Gallygirl's "A journey of 121,226.67 pounds begins with a single penny" diary

gallygirl

To Do:

1. Get neighbour round to advise on measuring for worktop DONE
2. Order granite DONE. Around £140 for 9 feet of worktop, cut exactly to size, polished edges where needed, plus upstands and plinths :T.
   
3. Go down to Town Hall with all paperwork to get put on padron (equivalent of electoral register I think) DONE. 10 minutes, very informal and helpful. Spanish bureaucracy really is very quick and efficient. I will be holding this view right up till when I go back in a few days time to pick up the paperwork :rotfl:.
   
4. Take copy of padron to garage, test drive and buy car (a blue one ). Popped in, padron not needed but he can't get hold of a diesel for me to test drive (see point 3 above ) so I need to speak nicely to neighbours. Timing of order (has to be built specially for me because of the spec I want ) should work v well.
5. Draw out mucho cash to go with the mucho cash withdrawn yesterday DONE
6. Go to furniture store & order new furniture, negotiate discount for cash DONE, only a small discount as a special order rather than in stock but better than a kick in the cojones . Will be around 2 weeks :T.
   
7. Decide on size of plastic boxes for shelves to hold vest tops etc. DONE, and bought
   
8. Measure up for extra shelves for wardrobe (decided I can fit in another two for flat sandals) DONE
9. Measure up for extra shelves for new kitchen unit and one existing cupboard DONE
10. Get shelves cut DONE
11. Fit extra shelves in wardrobe (will need to use new saw to trim round door frame ).
12. Fit extra shelf in kitchen cupboard - the ones for the new units will be fitted once I get my stuff delivered and decide where I want to position shelves
13. Visit other hardware shop - broom handle, trellis, plastic boxes for shelves and tool box DONE
14. Phone gasman to book visit to replace a thingymajig*
15. Get numbers of painter & air con men partly DONE
16. Book painter to repaint white roof thingymabobs** on roof of terrace
17. Book aircon man to service aircon and move two units
18. Last walk of season with walking group - Tuesday am
19. Look at space on roof to see how much room there is for shed/Tardis which will be holding the contents of rather a lot of the 73 boxes and existing boxes (so far - golf clubs x 2, tool box, Xmas decs and new baby Xmas tree, lightbulb box, gardening box) DONE. Struggling a bit to find one the right size.
    
20. Buy wine for neighbours I met for the first time last night - was telling them about my €1.20 favourite bottle and promised them one. DONE
21. Change holiday home insurance to residents
22. Phone - get SIM only deal where I can keep existing number
23. Buy postcards to send to the UK with new address to notify the people I didn't have time to tell .
24. Find out when the village PO is open DONE
25. Write & post cards
26. Sort out stuff to take to secondhand shop - they sell and you halve the proceeds :T
27. Pop into another secondhand furniture shop to tell them what I'm after (a pine single wardrobe/tall cupboard, suspect I may end up getting a double and altering - well, not me doing it obviously ).
28. Look for a market that's on Wednesday - local village one is tomorrow which clashes with walking group)
29. Pop round to see neighbours x 2 DONE
30. Take a picture of a car I saw yesterday and post on here - it will leave Alex speechless :rotfl:DONE

Not a bad day's work but shattered now . Found out there is a fiesta in the village on Sunday :T. hoping for giant paella

gallygirl

As promised, picture of car of some young folks who've driven south from Bendorm for a few days:


And slightly more tasteful, the jacaranda trees are in full bloom:

Karmacat

You star :beer:
I hope you opened another bottle of wine - thats a *lot* of Barbie pink

edinburgher

That is one insane car.

gallygirl

edinburgher wrote: »

That is one insane car.

Looked even better in the evening with lights under its skirts .

Spreadsheet set up to record purchases as opposed to normal spends :T.

Missed walk and market as too busy but been productive so far :j.

edinburgher

Are Spanish markets like markets in the rest of Europe (i.e. you need to be up early)?

gallygirl

edinburgher wrote: »

Are Spanish markets like markets in the rest of Europe (i.e. you need to be up early)?

Not TOO early Ed, considering they're so late going to bed :rotfl:. But all has to be done and dusted by 2pm (I think, may even be earlier).

Progress ground to a halt this afternoon (the siesta probably didn't help, but heck, there's a heatwave here at the mo ). Will update list and spreadsheet tomorrow.

Popped into removal co. Stuff may arrive on Saturday or Monday . Used up a mossie spray earlier so that freed up a bit of room

Karmacat

gallygirl wrote: »

Progress ground to a halt this afternoon (the siesta probably didn't help, but heck, there's a heatwave here at the mo ).

Grrrr

Popped into removal co. Stuff may arrive on Saturday or Monday .

All your fault for packing well, so your boxes didn't fall apart and your stuff get lost and you had to claim on the insurance :rotfl:

Used up a mossie spray earlier so that freed up a bit of room

Loads and loads :rotfl:



I'm looking forward to hearing about the market :j

gallygirl

Update time, new additions in blue:

To Do:

1. Get neighbour round to advise on measuring for worktop DONE
2. Order granite DONE. Around £140 for 9 feet of worktop, cut exactly to size, polished edges where needed, plus upstands and plinths :T.
   
3. Go down to Town Hall with all paperwork to get put on padron (equivalent of electoral register I think) DONE. 10 minutes, very informal and helpful. Spanish bureaucracy really is very quick and efficient. I will be holding this view right up till when I go back in a few days time to pick up the paperwork :rotfl:.
   
4. Take copy of padron to garage, test drive and buy car (a blue one ). Popped in, padron not needed but he can't get hold of a diesel for me to test drive (see point 3 above ) so I need to speak nicely to neighbours. Timing of order (has to be built specially for me because of the spec I want ) should work v well.
5. Draw out mucho cash to go with the mucho cash withdrawn yesterday DONE
6. Go to furniture store & order new furniture, negotiate discount for cash DONE, only a small discount as a special order rather than in stock but better than a kick in the cojones . Will be around 2 weeks :T.
   
7. Decide on size of plastic boxes for shelves to hold vest tops etc. DONE, and bought
   
8. Measure up for extra shelves for wardrobe (decided I can fit in another two for flat sandals) DONE
9. Measure up for extra shelves for new kitchen unit and one existing cupboard DONE
10. Get shelves cut DONE
11. Fit extra shelves in wardrobe (will need to use new saw to trim round door frame ).
12. Fit extra shelf in kitchen cupboard - the ones for the new units will be fitted once I get my stuff delivered and decide where I want to position shelves DONE
13. Visit other hardware shop - broom handle, trellis, plastic boxes for shelves and tool box DONE
14. Phone gasman to book visit to replace a thingymajig*
15. Get numbers of painter & air con men partly DONE
16. Book painter to repaint white roof thingymabobs** on roof of terrace DONE but need to change date as boxes may arrive on day he's booked for
    
17. Book aircon man to service aircon and move two units
18. Last walk of season with walking group - Tuesday am NOT DONE as too busy but I will have plenty time in the future :T
19. Look at space on roof to see how much room there is for shed/Tardis which will be holding the contents of rather a lot of the 73 boxes and existing boxes (so far - golf clubs x 2, tool box, Xmas decs and new baby Xmas tree, lightbulb box, gardening box) DONE. Struggling a bit to find one the right size. DONE - bought and built :T As an added bonus it fits in sideways to what I was expecting so I'll be able to buy a twin to go next to it once aircon unit moved :j.
    
20. Buy wine for neighbours I met for the first time last night - was telling them about my €1.20 favourite bottle and promised them one. DONE and they really liked it
    
21. Change holiday home insurance to residents
22. Phone - get SIM only deal where I can keep existing number
23. Buy postcards to send to the UK with new address to notify the people I didn't have time to tell . DONE - but SIM card doesn't fit so need to pop down today and get the right size.
24. Find out when the village PO is open DONE
25. Write & post cards
26. Sort out stuff to take to secondhand shop - they sell and you halve the proceeds :T
27. Pop into another secondhand furniture shop to tell them what I'm after (a pine single wardrobe/tall cupboard, suspect I may end up getting a double and altering - well, not me doing it obviously ).
28. Look for a market that's on Wednesday - local village one is tomorrow which clashes with walking group) NOT DONE, again too busy
29. Pop round to see neighbours x 2 DONE
30. Take a picture of a car I saw yesterday and post on here - it will leave Alex speechless :rotfl:DONE
31. New addition - order cheque book - need to make special trip to nearby town one morning
32. New addition - was coping stones on roof and terrace or neighbour is going to denounce me as they are lowering the tone :rotfl:
33. New addition - finish off UK admin - submit meter readings etc.

So, getting there slowly. Everything takes longer than anticipated, for example I went to sort out phone and after the trauma of choosing a tariff I had to go to the bank to get IBAN number then back to phone shop.

Am very pleased with cupboard on roof though, looked :eek::eek::eek: from instructions but very easy. One little bit snapped but not essential so ok. Persuaded Mr GG's spare golf clubs they needed less room than they thought they did so hopefully his main clubs will also fit in there and the second one can be all shelves (including a spare one from the one built already). €80 each but worth it and they'll be so heavy they won't blow over in the wind (if they do they will be easy to attach to the wall).

Have typed out an excel copy of the inventory - of the 73 items 52 are boxes. Will cross off as I unpack so I can see I am making progress :T.

Plan for today:
- Shower, wash hair and wash kitchen bin while I'm in there
- Down to phone shop
- While I'm down there pop into hardware store and get another cupboard
- Order car
- Pop to granite place to give new phone number (though there is a chance the worktop may be ready I think, last time I ordered a piece, admittedly much smaller, it was ready in 24 hours)
- Pop to furniture place to give new phone number and decide on 2 small tables to replace bulky coffee table I have
- Come home and make lunch
- Fit shelves in wardrobe - start by glueing supports in place
- [STRIKE]Depending on timing, paint supports [/STRIKE](just decided won't be needed as if I can see supports I'll be lying on the bedroom floor looking up into the wardrobe and probably will have more important things to worry about, such as did I break my neck when I fell over, rather than the fact the supports are not painted ).
- Update spends spreadsheet
- Take time to admire the sparkling sea on way to phone shop - it was glorious yesterday :T

HelenDaveKids

Last one I'm happy to help with..