TallGirl's 5 year plan to own a 2nd home in her homeland

TallGirl

Evening all
Back in a hotel again tonight had a good trip to London went to a Lebanese Restaurant with the two chaps I work with so that was a nice evening. Also got my hand shaken by the Rev Jessie Jackson really funny and very American.

I'm currently in a lovely hotel overlooking the Welsh Coastline, 5 miles from where I need to be tomorrow so that's good. Cannot have dinner until 7.30pm and I am starving. Really must do something about the diet I can see how much I have put on in my face not a good look I promise.

Before I left I managed to bag two Jamie Oliver Place Mat sets (as in Martin's email)from Argos. They are really nice and certainly worth £6.34 so I have orderd two more from the town I shall be tomorrow. Perfect for Christmas presents so will have 4 to give away and may keep one myself.


Spoke to the plastere today, he was trying to delay coming as he had another job on. I really was not impressed with that as I have everything booked and need it dry so I can paint. He has now promised to come Saturday morning. He thinks it will take 2 days I really don't as it will mess everything up.

Well 30min to I can get something to eat might venture downstairs to find the bar. Hope you are all having a lovely evening.

Haven't they grown:


Can hardly tell them apart now Jack is getting so much bigger and fatter Thomas is still quite skinny

vandanfc

Boys looking good.

TallGirl

Thanks Vanda they are lovely and their personalities have really come out now.

This weekend went with lots of painting. Got the plasterer here all Saturday but he got it done and it looks fab. So much nice than artex and it should be dry tomorrow ready for my 3 days off Weds to Friday. Got the stairs stained brown yesterday but the new banister (new 5 years ago when we had the extension done was bare wood so that will need some more coats to look the same as the rest. Also got 1/2 door done just 2 more to go. Then its 2 door frames and ceilings and walls so quite a lot left to do in my 3 days off.. I hope not to have to paint the walls in the hall landing as its such a big job and the plasterer has not made too much mess so that should look OK with just the ceilings done.

Working from home today and tomorrow its only local so Thank Goodness no hotels this week. Totally sick of staying away so much. Hope you all had a nice weekend.

SmlSave

Jack and Thomas are so gorgeous!

Glad to hear the painting went well

TallGirl

:jThanks SmlSave still tons more painting to do not really started although I did get 2nd coat on the door but I really think it needs one more. Pain that Gloss takes 6 hours to dry.

Found an electrician to do the lights, basically we have used him before and found him via Find local recommended tradesmen - ratedpeople.com I have no links to this site but I have used it several times and it really works. You post your job no matter how small it is (add photos of you want) tell them your timescale and the site finds you 3 tradesmen. You only get people who are interested and as they call you and quote for the job.You can see their site ratings ( a bit like Ebay) and choose the one you want. You can then close the job and rate the person when they have done the job. I posted my electrical work and got two quotes, £120 and £45 - the cheaper one is from the same guy who did our spotlights last year so went with him. Hopefully he is doing it on Friday. Happy days :jnow I just need a carpet fitter anyone know of a good one near Portsmouth?

TallGirl

Light is up, new firealarm up (nice and white) and the switches has been changed took 45 min so £45 seems very fair.

Painted dinning room without too much hassle Paintpod was surprisingly good, really easy to use and worked well. Then I got onto the lounge Thursday, got 1 coat on everything but when I came to do the second one the Paintpod decided that it did not want to play (ok I may have put a bit of non paintpod pain in there but it shouldn't have made it collapse totally. Had to get the old rollers out and managed to get paint in my eye ouch that hurt a lot.

Friday the Paintpod decided it wanted to play again but this time the handle was dead. There is a little round battery inthere so I took one out of the scales and yes the old one was dead. Still did not work so called the helpline as I though well those batteries are really expensive and to only do 1 1/2 room is not a lot. Helpline could not suggest anything so they gave me a code to take it back to the shop in exchange for a new one. Slight problem got it in Forcus and they were clearing out their stock so no more. No problem she said I will send you some vouchers you can use in B&Q. Well happy with that finished the painting with the rollers so don't need it now. If the vouchers are just shop vouchers I shall buy something else for them don't really want another one. Only good when it was working and I wasted so much time trying to get it to work.

Today we need to do 2 door and 8 skirting boards. Pick up the wood for the floors (traffic was awful yesterday so could not get down there) Better get up now as the gloss takes 6 hours to dry. Also need to write up the MS from last night.

TallGirl

TallGirl wrote: »

Found an electrician to do the lights, basically we have used him before and found him via Find local recommended tradesmen - ratedpeople.com

Just found out you get £6 cashback with Quidco for every job you post. Now lets see that 3 x £6 this time I have lost out on and 2 x £6 for last year. Pants!!

Of good news the floor is looking fab, tiny hall is done and about 1/3 of the lounge dining room is done. He put 1 skirting board up last night so we could get our big cabinet built back up which means there is less for DH to do while I am away. I leave today at 11am and I am not back until 4pm Friday (party is at 7.30pm so will be lots to do then).

Went and look at carpets at the weekend and Allied Carpets had some really nice one. Now I hate carpets really or at least I only like beige ones and thats for bedrooms only but they had several stripy ones in brown just like we want. Well I want DH is not too bothered. Got a qoute as they can do everything (whitting, supply carpet and fit it) £470. Now that is a lot more than I was going to spend but still its what I really want.

Anyway as I only have 2 hours (correction 1 hour 45 min) need to get a move on. Meeting my boss at 3pm to talk about my new area then have a pension meeting at 4.30pm when hotel for the night. Now do I lie and say to my boss oh year really looking forward to the challenge of 3 new areas and then look for another job or say its too much I want less. Not sure.

Take care all.

SmlSave

Gosh you've been mega busy! I bet it all looks fab

TallGirl

Thanks SmlSave its all done now and it does look fab. I shouldn't really have been here but a meeting today got cancelled late yesterday and as I had not booked a hotel I could come home instead. Most things are now back where they should be and we are going to try to keep it looking minimalist without all the clutter and crap really.

My old furniture looks really nice against the wooden floor almost like new but I think I shall have to get some new curtains I am thinking suede type light brown. Will take a picture when its all up and you can help me choose a style and colour for the curtains. The boys seems fine with the new floor, Thomas has just come upstairs and licked my had he is so cute. Jack spent the night in the garage silly thing but at least he has learned ot miauw as he normally never does but he did this morning when I first came into the kitchen.

Off to North Devon today, 3 meetings but need to book a hotel and having a drink with one chap tonight so that should be nice. Looking forward to the fireworks party tomorrow with the neighbours all should be ready in time and the food will be good too I hope. The boys don't seem bothered at all abou the fireworks that has been so far but we shall see what they are like tomorrow.

Hope you are all having a good week, take care.

TallGirl

Guy Fawkes Party was good, got to meet 1 set of neigbours properly (been there 4 years) 1 lot did not show up so in the end it was 6 of us (all originals from when the houses was build 15 years ago) and I got to bed far too late. Lost my voice and got a horrid cold but good none the less.

Saturday was a write off far too hungover did 1 MS and then the inlaws come down to watch Pompey on the telly and my friend joined us. Her husband then came home and he stayed too. Not too late an evening after all.

Sunday tok the wood back to Topps Tile (£70 refund) and did at MS really nice lunch it was. Did not do an awfull lot else I must say.

Posting some pictures of the finished lounge please disregard the rug that needs cleaning (just about the only comment MIL made about the whole room). Also please let me know any ideas/thought about the curtains still not sure if I want to get rid of them.