"Isn't it nice to think that tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it."

greenbee

More titivating of the utility room done, and thinking about how to optimise the storage in there. Lightbulbs are are going into the CoD in the garden room (must put some silicon lubricant on the drawers as they stick a bit - same with the one in the spare room). 

Robot vacuums stuck back together, new battery in one which wouldn't charge, and both on charge. I'm hoping that I can start using them regularly to do the bedrooms and sitting room, which have very little on the floor and all the cables tied up neatly!

redofromstart

Young animals are hard work, but hopefully they learn from the early stages and you will soon get enough sleep.  And the mornings when the cats and the puppy magically align are long overdue, but I hope they start soon.

greenbee

They did magically align this morning - Fartypants woke me up at 4.30, INSISTING she needed to go out. Turned out Stinky needed to go out too. Fatty was busy having a lie-in until after breakfast... 

Robots have done two bedrooms and their ensuites and are recharging. There are two more rooms that are suitable fro them to do, and I need to look at where else I can easily deploy them. It means minimising the amount of stuff on the floor and making sure wires are tidied up with cable ties. 

Lick mats for Stinky are done for the week, but I need to cook some carrots and sweet potatoes tomorrow so I can fill the kongs. I also need to stock up on BNS and peanut butter for him. And cheap yogurt. 

greenbee

Didn't get the cooking done on Sunday, but did manage to fill the kongs with home-made pet food, yogurt, and some defrosted sweet potato. Ordered peanut butter online. But will have to go shopping tomorrow as I'm running out of people food too. 

One robot has been working hard in another bedroom - the carpet in there smells funny and is due to be replaced. I bumped into my carpet-fitter neighbour on the way back from our walk earlier and mentioned that there was a LOT of fluff coming off the carpet - and we have been hoovering regularly since I bought the house. He said it must not have been done much before I moved in. It's a tufted carpet, which tends to shed more than a looped one, but we had this with all the older carpets. And they've all been professionally cleaned too. So I'm glad we're changing them, as other people's dirt is an unpleasant thought. 

Some crates arrived today (one lot seems to have gone AWOL), so more tidying has been done in the utility room. The ones the kongs go in also fit in the freezer. It's nice not having the sink and worktops cluttered up with stuff. 

No sun, and silly electricity prices mean that the utility room rugs haven't been dealt with, but they're not urgent. DW is on tonight, and battery is being topped up as there's not much sun due tomorrow. 

Estimate has arrived from the plumber - I just need to confirm the spec of the radiators. And then need to get in touch with the plasterer. 

Stinky had training today. Apparently he's a very good boy... it's just all the local dog walkers who carry treats and distrubute them liberally that are the problem (it's not helpful asking whether it's OK to give a dog a treat AFTER he's noticed you getting it out of your pocket!). We've booked three more sessions so we can focus on some general bits and pieces that will make life a bit easier.

Paid last Friday, not sure how much pay rise is (miniscule), but while I'm putting some money into savings, it's all going into short-term savings to fund this round of work on the house. 

greenbee

Plumber is booked for next Tuesday, so the weekend will be spent once again clearing the two bedrooms affected, and the bits the electricians will need to get to. 

Fruit trees and bushes arrive today - hopefully the gardener will get most of them planted on Friday, although there's a lot to clear along the fence to make space. I don't think I'll have time to fill the garden waste bins before he arrives, so that may well be his first job - thankfully it looks as if the weather will be OK.

Need to find a house sitter at some point - I've got a couple of work trips coming up an my cat sitter (who I was hoping would be able to house sit) is already booked up. The cats aren't an issue - there are people who can drop in and feed them - but the dog is more of a problem!

greenbee

It wasn't the fruit trees and bushes. It was some other trees - so those are being planted today. A couple of crab apples, a pink hawthorn, and a mulberry. As well as the thornless blackberry that has been hanging about. Garden waste bins are being filled and more garden waste is being created. Hazels are being coppiced for tree stakes/bean poles/trellis. 

Fence work is also ongoing - I think the weather means that the concrete for the drive he's doing is taking a while to go off, so there's more time to spend on my fence. Which is good, as it means he's got something to do rather than hanging about and my fence is making progress. 

Have a possible holiday for the dog planned - we're off to see how he gets on with a friend's dogs tomorrow. If it looks like it'll work out I might suggest he spends some time there without me next week just to be sure. And I also need him to spend some time at my mum's on his own too. 

House plants are all being soaked and trimmed. Quite a few haven't survived the central heating. As I have billions of peace lilies I'm trying to be brutal. And at some point need to have a big repotting session. 

As well as work today I need to get in touch with the plasterer, as hopefully I can book him for the week after the electricians and plumbers and then can get back to (relatively) normal for a couple of months. Actually, I should make a list of small annoying jobs for the builders as some of them could do with being done before the decorator makes a start. And I have to choose carpets this weekend. 

Guess I'd better do some work so I can pay for it all!

greenbee

Very little done today as dog needed a bath after his walk which has taken it out of me somewhat! Two bedrooms have been cleared in preparation for the plumber to replace the radiators on Tuesday - just the airing cupboard left to do. Oh, and I did a few bits of ironing to get them out of the way, and a wool wash (which needs hanging up). 

Yesterday Stinky met a friend on his pre-breakfast walk, then had a walk to his playdate, an hour of playing, and a walk back and wasn't particularly tired! I went to the garden centre for muiltipurpose compost, houseplant compost, and seed compost. And then took Stinky for another walk where he met a friend again. And still wasn't tired. I was - so lazy evening which ended in a late night because I was too tired to go to bed. 

Both cats and the dog are now snoring. I'm trying not to move because if they wake up they'll all want feeding! While they are eating I plan to make a start on repotting the plants that need it, as I need the space to soak the rest of the plants in the queue so I can get them all out of the kitchen again!

greenbee

Bitterly cold here today, and we've been in a field doing dog training. Stinky was very good, so hopefully after a couple more sessions we'll be done. 

Houseplant reorganisation is going well. A few have been repotted (I'm trying only to do the urgent ones), but most have just been soaked and tidied up. There are some baby spider plants to detach and starting potting up, but I need to brave the cold and go to the greenhouse for the tiny pots. I'd like them out of the kitchen by the end of tomorrow. The airing cupboard needs clearing by the end of today, and dust sheets deploying in the two affected bedrooms. And I need to message the plasterer... 

But first I need to get through the work day. 

EssexHebridean

That sounds like brilliant progress with Stinky's training, although as you say, it's a bit nippy at the moment for standing in a field doing it! It'll be worth it when by similarly cold times next winter you've got a wonderfully trained pooch mind! 

I need to take a leaf out of your book on getting the various house jobs done - although ours is mostly "would be nice to get done" stuff rather than "must get done" it would still be nice to get some of it ticked off, and I'm all too inclined to just let it slide... At least the roof repairs are now pencilled in, and I've messaged the electrician... 

greenbee

I still haven't messaged the plasterer... but then I'm expecting the plumber today and have no clue what time he's turning up which is slightly irritating. I haven't heard back from him since I confirmed that the date worked for me, so hoping nothing has changed...

Must go and stick some electrical waste out with the recycling before they empty the bins... 

Thinking of taking tomorrow off to recover from the plumber/prep for the electricians. It'll be nice when this lot is done, although I know I'll have to start working on the next phase. I really should write the list of small annoying jobs I want done and work out how to get them done... doors need rehanging, utility door needs to open inwards not outwards, brickwork needs waterproofing, back bedroom window needs sorting (windowsill slopes backwards) and damp tracing, pipes in wardrobes need boxing in, bathroom boxing in needs redoing as it's really shoddy, need to find a replacement towel rail for the bathroom as the current one is too small but pipes are from a radiator so towel rails don't quite fit - however, there's got to be a better fit than what I have! Basin wastes need replacing. I should probably put a big list up on the wall somewhere.