Now Christmas, New Year, and all the other celebrations are finally over, leaving me sluggish and half a stone heavier.. half a stone? Who am I trying to fool?- I have turned my full attention to Millport.
As well as trying to finish off George St, I need to cast a critical eye over Crawford St to see what needs to be done before the next lot of renters come in and cast their critical eye over my little piece of heaven. I had a hilarious comment left in my book by the eight year old daughter of the New Year renters, by the way. She thought the bed “very comftabel..” but also announced that” Another bathfroom would be good”
Yes, Maisie, that would be good, you’re absolutely right. Now, where could I put it, do you think??
Not much progress had been made on George St for quite a few weeks before Christmas, and of course no progress at all was made between Christmas and New Year. But true to their word, both electrician and plasterer/ tiler had gone in straight after the holidays and done quite a lot. We now have..(dramatic pause..) lights that switch on and off! And floor tiles in hall ,bathroom and kitchen area! Yes, we do!!
We also have two nice second hand arm chairs. As we strolled down to the chippy on our arrival on Friday night, I noticed quite a large pile of furniture out on the pavement. a small hand written note, weighted down with a stone from the beach, proclaimed that it was all “Free To Good Home”. I was immediately drawn to the two chairs, and on our way back, I insisted that Chris should carry one home. I carried the fish and chips, and Chris rushed back for the second chair, as there were already a small crowd of locals eying the stuff up. Two ladies were carefully carrying a gate legged table away, but I didn’t want it anyway, which was just as well, as I’ve been known to trip old ladies up in Asda to get to the reduced pile of food.I’m not proud of it- I just can’t help myself.
This weekend Chris and I decided to try and put up the kitchen units, which we had bought from Ikea after Christmas. No expense spared, I tell you. These were the cheapest units that Ikea does, cheapest handles, cheapest work top. I wanted black gleaming granite, to fulfill a fantasy which sees Phil Spencer from Location, Location, bursting into my flat, declaring he can’t resist my charms any longer, and ..well. Suffice to say that the Spaghetti Hoops which I’m cooking up on the two ring hob burn a bit.
Chris however suggested that we should just go with bog standard white, and sadly I agreed. I learned recently that Phil Spencer’s wife is Australian, and I feel this gives her a slight advantage over me. I bet she’s not half a stone oh all right, a stone heavier than she was before Christmas.
So, we now had a flat full of boxes marked Fluckit, or something along those lines, and some awfy nifty red wall panels to act as a splash back. As we now have power to the flat, I was able to put the radio on and a little heater, and in no time at all Chris and I had constructed the first unit. We had constructed it wrongly, as it turned out, but it was constructed. It was a moments work for Chris to rip it apart again, thereby damaging the back panel. Hurrah!
Ikea furniture is a doddle once you follow some simple rules, like checking which way round the bits go, counting all the screws before you start, and possibly paying somebody else to do it for you. But adversity is my middle name, not Lucy, so I set to with my screwdriver, and while Chris ripped the old unit off the wall, I got the two base units and two wall cupboards put together, while displaying a first class builder’s bum to anybody that might have looked in the window. The plumber came in and discussed the final placing of the pipes, while politely admiring my base units, and Chris and I set off home feeling a good weekend’s work had been done.
I have booked a week off work at the end of February to go down and shampoo the carpets in Crawford St, and generally tidy and clean everything for the new season of renters. Alas, I don’t think another bathfroom is on the agenda, but I can try to make the existing one look as nice as I can. I feel pleasantly excited at the thought of another season of happy holiday makers.
See you next month!
Welcome back to blogland. I’m happy that things are moving again. In my last house I fitted the kitchen in lovely white Ikea units,but had lovely oak worksurfaces put in(white is a lot easier to clean if ,like me you muck up the kitchen whilst preparing dinner for a dozen)Are we really the end of january already???time is flying so fast. Good chairs you got: I got a lovely lights for my study ceiling at the rubbish tip last week-people leave “good”things next to the supervisors hut so sometimes you can be very lucky:
Ooooo love the wing chair landlady. Very nice. Not-quite-Ercol, but very tasty for all that. Well done! Purrlease accept the title of Queen of the Scranners from all at Cookiecutter Cott!
I had to be forcibly restrained from taking the golf bag trolley – neither I, Chris, or anyone we know plays golf, but ,y’know, it was FREE!
The kids are shuddering with horror at the thought of us being such midgie rakers, but I am unrepentant. I agree about the bit next to the supervisor’s hut, Taddoe, I wonder if they sort out the best rubbish for themselves?
Can’t answer that question ,Jen,there is only one guy who supervises the place–he knows who’s after what so will give a buzz on your mobile to let you know,then its up to you,if you want it or not:obviously this is a small place otherwise it couldn’t work
Of course they do! Try working in a charity shop…it’s a jungle of sharp elbows and finely-honed tongues…or is that the other way round
Yer man at the Scran sounds like little short of a saint taddoe!
“Little short” KC–how did you guess??He is small -he had a polio related illness as a child and he is small and has a limp,but he is one real,real nice,kind person,always willing to help others -at his workplace and does loads of volontary work:”thanks,laurent,you’re a great guy”"
you have some great mates, Taddoe.
Now, who knows how to cover the offending velour ” once might have been gold but is now a dirty yellow” cushions? I’ve tried Googling it but no luck so far. It’s the buttons that’s confoooosling me…
I’m afraid you purrobably have to carefully remove the buttons and replace them (having first re-covered them to match) when new fabric is in situ…in situ oh mammydaddy Ah’m peein’ masel
Sorry landlady, don’t know what came over me. I’ve been lifting paving slabs and its not easy for a cat…
And i’m rapidly going off recovering the chair, if it involves covering buttons. Maybe an artfully placed throw, or knitted whaddjamacallit might do the trick? not that I’m a Lazy Landlady…
What a very busy LL you are LL. Do you ever sleep? Does your sleeping, involve a bed, sheets duvet, pillows.etc.? Or do you catch a few minutes in between all that LL stuff that you do LL?
I broke into a sweat just reading this LL ( No I was not touching myself inapropriately,I am not a teenager anymore) I will treasure that picture of you, tastefully caught, and so graceful. Cheery…
Lovely image there TWs, burned into my brain, of you breaking out into a sweat….
No I sleep standing up, duster at the ready.( Big Man says I sleep in a coffin but this is not true.) you know the episode of Father Ted where he opens the door and Mrs Doyle is standing ready with his cup of tea no matter what time of the night he looks?
That’s me, that is.
aha, LL, you too put IKEA stuff up the wrong way. Even one of the greatest minds in the whole WORLD has been known to do that. Great minds … .fools … ???
We got a wing chair too. Quite comfy. Make me an offer?? Payment in natura accepted of course.
Well it was an easy mistake to make, putting the unit together upside down, I got on better when Big Man left me to do it.
Not that I’m suggesting he was the person who put the top on the bottom, dearie me no…
As to the wing chair , Barney, you’re too late- two is sufficient, perhaps too many for such a “cosy” flat. Now if you’re getting rid of any bed settees, that’s another matter…
Its a wise man who knows his top from his bottom…never mind where he laid the allan key. So to speak.