Wednesday, April 26, 2006


Been in our new home a month and WHAT A MONTH

Got gom up to his sisters on Sunday, then had the final pack up on Monday.

The BIG day (Tuesday) was fairly unevenful - but took longer that expected to load everything and the removals were still packing when our buyer turned up to say everything had gone through and he was ready to move in :(

This made the final departure a bit rushed and a few things got left behind, which apart from a barometer that was given to me by my late grandmother I can live without.

My back was beginning to suffer by Tuesday evening had never been on my feet for so long - most of Monday and Tuesday so things started to get a bit difficult to sort out. Tried to have a bath on Wednesday night but the hot water ran out - the valve from the feeder tank had probably seazed up - couldn't get the plumber on Thursday as I was going up to get gom, but got th plumber on Friday and he sorted out the hot water and also 'plumbed in' the washing machine.

Also on the Friday had to have an emergency deep muscle massage as my back was in a REALLY BAD way, it did the trick though.

Slowly each room has started to become functional and have got rid of the boxes. We're not in our first choice bedroom yet as the main one needs a bit of major redecoration so is being used for storage. The one we're using is a bit small but we've got the important bits in although it's not that ideal for gom to get around in his wheelchair, but he can just about managed.

Most of the doors were taken of as they had glass panels in them and would have been a hazzard. Three are being replaced 2moro and the others l8r.

We've had quotes for the work on the roof and for replacing the remaining glazing, then once this has been done we can start on the internal refurbishment. It's a toss up at the moment whether we have the kitchen or the bathroom done first. Both have issues but the bathroom is better decoratively than the kitchen so I'd like some remedial work done on this first as this is being used as our dining area, however the bathroom doesn't have a functioning shower - low water pressure means that the one we've got isn't much use and we still have to run water in the bath, then just use the shower attachment to rinse off- so this may be considered ahead of the kitchen.

Easter Sunday - the oldest radiator, in the lounge, decided to spring a leak - fortunately we were home and managed to get it turned off before too much water had soaked the carpet. Thankfully it wasn't too cold so we could live without the heat being on in the lounge

Got the plumber in to fit a new rad on Tuesday and this was when the carpet took a battering as the old rad was full of gunk which spat out EVERYWHERE :(

The garden is really getting going now. Need to get a mower and have a go at the grass at the back. A very nice neighbour is keeping the bit at the front under control as its a continuation of theirs so it makes some sense for them to carry on - they used to help the previous resident (an old lady of 95!!).

Have got quite a bit of wildlife . Goldfinches (previously only seen in books), Robins, blackbirds, sparrows, blue tits and I think there was a great tit too. Squirrels like playing in the many trees of various sizes :O