This time last year......

In flicking through some photos on my computer this afternoon I discovered these from february last year.  I just can't believe it's only been a year since all this was happening.... kitchen fireplace, balcony, flooring, fencing, patio, compost bins and wall-building.  It seems so much longer ago!  I am so thankful we have finished all the building work in our house now, but look forward to kick-starting the annexe project in the Spring now we have planning permission and a good set of plans.

Paint attack...

Having got over the distraction of the olympics, I've found a use for some of the leftover paint from the house - some might say I've ruined some perfectly good pieces of furniture!!  It feels good to update the look though and learn a new skill.  And I'm not finished yet - now I've started it's tempting to give everything a touch of shabby chic - here are some before and afters...

Floored!

After many phonecalls, agonising about the colour, and changing the wooden floorboards from one room to another, we at last have a kitchen floor. It was great when someone asked only days later "are the floorboards really old?". We went for a 'distressed' finished on the basis that they would be scratched and dented by us within hours - and yes they were!

The lounge also has its carpet (plus its first muddy pawprint.....),

and here's me grouting the utility room floor. I think this is the only time we will see the grout as this will truly be covered in mud and dog fluff for most of the time. Not that we particularly want to be dirty, we just can't help it!

I blame all the log-fetching, wall building and gardening.

Three rooms....

Having just resurfaced and gasping for air after the last week of MOVING IN, I have found my way back to the shed where the computer still sits amid the debris left behind. It's like a bombsite out here - and do we care? No! Cos we are smugly warm, dry and safe inside a real house with windows, heating, flushing toilets and even a carpet in the bedroom. Living in a wooden shed has definitely lost it's appeal since summer ended.

We woke up on our first morning in the house, stepped casually into the shower and stumbled downstairs for rayburn-cooked porridge. The morning was golden. God was smiling and I felt tearful with relief to finally be HOME. The last few weeks have brought to mind images of being on a long sea voyage, and at last spotting the harbour of home in the distance getting slowly closer. The sea has sometimes been stormy, sometimes calm since we sold the Chapel two and a half years ago, stayed with my wonderful parents, travelled to China, lived in Wales, and finally spent the last 8 months here at Pengotton - nearly home but not quite. Ironically, we bought this place at auction on 17th November 2009, and moved in on 17th Nov 2011 - 2 years to the day!

(Can you tell we're exhausted from behind?)

The house is far from finished. To get in before winter, we set the goal of finishing three rooms - the bedroom, the shower room... (with shower now fixed and raised above Ian's head.... and even a loo roll holder fixed to the wall...)and the pantry - my favourite room so far (why are we even having a kitchen?)....Somewhere clean to sleep, wash and keep food - surely the basics of life.

Every detail has a story - a cupboard made by a friend, slate windowsills from Cornwall, oak from Lankelly, Sidbrook and Wales, loos and sinks from a neighbour - and the marble worktops......say no more!

The stress when things go wrong (at least once a week) has been relieved by lots of small miracles. The shower problem (see earlier blog) was solved when Ian happened to find just the right bit of pipe in a box of taps we had been given - he was astounded when it fitted the shower head so we didn't have to buy another one.

So what's next ..... I think three more rooms by Christmas - the two back bedrooms (gotta make somewhere for K&P to sleep!) and the kitchen (to carve the turkey). The kitchen cupboards arrive this Thursday (I hope) so all we've got to do is sort out worktops, sinks and appliances and then fit it. The lovely stone floor was laid last week and most of the painting has been done.

The rayburn has not gone out since it was plumbed in a few weeks ago. The log pile is diminishing frighteningly fast but I am glad to say I have barely cooked a meal since it was first lit. It is the love of Ian's life and he has already tried out bread making, home made pizza, yogurt in the bottom oven, and drying fruit... as well as real food. I'm praying the novelty never wears off ;0

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House update.....

We're on the downhill slope....maybe a rather slippery sub-zero slope if we listen to the weather forecasters.....but within 3 or 4 weeks we should be MOVING IN to the upstairs rooms of the house. This is good news as shed-dwelling is losing its appeal with the prospect of winter ahead.

So what's changed? Upstairs we've done a fair amount of painting - most colours have been chosen - that's not to say they won't be changed but they look good for now. Downstairs is slower but almost plastered and some walls painted.

The lights upstairs have fittings...... (well some of them anyway)

The bedrooms all have power points, radiators and skirting boards...

The stairs have got bannisters and the walls have paint....

The bathrooms have taps, showers, tiles, sinks and loos, not to mention a rather large bath....

Okay, so I got a bit carried away with the bathroom catalogue shots.....but if you take a step back you can see the true story....

The plumber had a bad day last Monday (and so did I) - the shower has been put in too low unless Ian shrinks in the next few weeks, he broke a tile in the process, had to hack a hole in the newly plastered wall to fix on a towel rail, and couldn't work out how to fix down the bath. I ended up ringing the technical support of the bath-world who suggested very strong glue! hmmmmm.

I'm sure all will be resolved in due course. Downstairs meanwhile, the plasterers finished the lounge today, and the kitchen floor tiles have arrived - with several broken in pieces! The electrician is doing a mammoth job getting the electrical spaghetti organised into a meaningful fuse board so we can one day turn on those lovely lights and power points.

Outside, we have been tidying up the veg patch for winter and getting in a few broad beans and onions. The geese have settled in nicely - they have taken up residence under the apple tree - it's quite amusing to see them fighting Barney for the odd windfall. The chickens are confined to their run in disgrace having scratched up the newly sown grass seed. The lawn is mostly green but I have been madly patching and sowing before the weather gets too cold. I can't believe I've actually been watering the seed in october due to lack of rain....

Both our jobs are continuing, now Ian has started with Cornwall Farmers - and we both feel relieved to be out and away from building and decision making at home for a bit. In spare time we've enjoyed making apple juice with some of our neighbours, and filling the freezer with raspberries and tomato sauces from the garden. The yellow courgettes have been so prolific we can hardly bear the sight of them! There's nothing more therapeutic than growing veg and making a garden beautiful.

mmmmmm.....