Day 42 – Is it wrong to paint over sellotape, if you’re going for a high spec finish…? April 12, 2010

…Rhetorical question.

Yes, it’s been a while.  I’ve been suffering from what is known in the trade as blog fatigue…I’m white wall blind - white sick…But man flu, schmam flu, soldier on, I will.

So, I finally remembered to take the camera over so have pics of how it’s all coming together and I think I might be bold enough to say by the end of the week, we might just have a complete bathroom!  Jerome has been working like a dog since the start of the holidays and has, even if he does say it himself, done a mighty good job.  Windows? Check.  Home made, built in wardrobe?  Check.  Plug sockets in the spare bedroom?  Check.  Plastering in the bathroom and second bedroom?  Yes, yes, yes, all done.  Which basically means tiling in the bathroom can commence tomorrow and once completed (hopefully by Sunday) the man can crack on with putting in the  flooring for the rest of the house.  It would be amazing if we could have it all done by the end of April, I don’t personally think we’re quite on schedule for that, but Jerome’s hopeful, so fingers crossed.

Anyway, check out the progress.

Before

After - good, no?

Old kitchen

New KitchenOld Bedroom (kitchen)

Old Bedroom (kitchen)

New spare bedroom

Day 37 – And We’re On Again! April 11, 2010

So, although, I keep forgetting to take the camera over with me, you have to believe me when I tell you things are coming along a treat.  I had the day of work today, in order to take Candy the much awaited Toto audition – yes, what a waste of time that was…On the upside of thing’s I got back home relatively early so went over to the flat.

Mr Ashley Flash – gas safe plumber with the greatest name in world – was finishing up some work on the boiler, Jerome was grafting out the back in the second bedroom which left me with the filling and sanding of the cracks – of which there are quite a few…I’m not sure what is was, perhaps working in the day time, day off work, I don’t suppose it really matters, but I really enjoyed being  there today.  I got rid of some of the mountains of crap that seemed to be piling up around our ear lobes and so there’s just a little more space which felt great.  I’m not a particularly tidy person, but I really appreciate being able to see the floor the flat; I believe that it helps me to focus more.  So cracks done, second coat on two walls most definitely a successful afternoon.

Day 36 – The words chocolate and teapot spring to mind April 7, 2010

I’m obviously having one day on, one day off, one day on, one day off.  It’s strange because prior to entering the flat I was feeling quite upbeat and motivated, but within two minutes of being inside lack of focus and general lethargy took over rendering me practically useless. 

After mooching around for as long as I could drag it out I was allocated shelf erection – almost managed to do it without fluffing it, but I’m rapidly learning working on the flat when I’m not quite on the ball probably isn’t best use of my time.  Fortunately, Jerome, managed to keep his temper whilst supervising and rectifying my errors; which actually made me feel worse particularly as he had been grafting all day superbly finishing the window frames I started many moons ago….Oh well…

Day 35 – What a difference a day makes April 6, 2010

So, we return to the flat on Monday, feeling refreshed, rejuvinated and raring to go after enjoying a well deserved day of rest on Easter Sunday – I wouldn’t be doing my husband justice if I didn’t mention that he’d popped over to do a bit of this and that on Sunday morning for an hour before going out, so let it be noted.   Not going over to the flat on Sunday for me, was more neccessary than I could have possibly realized and definitely made today’s 10 hour marathon completely bearable… Satisfying is a word that barely scratches the surface when I think about, not particularly the mountain of work we got done, because in all honesty it probably wasn’t a mountain, but the slow, steady, methodical approach we took today, definitely produced results worthy of being proud…So I am.

So what did we achieve?  More painting…I know how much paint can a small two bedroom flat need….A lot, I’ve probably done almost 30 litres so far and there’s little sign of it abating, so yes, more painting.  But the exciting thing was installing the kitchen units and my fear of them looking totally jank has passed and I’m feeling quite positive about the whole thing now.  The other good thing is, we were both kind of worried that once we had the units in, it would make the rest of the space feel really small, but we think we’re doing all right on that front too, so please with that as well.   Basically, having quite a significant tick on half way marked off the list, really feels like we’re making progress.  There’s definitely a long way to go, but it felt really good getting them up there!

Not bad.

Day 33 – A bit of a wash out April 5, 2010

Today should have been another productive day, however still feeling quite peev’d from the boys poor performance – fortuanately he doesn’t read this blog, otherwise I’d have to tell you that he did in fact work until 10 pm last night.  Yes, I know 10pm is really dedicated, but he was doing stuff that should have already been done, so in my book definitely doesn’t deserve a round of applause.  Yes, it’s tough gig…

Anyway, a little bit more painting, plastering and sizing up and that was about it really.

I’m definitely feeling the pain now, it’s not that I’m not enjoying it anymore, but I just keep looking around and thinking…Man, there’s soooo much more to do.  And I’m just not sure about the kitchen and do you know what?  I think I’m a little bit tired…

Day 32 – All by myself…Don’t wanna be all by myself April 5, 2010

Whilst my lovely, darling, gorgeous husband, lied in bed, mouth wide open, face stuck to the pillow with drool – no doubt – after pushing it just a little too hard the night before.  I rode over to the flat on my moral high ground and got on with it.

Although, trying to kid myself that I wasn’t remotely annoyed with my husband for going out until 6AM! in the morning and leaving himself in no fit state to get involved the way I abused the technique used for slapping the roller against the wall told another story….Sorry roller!  And then in order to really ‘show him’ despite him still being in bed in another building, on another road, completely oblivious to any efforts I might be making at all, I decided to attack the flat pack.  Yes, kid you not, armed with nothing but my wits and Philips screw driver I decide not only am I’m going to do it, but I’m going to do it well. 

So, what do I start with?  Definitely nothing to run of the mill – that would be cheating – I go for the corner carousel.  Probably the most complicated item to construct.  Hmm!  And do you know what?  Despite it taking around 3 hours longer than what it is probably supposed to, to put together I did it, all my myself…Well almost….

Some handy hints for putting together an Ikea Carousel Cabinet together http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/S39854309:

1.  Do follow the advice in the instruction pamphlet – yes sounds school boy, but needs to be said, if you don’t put some type of carpet, blanket down on the floor to construct, you will hurt your knees and you will chip the product.

2. Don’t panic, at times things won’t always seem clear, it doesn’t have to be an all out drama, just move onto the next section, things always seem to work to present a workable solution eventually.

3. Do not destroy anything that looks as though it might be there just for protective purposes – Ikea, don’t do anything, just for the sake of it, everything has a purpose!

Exhibit A - Broken Plastic Screw for hinge - no good!

Exhibit B - Oooh, plastic bit is working screw!

4. Don’t expect all the bits for one cupboard to arrive in the same packaging – to some people I appreciate, it maybe a ridiculous idea to expect one cupboard to come in one cardboard box, but you live and learn and once you know, you know.

5. If in doubt take the pamphlet’s advice and call Ikea.  Actually they’re really helpful and totally sorted me out, all they do is read the pamphlet to be honest, but once you’ve heard the same question a million times I suppose you become a bit of an expert…All the better for me.

When Jerome, finally rocked up at about 4.45pm I continued for about an hour, before in my most dignified fashion leaving for a very important dinner date…Had I finished the unit?  No. But did it feel good leaving him at it? Yes, and yes  it feels great living up here on the high ground!

Corner Carousel!

             

Day 29 – All our Xmas’ April 3, 2010

So, today I worked from home, as we had numerous deliveries arriving today.  First to arrive was the big yellow van with the dreaded flat packed kitchen and as the guys unloaded and took the goods up to the first floor – which I was pleasantly surprised by actually as I’m sure they don’t have to lift a thing!  In, it all came bit by bit and I have to say instead of feeling excited, it was all a bit nerve-wracking.  There’s sooo much stuff and really not that much space at all.  I just keep telling myself that we measured everything up, it’ll all fit in…We measured everything up, it’ll all fit in…And if it doesn’t we’ve got 28 days to find out, it’ll all be fine.

Bathroom floor and wall tiles next, I was met by a slightly more A-typical delivery guy this time, when he got to the front door – of the house rather than the flat – and asked me where I wanted the tiles I asked him to just  put them in the hallway.   If you had seen the look on his face you might have thought I’d asked him to double somersault up the stairs with each tile strategically placed between his butt cheeks!  The reality is, we’re talking one small step.  I chose to ignore the pained expression and he rocked back out to the van.  Now in comparison to the arrival of the kitchen the tiles were a veritable joy…The tiles – in my opinion are beautiful…Even if they are slightly darker than the sample sent, it doesn’t matter.  I wish we had them in our bathroom!

Doesn't do them justice

The next thing to arrive, the new (practically the same as the old one I’d ordered) tap.  So we’re literally rocking and almost ready to go.

The final and most important arrival of the day, was my lovely friend Nicola.  So, after a bit of a catch up Nic put her work clothes on rolled up her sleeves and we got stuck in.  Mainly more painting, more coats on in the hall and the bedroom, 1st coat of gloss on the skirting board in the bedroom and then 1st lick of paint in the bathroom.  We are really getting somewhere…

Day 28 – An excercise in self discipline March 30, 2010

We have had the keys for exactly 4 weeks today and I have to say although the novelty most definitely wore off around 18 days ago, both Jerome and I excelled ourselves this even.

Jerome has been doing really well with all the plastering, bearing in mind he’s only done it a couple of times, the wall look exceedingly good!  Well done husband.

Could you do that?

So, not finishing dinner until after 8pm, I can assure you the last thing either of us wanted to do was go over and work on the flat.  However, I don’t know what came over us, but the knowing of what we ‘should’ be doing vs the knowing of what we wanted to be doing, managed to win the battle, forcing me to pull on my grimmer than grim trackie bottoms and head over.  Jerome continuing on the plaster mission and me on the 3rd bloody coat of the bedroom and I have to say once we got in and working, actually it was mightily satisfying, I was very proud of us!  Tomorrow we have helping hands in the shape of Nicola Collett coming up from Brighton and  the kitchen and bathroom tiles are being delivered, so it’s all go!

The bedroom on Saturday

Day 26 – 9 Litres, 7 hours and still standing! March 28, 2010

The phrase, come and have a go, if you think your hard enough springs to mind.  There’s not a huge amount of mileage you can get out of STILL PAINTING THE BLOODY HALL. So I’ll keep it short and snappy.  Gave the bad boy a second coat and after a brief break started on the second bedroom whilst we still had light.

I still haven’t worked out why it takes longer to do the second coat than it does the third, but it definitely does and the fact I managed to get through 9 litres of paint – I started a new tub on Friday night – confirms that although I’m close to poking my own eyeballs out with a blunt pencil through sheer boredom, I am getting there.  It’s probably important to say that despite painting a pretty bleak picture of my state of mind after almost a month of working almost 7 days a week with normal work and the flat – there was one really uplifting moment that occurred whilst painting the bedroom today.  The intermittent rain,  dark grey clouds and lack of artificial light helped to create a really oppressive feeling in the bedroom, each contributing in equal parts to my black mood.  However, in one moment, the clouds broke and rays of sun fought their way through, streaming through the window quite literally lifting the tension and showing me quite literally, the light at the end of the tunnel.  When we’ve got the crap out, the floor down, the skirting boards painted, the window frame glossed, blinds up and a bed in…It’s going to look really lovely!

Day 25 – Honest Ash March 27, 2010

So, Ashley has finally finished the work on the boiler and as workman, client etiquette goes, finished work = pay up.  So, following tradition we went through our respective parts with the only problem being, Ashley didn’t seem to want to take his money…Seriously, it was 8 o’clock, I was slightly peeved that despite getting on the earlier train home, it had still taken me an age to get the dinner sorted and I had just watched him count the cash 3 times already.  I knew the money was correct because I’d taken it from the bank and neither Jerome or I had touched it, however, 4 counts later he’s asking me if I want to get in the van whilst he counts it again, which is probably a good thing because at the moment I’m standing on the corner of the road, next to his unmarked van door, whilst he’s counting a wedge of money and in spite of my hideous ‘workman’s’ outfit I know what the scene potentially looks like to the untrained eye…Although, come to think of, me getting in the car and sitting by his side whilst he counts out a wedge of money; is that any  better?  So, he counts it out again for about the 6th time, looks at me and says ‘How much is supposed to be there?’ I’m like ‘£1690′.  He looks at me, looks at the money and counts it out again, putting it into piles of £100 – so there can’t be any mistakes.  He counts out £1770 and starts looking for his little pad: Total cost, minus the discount you asked for + the radiator + parts plus time.  He’s like actually the outstanding you owe me is £1700, I’m like ‘Oh, right’ whilst feeling a little confused.  I’d even used the calculator in the bank to make sure I’d got my maths right, and not only was I £10 out, but the bank seems to have given me an extra £80…Obviously, I’m going to check that to see if they debited £1770 or just miscounted an extra £80, but what ever the scenario, it all seems a bit unusual, I understand that we’ll all experience a bit of human error atit mes, but that’s way out.  I thought bank tellers were like human robots.  I will be investigating further.  The lovely thing is even as I was getting slowly more and more wound up with Ashley’s seeming inability to count, he was just looking out for Jerome and I only looking to take what he was owed rather than a cheeky little bonus and that in my book, needs bigging up.  So, for all your boiler needs please take Ashley the Gas Safe Plumber on my recommendation 07961289878.

When I finally get over to the flat, I’m back in the hall and a flash of negativity runs through my mind.  I’m now bored with painting.  Why does it seem to take longer to do the second coat than it does the first?  I then tell my mind to pull itself together and get on with it, I commit to working until 10 pm.  

Jerome also gets a little hacked off when his progress is hampered by one of the work man taking his tape measure, but seen as we have Thomas in tow, I don’t necessarily think it’s a bad thing as small children and paint, just don’t gel!  (Sorry.)  So, as they head off, I get stuck in.  Realising that if I don’t accept that I’m going to have to do a hell of a lot more painting this whole project is going to get a whole lot less appealing, so what I will be taking with me today  is idea that acceptance is key.

Progress – just need the taps…