Friday, April 11, 2014

I can't believe it's Friday!

 
I was going to post old photos this week having spent time in the attic and thereafter( our very slender local weather girl uses 'thereafter' a lot) scanned them.  But guess what:  Naomi's solution for posting my photos  doesn't work with scanned ones.  Another flippin' problem.
 
Mick and Mandy are doing wonders in the family room: cracks scraped and filled, metal windows scraped and painted - everything washed down with sugar soap - endless white  painting and now the treat : Wedgewood green on the walls. Mick doesn't like green but this isn't a green green for goodness sake - it's delicate like Tinkerbelle's wings.
 
I have not been idle.  Mick is always tea but Mandy likes to ring the changes with coffee and it has to be white sugar.  Biscuits are easy:  Mandy  likes 'anything with chocolate' and Mick is dotty about custard creams.
 
Every day this week I have had an appointment - normally I'm just busy on Tuesdays and Fridays and there has been a lot of paper work but the real bug bear is the curtains.  There are eight - all floor length varying in width, lined and I added an extra draught proof lining as there is a lot of glass and when the wind is from the east the room is quite 'airy'.
This winter I had a brain wave and it is now my summer sitting room and the drawing room - much more protected - has been my winter home.
 
 
By the way I don't mind when people say 'Do you not think this place is too big for you?'  But when they repeat it a week later I do.  Back to the curtains:  our local laundry no longer does dry cleaning so I decided to remove the heavy linings and wash them all myself.  Both washer and dryer packed up in protest yesterday but Mick fiddled - mended a fuse and I breathed again.
 
 
But the ironing!  So far I have done all the linings  (I had to they were scrumfled),  the smaller curtains and one enormous one.  Just three more enormous ones to go.  That's the week-end taken care of.  Such fun but at least now I really am looking forward to my holiday instead of feeling slightly apprehensive.  I'm trying not to think of the re-hanging.
 
The week after it's the plumber.  See photos below.


17 comments:

angryparsnip said...

Every time I see photos of your home,
I think it is so beautiful. Why would you leave ?
Love the word scrumfled.

cheers, parsnip

Anonymous said...

I'm exhausted just reading all that! It's really hard ironing curtains on standard size ironing boards.

Z said...

I reckon it's not the house, it's the garden - in my case, that is. I like big rooms and I can shut the door on those I don't need, when required. But the garden needs upkeep.

OldLady Of The Hills said...

You have been very very busy, my dear.....And it sounds like you are getting a whole lot accomplished! GOOD FOR YOU!

As to why your scanned pictures won't post is a mystery to me. I've never had a problem with any pictures---scanned or otherwise...!
Every computer is different, of course, plus every photo software can be different, too.....Sorry you are still having problems with your photo's, my dear Pat.

Granny Annie said...

Just when I start to think my house is too large for me, my family will invade like an army and I wouldn't have it any other way. Plenty of room inside and more importantly, plenty of room OUTSIDE:) Now if only I had wonderful large windows like you have. If only I had CLEAN windows. My dog Slim cannot keep her nose off every window in the house while she watches for predators.

sablonneuse said...

Don't envy you the ironing as that's something I hate but it's obvious the room is going to look even better when the curtains are in place. Hope you'll have someone to help you put them up!

Anonymous said...

It's not your house, it's your HOME! xx

Pat said...

Parsnip: my son suggested the next time it was mentioned to ask if they have problem with that.
The garden is full of trees and plants the family have given me. My mother's acer is a picture just now.

roseneath: how right you are but I shall plough on today - in spite of the Marathon.

Z: that's why I have Karen. Three large houses were built in the original grounds so the garden isn't vast. Alastair always wanted more garden and less house whereas I ...

Naomi: I have so much physical work just now but I shall worry away at the scan/post problem when things are back to normal.

Granny Annie: yes just for one moment in time my family room windows gleam:)

Sablonneuse: I put the heaviest one up last night and to my surprise can actually move today. Mick my treasured handy man has asked me to phone him when I'm doing them but I'll get as much done today as I can and Sheila - my help comes tomorrow.

John: that should be written in stone!

Ms Scarlet said...

Can you get a steamer for the curtains... I worked in a charity shop once and used the steamer on clothes... quick and easy... but bad for the lungs after a while.
The scans might not publish due to the file format... I've had issues lately. It's been a pain.
Sx

Pat said...

Scarlet: that would have been an idea but as they are very pale I felt laundering was better and now I have just one more to hang and I'm done. I hereby declare that if ever these curtains come down again it won't be by moi.
Re photos what is so irritating is that I have done these actions for ages in the past. Why the dickens do they fail now?????

Anonymous said...

You have been a busy bee, I would have hung the curtains 'scrumfled' and let nature take it's course :D :D

Pat said...

giveitanother: by the time I had lifted them down from the ironing room, tacked the heavy lining back on and held them up to the rail they were a bit scrumfled but the sun and nature has taken its course:)

LL Cool Joe said...

The curtains in many of our rooms are falling to pieces, I can't bring myself to order new ones due to the expense.

Sounds like you are very busy. I never give our "workers" biscuits!

Ms Scarlet said...

Joey! You should always give workers tea and biscuits... it's like an unwritten law! And they will do a better, friendlier job... plus if you get chatting over tea and biscuits they will give you some really good tips about general maintenance and how to do things cheaply. A good workman should be cherished.
Blimey, I've almost written an essay!
Sx

Pat said...

Joey: these are on their last legs but at least they are now clean.
Re biscuits Alastair started the custom and I would be unpopular if I stopped. It's the white sugar I abhor:)

Nea said...

Mine's tea and custard creams, please, if you ever need my help with anything.... How about a quick lesson in Swedish, it's almost the same as Norwegian?

Pat said...

Nea: tea and C.C.and a list of computer problems it is then:)