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

So apart from the dining room (which needed a few bits doing at the end) everything ended up being finished at the same time (i.e. there was something unfinished in each room which prevented it being back in use) but they finished on time and I'm delighted with the results.

Getting things straight was slightly daunting, but my lovely cleaner has been incredibly flexible in helping minimise the dirt spreading to the rest of the house, and in the last couple of weeks has been in frequently to help me clean up as I move things round. Some bits of the floor still need hand washing as the manufacturing/storage/installation dirt doesn't come off with a mop, but can't be seen unless you're on your hands and knees inspecting it! It does feel odd though.

So the stove was installed on the builders' last day, and as I had a new chimney pot put on, I had to wait until the following monday to start using it. As I was busy it took a few days to do as it needed 3 burns (gradually increasing the amount of fuel/time/temperature) to clear the fumes. It's now running pretty well - it kept warm overnight and kept going while we were out during the day today. I'm going to see whether I can keep it going tonight (I guess it depends on when I get up).

My mum arrived on Tuesday and has been a huge help in getting me straight. We have moved furniture (some of it not things I would have thought of, but they've worked...), unpacked books, packed up kitchen stuff as we've been looking for stuff while cooking, put up christmas decorations, cooked lots of bits of Christmas dinner (we took them with us) and for boxing day and done a certain amount of cleaning. We've also bought a couple of things (new sofa, upholstered footstool, lamp) that are needed. And had ideas (I have a lot of old oriental rugs. I also have eight dining chairs that need reseating... I'm going to see whether the two could be put together!). So the house is looking pretty good at the moment...

Builders will be back after NY to make a start on the kitchen & utility. So I need to make quite a few decisions - new front & back doors and floor tiles are the most urgent. Plus I want to get blinds delivered while they are still here so they can put them up as I know I won't do such a good job. I have a very long list of things to get done before they are back, and a lot of decisions to make but I finally feel like the house is coming together as a proper grown-up house rather than being chaotic and hopeless.

The office and my bedroom are both complete tips. I'm hoping to get some of my bedroom furniture rearranged in the next couple of days as I will have people here. The office requires organisational skills and filing. It may also need to involve alcohol.

Happy Christmas to you too...

I ended up with an Arada Ecoburn Plus 5 with a multifuel grate (I have yet to try the solid fuel, but as I forgot to bring anymore logs into the garage and have used all the dry ones, I might do this today). Several people recommended it, it has a good efficiency rating and I like the look - neither traditional nor contemporary, but with a large window. I didn't want the stove to be the most interesting looking thing in the room!

My mum stayed for Christmas, but we went over to my brother's for the meal as my kitchen (and oven) aren't up to cooking the whole meal. Plus my brother is MUCH better at roast potatoes than I am Maybe next year (or the year after if we can get away with going to my mum's next year....)

I hope so Julie! That's the deadline they are being given (I must make decisions on doors and floor tiles and email them so they can order them for when they start).

My aunt has been here for a few days, and I've just dropped her at the station. I was planning on driving my mum home today (originally she was going by train, but there are some things I want to go back to hers - old CD player which she would like, shelves that I've had on loan for 4 years, Christmas presents she was given that won't fit in her suitcase despite everyone knowing she was travelling by train... - and some things I want to pick up like the log splitter to deal with the vast pile of bits of tree on the patio) but I've got a filthy cold and am definitely not fit to drive. So she's staying today and we'll have to decide whether she gets the train tomorrow or I'm well enough to drive her there and come back on Sunday.

In the meantime we're making a start on packing up the kitchen now we don't need so much stuff as there are no visitors. And we might make some decisions on where some of the pictures go (must order decent picture pins and maybe get the builders to put them up while the electrician is doing stuff in the kitchen).

I have ordered privacy blinds, and sent off for some fabric samples so I can get a couple more blinds made up. I have lots of fabric here, but realistically am not going to have much time to make blinds, so thought that for the ones I don't have the right fabric for I'd take advantage of the sales...

Happy New Year!

I'm off to a good start and need to keep up momentum. I stayed with friends over NYE/NYD and have been sent home with some lights that should work in the main bathroom and the dining room. The dining room lights have also given me ideas for the ensuite.

I have 3 weeks until I'm back at work, so need to make the most of this time to get the house organised and my financial paperwork sorted out. And get back to running. Clearly eating properly won't be happening until the builders have gone again! I managed to sit down on NYE and make a list of what needs to get done each week. So the plan is to use daylight hours to do the things that need doing out of the house (e.g. going to choose tiles, clearing the garage, gardening) and when it's dark sort out inside stuff (putting up pictures, sorting out the offices, working on my finances). I'm going to take advantage of the no kitchen situation to spend time with friends for meals - I normally try to avoid social situations revolving around food, but this is a good time to make an exception!

Plan for today:

Spend an hour tidying the garage
Tidy the freezer
Select tiles & doors
Email builder re. tiles & doors
Measure & plan utility room
Email re. kitchen units (these are second hand)
Get work laptop up and running
Go for a walk (bottle bank/friends in village)