Watty's Awakening

Watty1

KajiKita said:

Repetition and bulk of one plant is a classic garden design trick and cotoneaster is very architectural. Having a clematis scrambling over them in time as they start linking together could look very pretty. 

What’s in or the current surface of the corner that everyone drives over atm?

KK

Love the clematis idea, thank you. Will add that to the plant list.

The part that gets driven over is currently some old agricultural membrane that has mostly lifted in parts, two old fence posts (were holding it down) some dirt some weeds, some lambs ears plants which have amazingly survived the abuse although they are struggling and a dead hebe.  There was originally some bark chippings I think that covered the membrane but they have rotted away.      Anything will look better than that muddle!

LadyWithAPlan

Happy birthday for this week! 

I tiled my own bathroom floor it’s not difficult - i
but sounds like yours is fine 

Suffolk_lass

Re that corner, my two suggestions are to ask around for some road planings (ie the stuff they take up when resurfacing roads) - it works well as a kind of hard core for driveways, and farmers often know where to get it.  Or if not, check out ground reinforcing gavel grids (over week suppressing membrane) topped with gravel or limestone chips, or similar - lots on Marketplace, often secondhand for a fraction of the new cost

Watty1

@Suffolk_lass  ground reinforcing grids a fabulous suggestion.  Well done you, that will lower the ingress.

This forum is such a supportive crowd of people with great advice too.  Love it.

savingholmes

Glad you got out on your horse. Sounds like it did you the world of good.

Good luck with the micro decisions. I find them hard too. Hope the garden turns out how you want it. Sounds like you are forming a plan.

Watty1

Lovely birthday meal last night.  The VNM booked a table at a local posh place that then cancelled because they had no other bookings and it wasn't worth opening. They suggested we go Friday or Saturday instead although accepted as a birthday meal that wasn't ideal.  He was quite upset as he had booked it as a surprise.

A friend suggested three local ish pubs she likes and one was in the village my grandmother used to live in so I was excited to try that.   We had a lovely pub meal of burger and chips with coffee and I had wine but before dinner I walked around the church my mum got married in, showed him where my grandfather is buried, where my grandmother lived, where I used to hide and recognised names of my grandmothers friends in the churchyard. They were friends who had remained in the village after she had left.

I was so grateful the posh place had cancelled and we had a really lovely evening. It turned out the VNM had spent part of his youth in the next village so we explored that too, then quite by surprise drove back a rural route and I recognised where my grandmother used to work and later had a tied house.  A remarkable evening.

During the day I took the Charming Cob to the local forest and we had a nice ride despite the mud although I think he might have pulled a muscle as he was very stiff when we got back.  He had slipped a lot in the mud and at one point had refused point blank to use a path so I turned round letting him decide. It is unlike him to simply refuse to move so I decided he knew best.   A couple of days rest should see him right and he has his monthly physio tomorrow so she can check him over.

All in all a nice day.

Watty1

I do feel as if I am camping a bit in the house now as moved into the spare room yesterday as both bathrooms and now my bedroom are "being decorated".   Having all three done at the same time is, for me, a bit chaotic but she seems to have a plan, paints one rooms walls then moves to the next and puts the first coat there then onto the next and so on.   She is a very nice woman although I have realised my standards are higher than hers and the finish isn't quite as good as I would like.  However the company came in below my  budget, and so far the 3  rooms are beginning to look different and I am excited they will now be "mine" 

I had a chat this morning with the VNM (who is off all week in honour of my birthday and Easter) and have decided to let her finish and then he is going to help me touch up the areas we notice need a bit of a tidy up.   Neither of us have the time to decorate so this is a good plan.

All three rooms should be done by next week apparently as the chap I hired is back Saturday to help her and to finish the en suite bathroom.   

Rethinking some of the work however. My sister recommended a carpenter for the stairs and i have decided I will use him as her standards are very high. She is possibly the most fully person ever around the house and I really want the stairs to have a wow factor so although he is so busy he cannot quote for 2 weeks then possibly cannot start for 6 months my sister assures me he will be worth waiting for.

PennysIntoPounds

What a lovely birthday! Many happy returns.

Sounds like a good idea to put up with a short period of chaos to get it all done, great you have the space to be able to camp in the spare room and not drag the process out. Wow Factor Stairs sound very exciting!

themadvix

Happy Birthday for yesterday Watty, it sounds like you had a lovely day.

LadyWithAPlan

Happy birthday for yesterday, sounds like you had a lovely day of reflecting on loved ones in the past and making memories for your future... AND you are getting a weekend bday meal as well!

I would maybe mention to the lady where you feel a bit more care can be taken in the decorating.
Stairs sound great  and worth waiting for