow, so if he gives the ok we can concrete this weekend and then the walls can continue up.

jimbugalee

Hope everything goes as well as it can for you this week TomsMom.

We didn't do too much this weekend. Major problems with tile delivery. The tiles weight more than a tonne and the lorry turned up and driver refused to unload them because we're on a 15% slope?! The bought a ridiculously massive lorry for the job and he couldn't operate his tailift on that slope or his little pully truck thing.
They're going to attempt again tomorrow but I think we'll have the same problems. Good job we weren't ready to tile this weekend!! All we did was lay down the marmox insulation boards reading for tanking and then underfloor heating. Tiling to start next Sun WHO HOO!!

The b ig news is that we managed to get our other 2 seater sofa in the lounge so now a whole 4 ppl can sit down lol It's ridiculous really but it's strange how much you miss that sort of thing when your house is a building site.

Your reminded me TM - when do I start taking out my flowers and planting bulbs? They're kinda dying off but I think there's a few weeks left in them (if the slugs don't get there first!)

TomsMom

jimbugalee wrote: »

Your reminded me TM - when do I start taking out my flowers and planting bulbs? They're kinda dying off but I think there's a few weeks left in them (if the slugs don't get there first!)

Well, as I'm no expert I'm making a catalogue of everything I have in the garden, and add to it when I see something I like and buy it :rolleyes: , and I'm putting all the information I think I will need in there.

Tell me what you've got and I'll see if I can help.

Today I've cleared a patch and moved a dozen of the gladioli. If you've got any of those you can cut any dead flower spikes off now but leave the leaves on for the goodness to go back into the bulb (sort of thing ). Then when the leaves die down later they can be cut off. Same sort of thing if you've got montbretia, cut dead flower spikes off but leave the leaves to die down. I've only moved mine because I'm trying to reorganise parts of the garden to make room for stuff I've bought waiting to go in and get some bulbs in. I've some more to move so I can make another grouping, probably about another dozen, but I can't do any more today as it doesn't do my back any good, OH's been trying to get me to come in for a couple of hours but I've had to give in now. I've still got lots I want to do and the sun is shining, we have a beautiful day today. The housework can wait when the weather's like this!

If you've got room your spring bulbs can start going in now, just check on the packets how deep and the spacing.

I understand your excitement about getting the other sofa in, little things do really mean a lot when you're renovating.

What a farce with the tiles, tell me it wasn't Wickes!

OH has spoken to Bristol, no explanation about the bed I'm afraid, just a shortage - but like I thought he didn't dig any deeper. His chemo at Bangor will go ahead tomorrow and because of the effects of the chemo they can't do his transplant until he starts to recover so they've tentatively suggested he may go to Bristol in 4 weeks time. Looks like he might not be home for Christmas after all :sad: .

jimbugalee

Thanks TomsMom that's useful - we really only have marigolds (the giant ones!?!!) and erm those flowers you normally put in hanging baskets ....Petunias?! I'll buy some bulbs maybe next month. We're pretty tight this month for money.

I totally forgot to say WE HAVE NO MORE JUNK IN FRONT OR BACK GARDEN WHO HOOOOOO!!! It's been steptoe and sons yard for long enough. Finally the boys went to the tip yesterday.

Thinking about you and TD overthe next few weeks TM.

TomsMom

jimbugalee wrote: »

I'll buy some bulbs maybe next month. We're pretty tight this month for money.

Keep an eye on what's in the shops then as they'll go pretty quick. Wilkinsons and Poundland are worth checking.

jimbugalee

cool - maybe this month it is!! I'll check if my Mum has any also.

EDIT: Just had a look on the Wilko website ... oooh quite excited!! Maybe I'll go into town this week

TomsMom

jimbugalee wrote: »

Thanks TomsMom that's useful - we really only have marigolds (the giant ones!?!!) and erm those flowers you normally put in hanging baskets ....Petunias?!

African marigolds? Growing and taking care of marigolds. I love the popping sound when you deadhead marigolds, think I'll grow some next year :rotfl: .
Petunias and surfinias need deadheading as and when during the flowering period and when they've all died away just lift and chuck out really as they're annuals.

You could try and get into propogating them but I'm too lazy to do anything like that. I'll buy a packet of seed and do the necessary or buy plug pants.

I'm not allowed to buy anything else for our garden (oh yeah!) as we've sort of run out of room.

jimbugalee

Maybe they are African TM - we got given them by our next door neighbour when they were tiny. Now they're up to waste height!!



I may have planted them a little close together ... whoops. ah yeh that sound is coooool when you take the heads off!!

TomsMom

Oh wow, that's really pretty and colourful. And what a lovely neighbour!

Oh guess what - OH went in for his chemo this morning. Just had a phone call, they not giving it to him so are sending him home. Oh well, he can put up the curtain track that was delivered yesterday instead :rotfl: .

They have decided to give him a different sort of chemo next week instead - a less agressive one now that his test results are clear, just to prevent him from relapsing before the transplant, so that can only be a good thing. Then the following week they will go for the rest of the stem cell harvest they didn't quite manage a couple of months ago.

Never dull around here is it?