Changing Rooms? PAH!

We're now in the process of transforming a cheap chest of drawers into a cheap chest of drawers with new fronts. The idea was to cover them with the leftover wallpaper and thus make them match the spare room. But, as usual we only had enough left to cover three of the five drawers. We're now going to have to use that special paint for faux wood and MDF and paint the remaining two with that to make the whole thing match. Now, this is either going to look ludicrous, in which case it's time to get to Argos, OR it'll look spot on. The wallpapered ones look good, and I have a new found love of arts and crafts, but I'm not so confident of our prowess with the old spray can, but we shall see.

As you can tell, we STILL haven't finished the spare room, the shelves are going back up tomorrow, and the full length mirror went up tonight. I shall hang the pictures last of all I think and I'm still in two minds as to whether I want my PC back in there. If I put it back then it will free up space in our room for us to put something in it's place and if I don't then it'll be the nicest room in the house that no one ever goes in. This in itself is a problem because I want a nice room that no one messes up, but it seems like an awful lot of wasted time and indeed money for no one to use it.

I went to work for the last time this year today and it was terminally dull. We've also been to the SALES! Except I have bought nothing except a pair of black jeans that I didn't try on because I expected them to fit. Turns out they don't and further more they are too big, so every cloud and all that! I've got to take them back tomorrow morning which I expect will be fun.

Merry Festive Season Happy Greetings!

If anybody is reading this then I wish them a very happy Christmas and I hope you got everything you asked Father Christmas for. I have more chocolate than is humanly necessary, so if anyone wants one, help yourselves.

I've spent an enjoyable few days with my family and am now back home after a not too bad journey cross country. In fact, there was little traffic on the roads at all including the M62 which I was expecting to be the worst. I went for a bracing walk on the seafront on Boxing Day and have never been so cold. We set off walking into the wind and lasted about five minutes before we turned around and walked the other way only to realise that we would still have to turn around and walk into the wind on the return journey. Still, it cleared out the old sinuses.

I'm looking forward to the new year now because I'm determined we will start the renovation of the living room. I'm a bit sick of it being a state. I plan to take up the fire surround and take off the fireplace and replace them with something much nicer and more to our taste. I also want to strip back all the lining paper the previous occupants put up. It's coming off the wall in places, so I suspect once it's off we shall find ourselves with a few problems underneath. Anyway, enough of that......for now......

Ready, steady......GO!

Finally, it's all done, and everything is wrapped. We did pop to town this morning for a few last minute bits and pieces and I was surprised to see that the panic buying hasn't really started in ernest, maybe everyone is waiting until Christmas Eve or something. The supermarket however was a bit more busy than I'd like, and there were NO cheese footballs!

Don't panic though, we managed to get some from Iceland - we know how to live!?

Waiting for Godot

So, this morning at around 8:30am the cooker man rang to tell us he would be with us between 12pm and 3pm. This gave us some hours in town to try and buy the Christmas presents we haven't yet. We basically ran around town because we thought, nay hoped that the cooker man would be coming around the 12 mark rather than 3. Well, we got back just before 12, and waited, and waited, then waited. 1 came and went, 2 came and went, then 3 came and went. He eventually turned up around half past after sitting outside in his van for at least 20 minutes. When he eventually decided to come in, his reason for being late was that he was watching a plane circling. Not just any plane mind you, a plane that looked like it was going to crash land and was circling to get rid of it's fuel. Apparently his brother had seen it and called him to say he could see it and that it looked like only one of it's wheels was down. Cue much speculation as to whether it was going to make a crash landing. Now, I'm not overly certain this wasn't an elaborate excuse, but I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt as he's fixed my cooker and it now reaches top temperature.

Another weekend flies by

This time last year we discovered that our brand new cooker didn't quite reach it's top temperature, needless to say we left it until two weeks ago to do anything about it. We are lazy and probably only really decided to do something when the grill ignition gave up a month ago. Tomorrow the repairman is coming to hopefully sort it out as we had to send off for new parts but it's meant taking a day off work to wait in. Of course they can't give us a time so it's looking like it's not going to be overly productive tomorrow.

We've not done a great deal this weekend, I went to work on Saturday and missed going out for a friend's birthday on Friday night. Then last night went round the corner to see some friends for a few hours. They're looking after another pal's cat. He was in the bad books though after defecating on the brand new stair carpet. Having said that though he seems to be settling in as he came and sat with us in the living room for much longer than he had been doing.

Madam Paws woke me up this morning by standing next to my head and shouting at me. I desperately tried not to open my eyes as that is the kiss of death as then she knows you are awake and will not leave you alone. I wasn't successful though and so she meowed for around half an hour before I gave in and got up. Seems I'm destined to never ever have a lie in.

I think I'm starting to come down with the illness that seems to be doing the rounds lately, I've had a sore throat since Friday afternoon. Just my luck to get it in time for Christmas!

Christmas

I love Christmas me. Or at least I did before I got a job where I would have to work on odd days throughout the festive period. This means I can't spend any of this holiday for any length of time with any of the people I care about. I'm going to my parents on Christmas Eve itself, which means a good four hour journey if I'm lucky, and if I'm unlucky, I'll arrive sometime around midnight. Then, I'll have to travel back on the 27th, so I can be back in time to go to work. I'm starting to wonder what my boss would say if I decided to book two weeks off next year right over Christmas....

Having said all that though, I am looking forward to the time I am going to spend with the folks, I don't see them as much as I would like, but I guess this is what being a grown up is all about, isn't it?!

We've nearly finished all our Christmas shopping too, only a few more people to buy for and then we're done. However, we've jumped the gun a little where the festive snacks and Roses chocolates are concerned, and nearly finished a bag and a tin of both.

I am a liar

Yesterday I went to town to buy some Christmas presents and as I walked to and fro I passed not one, but two men selling memberships to the RAC. On both occasions I said, "Sorry, I already have membership", when asked would I like to join. I DON'T! I don't feel very guilty, mainly because some answer has got to be better than just being ignored, hasn't it? I always stop for those people doing surveys as well, even though I know that I am going to be unable to take part because I work in the Meedja. I just feel that it's hard enough to get people to be civil as it is, so I figure it's better that I don't add to the general rudeness.

I've been internet-less at work for about a week and a half and surprised myself at how productive I can be! I got it back today though and automatically fell into the same old patterns, it's like a drug! I don't know what people did at work before computers!!!

No news really

mainly because I'm in a pit of despair due to being unable to do anything right, EVER.

I also haven't stopped for what feels like six months. Still, only TWO MORE WEEKS and then it's not going to be a problem for me anymore.

DIY SOS

The decorating has come to an almost dead stop, I started to peel the loose wallpaper off the wall in the living room, but haven't got the whole lot off, nor am I about to really. I'm a bit scared if I'm honest at what we'll bloody find, and more to the point how much it's going to cost to put right. So, I think it's going to be well into the New Year before we do anything else.

In other news, I've been working non-stop because we've had staff off sick. My car needs it's MOT and I'm terrified it's going to fail! I need new clothes and I need to lose weight before I am prepared to buy any, and basically that's a vicious circle. Basically, I'm a little ball of joy at the moment.

Worse still, I'm in a panic over a hen night I'm organising because we don't have a club to go to, and we're going to London where I don't know any clubs apart from the super-clubs, and basically I have a week to find one.

Welcome to Paradise

It's a toss up what's been the most middle aged thing I've done this weekend.

Yesterday, we went to a PACT meeting, where I not only complained most heartily about dog fouling, I also managed to get one of my gripes set as a priority for the next month! People were asked what they would like as their 3 and before I knew what was happening, I was saying "well, people are parking too close to the junction, and there'll be an accident one of these days." THERE'LL BE AN ACCIDENT ONE OF THESE DAYS! Cue nods of agreement being made around the table. Someone else then suggested speeding in general for the third priority, and just so I gave something back for their support, I agreed that it was a splendid idea.

For those unfamiliar with the PACT meeting, once all the formalities are out of the way, they then go around the table for you to get your gripes out of the way. We were first to speak up, and I thought that after my priority they might all think that our main complaint was a bit petty. I started to talk about how we have a lamppost just outside our front door that has been used as a toilet for some time by at least three dogs. I have reached the number three because I've seen three fresh turds recently. I went on to explain that it was a minor irritance, especially as some new signs have gone up recently to explain that if you are caught letting your dog foul you face a fine and it seems this has been a red rag to a bull because there's been more poo there since it went up. I look up from my soliloquy and see them all shaking their heads and mumbling things like "terrible", "no respect these days" etc... It was BRILLIANT.

Today has been much less exciting, I've made a Sunday dinner of lamb chops, and cleaned up. All of which I did before 10am because I can't seem to sleep in anymore. I'll leave it to you to decide which of my days have been the most terrible because if I think about it too long my head might explode.

Party on.....erm........dude.............

What are you supposed to do with weekends? I've worked hard all week, I get to Friday and it feels like I do the same stuff over and over again. If we stay sober on the Friday night, go to bed at a reasonable time and then spend Saturday doing stuff I come to find myself twiddling my thumbs by the time evening arrives. Then Sunday is spent eating and messing about on the internet and the whole thing just drags and drags.

If I do the opposite and find myself going to bed at some point in the early ours of Saturday morning then Sunday appears rapidly and I get that sinking feeling you used to get as a child where you are hoping that the episode of Only Fools and Horses you're allowed to stay up and watch is a long one so you can stay up later and put off the inevitable arrival of Monday and therefore school.

It's a bit of a lose lose situation. I can't help but wonder what other folks do? Am I alone in my confusion and constant wishing I'd done the opposite? Take this weekend as an example. So far it's been spent having an early night (I've had another crap night's sleep), getting up much earlier than I'd like and spending money I don't have on expensive cosmetics because I'm far more vain than I would ever like to admit. Now, I'm debating whether to go to the pub and possibly a club, or stay in and do nothing. I don't want a hangover or the recovery process that goes with that, but I'm also incredibly bored. ARRRGH!

Sleep glorious sleep

I've been on earlies all this week (well, Wednesday to today), cue much irritation and extreme tiredness. Even after all these years I still can't function as a fully fledged member of the human race when I have to get up at 4:30am. What doesn't help is that lately I've been sleeping awfully. Come three in the afternoon I am pretty much fit for nothing. This then results in me taking to the sofa to watch the afternoon movie on channel 5. These are BRILLIANT, they're always thoroughly miserable and contain at least one death. I'm also more than certain that none of the films have ever been in the cinema. Needless to say, I am addicted to them, sometimes I even manage to watch a whole one!

Food glorious food

Today, I decided to go and spend some of my birthday money on stuff I don't need. I got in the car, navigated the diversion on the way to the retail park, got halfway there and decided to just go home instead. So, I came home, did some washing, cooked a vegetable curry, played on the computer and watched a dreadful afternoon film on channel 5. I have no idea what stopped me going shopping, other than the fact I just simply couldn't be bothered. I have weight to lose and when I try clothes on I have one of two things happen, the first is that the sizes are either too big or too small, nothing just FITS. The second is that I buy shoes because nothing fits. I realise I need to do something about this, and I realise it's my own fault that I am fat, but I just can't stop eating. I seriously need to sort it out though because I'm to be a bridesmaid in a few months time and I will NOT fit in the dress. The bride is doing fantastically well, she's managed to lose 4 stones by apparently not doing too much, so it can't be that hard can it?

I'm also feeling odd, I've been off work for a week and I really don't want to go back. I know everyone feels a bit like this from time to time, but the feeling's been getting stronger and stronger as the months go by. I feel like it's all a bit of a waste of time, as though I'm not getting anywhere in my career and I see people doing really well (facebook really makes me feel shitty) and wonder why I'm wasting my time pursuing a path I'm clearly not suited to. I can't go any higher within the company I work for and no one else seems to want to employ me. I also feel as though I'm going round and round in circles, it doesn't excite me the way it used to, and it certainly doesn't pay enough for the hours I work. To add to all that, it's all change at work and I don't feel at home there anymore. I'll stop whinging now....

Chintz

I have taken some photos of the finished room so that everyone can admire our handiwork. I'm still really proud of us the more I look at it, in fact, now I've gotten over the initial shock of all the hard work I'm keen to start on the rest of the house! I don't think he's going to let me though.

Anyway, here's the finished article...



Yesterday was my 30th birthday, and actually I'm not as bothered as I thought I'd be. Granted my life is ebbing away and I've nothing to show for it except a spare room decorated to my taste, but still.... I got some lovely gifts and had some of my favourite people at my party. We had a few people I don't know turn up - they were friends of friends and made the whole thing a bit uncomfortable for a little while, but after they left it picked up again. I am paying for it in spades today though, so it's a good job I've taken tomorrow off too.

It's finished!!!!

WOOOOOOOOOOO! WOOOOOOOOOOOO! I feel an enormous sense of achievement. Last night, at midnight, after hours of arguing and swearing we completed the room. It's now beautifully papered and painted. It's also clean and waiting to have everything put back into it. I think we've done a great job with the papering despite neither of us having done it before and the fact that we picked one with a very busy pattern. There is one part of it that isn't quite right, but you won't be able to see that because it's where the bed will live. The only bit I'm not entirely happy with is the paint finish. It seems I've rather ruined it with my painting over the crackle. It's worked in one sense in that I've covered the crackle, but it's left an impression of being painted over which is obvious.

Anyway, things I have learned about DIY....

1. There is no easy way around a job.
2. Painting is harder than it looks.
3. Papering is easier than everyone's says.
4. People who put wallpaper on top of wallpaper shouldn't be allowed to own houses.
5. Get someone else in to do the work.

Snap, crackle and pop

Today has been mainly spent trying to cover up the cracking that seems to have infected the paintwork like a virus, it's all over and has appeared without much reason. A quick "google" reveals we aren't alone in this problem but unfortunately no one gives much in the way of ideas to rid ourselves of it. I've gone over it with MORE paint and a brush but I fear this is just going to result in patches that look weird when it's completely dry, it's already looking like that's exactly what I've tried to do. We've also had the gloss out on the skirting boards so now the house absolutely stinks!

All being well we do the papering tomorrow. I think that we're both a bit nervous about this as we really could end up messing the whole thing up terribly and neither of us really knows what we're doing, so it's gping to be a case of the blind leading the blind. Wish us luck!

Watching paint dry

It took longer than we thought for the plaster to dry so that's put us back a few days with the decorating. When the plaster finally did dry we then had to apply a coat of wallpaper paste to the plaster to seal it. This took us a solid three hours after work because we also had to clean all the plaster off EVERYTHING. It seems my cousin has managed to plaster all of the skirting boards as well as the back of the door and I'm thinking it should have been something they cleaned off before they left. Ah well, you live and learn.

We're now on our second coat of paint (buttermilk!)but we're getting problems with how the paint is drying, it's cracking in places but we don't know why.

Anyway, this is how it's starting to shape up...



The far wall is going to be papered, which we think will be done tomorrow, fingers crossed!

Hole in'th'wall

The hole in the wall is fixed, in fact, we now have three perfectly plastered walls. The trouble is they aren't drying as quickly as I would have liked, especially as I've now chosen my wallpaper and paint colours for the room. We've chosen a paper from a collection called 1829 which is supposed to be period type gubbins. Him indoors didn't think much of it in the shop, but after we'd brought a sample home and held it against the wall he changed his mind. It's kind of magnolia with dusky pink flowers (it sounds much much worse than it is, I promise!).

I just want to get going with it now though, I need it to be finished by my 30th in a few weeks because we've got people coming to stay and I doubt they'll all fit on the settee. Speaking of my 30th, I'm being badgered into doing something when all I actually want to do is pretend it's not happening. I realise that this is a very ridiculous attitude to take as it is aferall just a number, but I just feel a bit as though my life is ebbing away and I have nothing to show for it. I suppose what didn't help was finding out that someone was being paid TWO THOUSAND POUNDS more than me for doing a lesser job. I guess that's what you get for discussing salaries.

Can he fix it?

Well, yes he can, apparently. This weekend, my cousin is coming to fix the hole in the wall. I'm hoping it's going to be relatively straight forward just because I desperately want the room to be back to normal by my birthday. In my head I've already starting thinking about colour schemes and cushions, but it could all be a bit premature if it turns out to be a major job.

In what's proved to be a fairly brief look at the outside wall, there appears to be a brick problem near to the drain, which corresponds directly to the hole inside, which means it could well be a sign of something more serious. But, the wallpaper wasn't at all damp in the room, and surely that would happen wouldn't it? If you had major water leaks? I'm considering re-training to be a builder, then at least I'd be able to fix these things myself!!!

Here we go again

I stopped blogging properly last year after the death of our beautiful cat Marwood. This may sound like a weird reason, but I was so heartbroken and the whole thing was dedicated to him and about him that I just couldn't re-visit it. I realise some folk may think I'm crazy, but it's the only reason I have. So, why am I starting again? Well, we bought a house and we're doing it up and I have to have somewhere to vent my frustrations.

Where to begin... Nine months ago we moved into the house which on first viewing looked as though it didn't need a thing doing to it, how wrong we were! Firstly, once all their furniture was out and before ours was in, it came to light that the two year old child who previously lived here had drawn some wonderful scribbles just at ankle height. They'd also decorated to sell and I think someone may have watched one too many episodes of Changing Rooms as the living room and kitchen both have "feature walls" in unsuitable colours. The one in the kitchen is monstrous, not least because the lady who started it decided she wasn't going to finish it, and cheerily told me over the phone that she had "left the paint pots for you to finish it". Secondly, they painted the living room on top of lining paper that wasn't properly stuck to the wall. And in the part where it didn't meet the wall, decided that painting the crack was a better idea than sticking it down.

So, because we aren't master decorators we decided to start the re-decoration in the spare room as it's small enough not to cost a fortune if someone else needs to be called in. After getting to the bottom of about 17 layers of paper (including woochip - cue sharp intakes of breath from everyone who has heard this), we dated the bottom layer (lime green box shaped flowers) to 1983 as they've written it on the wall. Not only that, we've found a nice hole in the wall....