La Dolce Vita 2026

TheGrubbyGardener

Hope the purge is going well, @helensbiggestfan? And finishing off your living room too - hopefully you're all done now 😊

I'm dreaming of a new boiler here, but as our heating guy has gone quiet recently, I've a feeling it'll be our second winter without one. Thank goodness we had the wood burner installed and we've also got the little Everhot plus the Dimplex which has gone up to the TV room, which is in the eaves so gets boiling in summer but freezing in winter, despite topping up the insulation.

helensbiggestfan

Well what a week. Phew…. Garage now cleared, handyman has taken the unwanted stuff to the tip, mowed the lawns and hung some large artworks for me. I was going to finish winterising my garden today but I somehow got sidetracked. At least I have now managed to store my wicker garden furniture in the garage for the winter. I am aiming to hang some smaller artworks tomorrow. I do have to order some new frames for the rest. But I'm feeling really chuffed with how things are going. The lounge isn't quite finished but it's looking pretty good.

I've booked another charity pick up for 17th November, which gives me a couple of weeks to go a bit deeper with the purge. Lol. DIL has aso dropped off some things to donate so there should be another nice pile for them.

I didn't used to decorate for Halloween but I do now because the grandchildren are into it. They picked me some pumpkins on Sunday which are now on my doorstep, wreath on the door and a nice autumnal decoration in my lounge. All very tasteful. Ha ha. I will leave the spider webs and ghoulish stuff to my DILs house. Lol.

The really good news is I have received notification from HRMC that they are finally processing my tax refund for 25/26. At last!!! They still need to sort out my tax code for 26/27 but an interim refund is a step in the right direction. I am sure I can put it to good use. 😉

Just finished watching East of Eden (Netflix) it was a cracker. It was a dramatisation of a book by John Steinbeck so obviously quite gloomy but very thought provoking. All about consequences, karma and unfinished business.

Tickets booked for a "Kate Bush Evening" in the cathedral in December. One of those candlelit concerts Our cathedral is quite small as cathedrals go but it's very pretty and Kate is one of my favourites. It should be a nice pre Christmas evening.

Not sure if we're "doing Chatsworth" this year. If we do it might be during Twixmas although I also want to host a gathering of the clans round about then.

I feel the year is racing to an end ……..

TheGrubbyGardener

Glad you're making great progress!

Reclaimed fireplace almost done here - rooms are so much better with a focal point imo 😉

TheGrubbyGardener

Hope everyone had a fabulous weekend!

We had a hugely enjoyable road trip to collect some high quality, branded sanitary ware, bathroom furniture and radiators for the next phase of our renovation.

They were from a contact in the industry selling off some ex-display items, so were an absolute bargain (eg, a £700 toilet for just £100!) 😁

TheGrubbyGardener

Exhausted today after a busy week (we plumbed in the new bathroom toilet, moved the large Art Nouveau bookcase + my 200 art books from dining room to the office, almost finished the new dining room fireplace and waxed the kitchen/dining room floors) and an even busier weekend (we hosted a wonderfully fun family gathering with our first overnight guests)…..phew! Need to sleep for a fortnight now.