With having spent so many hours painting in the flat, the week has flown by for me. I can’t speak for Phil, who in his own words, has been doing 10 hour days in the sweat shop, as he refers to his current place of work. It’s been a productive week and I am glad to say that I’ve achieved all that I set out to achieve at the beginning of the week plus I’ve managed to do a bit more. A result, even if I do say so myself. I spent all of Monday in the flat, painting a third coat of paint in the second bedroom and then going on to sand every surface that needed glossing. I did go home for some lunch and a wee but other than that I didn’t stop all day.On Tuesday I was at the flat early because I was expecting the bath to be delivered sometime in the morning. I started on the downstairs gloss work. It’s a good job I haven’t got any floor coverings because I get gloss everywhere. I hate 
glossing, it’s so boring and you have to be so careful. In the old days I never used to sand but I know now that preparation is the key to a good finish and makes life easier in the long run. Unfortunately for me, the original door frames and skirting were painted either orange or deep green which meant I had to give all the woodwork a second coat. I was really hungry but didn’t go home in case the bath arrived so I hung on at the flat even though my stomach was rumbling like crazy. The delivery van finally arrived at 2.30pm and after getting the bath up the steps and in the lounge, I tidied my paints away and went home early. After a bowl of chilli, no rice because I am trying to diet again, I went to CarpetRight to order the carpets. Phil would have probably preferred to wait until he got home from Somerset to choose with me but I had no choice because the 75% discount sale finished at 10pm on Tuesday. I choose the cheapest I could get away with and the whole lot cost £300 plus fitting. I am itching to get all the carpets fitted but I know this isn’t practical so I am getting the fitting done in 2 parts. I can’t wait, because once some carpet has been laid, I know we are on the home run. I also went and got the wall tiles for the bathroom from The Tile Depot. We normally get white tiles from B&Q but they have gone up tremendously in price and having checked prices in HomeBase & Wickes, the Tile Depot turned out to be the cheapest. I am doing a feature wall at the back of the bath which will be expensive and I have yet to source these tiles yet. They are not going to be cheap but are essential to make a cheap bathroom look expensive. Phil is yet to be convinced but he will see that in the end it will be worth the layout. I have a vision!
On Tuesday evening, Christine called for me and we walked across to Cineworld to watch “Confessions of a Shopaholic”. I couldn’t believe how many women were there, it was virtually a full house. Anyway the film did its job, bit cheesy and predicable plot, but it was fairly light on the mind and made me giggle. Not something Phil would want to see in a million years! Christine popped in for a quick coffee and I ended up watching something on telly and didn’t go to bed until 10pm. Consequently I didn’t wake up the next morning until Phil rang me on the landline around quarter to seven.
Anyway after 3 cups of tea and answering my emails, it was back to the flat to start on the second round of the glossing. With radio 2 playing away in the background I was so engrossed I didn’t hear the front door knocker. It was mad Betty, our neighbour in the Cranfield flat, who’d come over to show me her new KA. It was black with silver wheel trims but I’m sorry who can get excited about a Ford KA albeit a custom one? I’m not really into cars but I admired her car profusely and think I said all the right things because she seemed happy enough. I invited Betty up for a coffee (had no choice really) because not only had she come round to show off her new car but she’d brought me a bottle of perfume from the Avon book. I explained to Betty that I needed to carry on glossing and she followed me like a lamb around each room keeping a safe distance away from my paint pot but still remaining in earshot. Anyway, some 3 and half hours later she eventually left. I tell you, now I know what it's like to have a stalker!
Alone at last, I decided to get all the furniture in the main bedroom down into the lounge, all bar the bed frames, which were too awkward to lift on my own. When I’d done that, I got up the bedroom carpets and got them down stairs ready for the council to collect on the free delivery service. Once I’d done that, I decided I may as well go for it and get the landing and stair carpet up as well, leaving just the underlay. I really wanted to finish but seeing the exposed skirting boards, I just had to get on the first layer of gloss which took me longer that I thought it would. I finished just after 4pm, got into my human clothes and went to David Lloyd for a shower. I had planned to go for a swim but there was no time because I was meeting Harriet in The Barge for a quick bite to eat. HH was a little late and very flustered when she finally arrived. Apparently Shane had texted to say he was probably going to run out of petrol on the way home from work. I said she could go to his rescue as having been through the menu whilst I was waiting I really didn’t mind eating alone. Harriet’s rumbling stomach made the over-ruling decision and she decided to stay.
HH as usual had the rump steak and chips and I went for the sole fillets with new potatoes and fresh vegetables. Whilst we were eating I asked Harriet if she wanted to move in to the Oldbrook flat with Shane. They are both looking for somewhere to rent and I figured why pay someone else rent when she could pay me? At first, she came up with a whole load of negatives and I said “suit yourself, take it or leave it”; I was offering to rent it to her at a reduced rent and if she decided not to take me up on my offer, then I could easily get another 100 quid a month more. Unfortunately Harriet didn’t eat her meal, apparently the steak was too tough, the chips were too salty and she didn’t like the look of her peas. I enjoyed my meal, grateful for a proper meal inside of me and something different from chilli.
Yesterday it was back to the Oldbrook flat but I will confess that I first I went to David Lloyd for a 30 minute workout. Although I have been busy in the flat I have been worried that I haven’t done any cardiovascular workouts for a while and painting doesn’t really get the heart going. There is no reason of course why I couldn’t work out after the flat but to be honest I’m too knackered then. After my express workout I went to get petrol, picked up the mail from the PO Box and whilst I was in Kiln Farm I checked out a furniture warehouse www.stock2go.net which I found on the web. It’s really good and if you need furniture or rugs you should pay them a visit. I didn’t purchase because major money spends needs to involve Phil (and his credit card). After browing around stock2go I nipped to IKEA. The main purpose of my visit was to pick up a laptop table for Phil to use in his guesthouse together with a folding chair. Although he has a double bed, a 32” flat screen TV and an en-suite he doesn’t actually have anywhere to sit and work other than if he lies on his bed which is not ideal. I found just what he needed for less than 20 quid and also while was I was there, I checked out the showroom for some inspiration for furniture for small areas. I have a fair idea for colours and interior design for the flat but it’s always good to check out what’s current and get some fresh ideas. I picked up a fantastic shower curtain which was reduced and a shower pole and some funky shower curtain rings. We’re a long way off from dressing the flat but these little things always help me with the final picture and give me something to work on.
After IKEA it was back in the Oldbrook flat to finish off the last of the glossing. I had a touch up all round with the emulsion and tried a coat of sandolin on the front door even though it was drizzling outside. The front door really needs replacing but I wanted to see if it could be rescued. Unfortunately it can’t be but at least I had a go and tried my best to save Phil some money. I also got off the last of remnants of the grouting from the bathroom walls. I had remembered at the last minute that this was the only real job that Phil had tasked me to before his return. It was bloody hard work and with the old grouting came away lots of plaster so I’m not sure if I am going to be in trouble. Perhaps I was too heavy handed but it was only way. The best thing of yesterday was that I was able to tick off everything that I set out to this week when I wrote my list on Monday. Good girl!
Of course with Phil coming home 1 day early, Thursday has become the new Friday for us. He was exhausted when he got home last night, understandably; a skin full of wine, a brief chat and dead to the world and in bed way before midnight. I moan, but physical tiredness is, in a way, quite pleasurable for me. Of course we’ll be back in the flat working solidly for the next couple of days, but you know, now I can see the light at the end of the tunnel, it beats a 9-5 proper job and next week I’m away on holiday. But more about that in my next blog!
glossing, it’s so boring and you have to be so careful. In the old days I never used to sand but I know now that preparation is the key to a good finish and makes life easier in the long run. Unfortunately for me, the original door frames and skirting were painted either orange or deep green which meant I had to give all the woodwork a second coat. I was really hungry but didn’t go home in case the bath arrived so I hung on at the flat even though my stomach was rumbling like crazy. The delivery van finally arrived at 2.30pm and after getting the bath up the steps and in the lounge, I tidied my paints away and went home early. After a bowl of chilli, no rice because I am trying to diet again, I went to CarpetRight to order the carpets. Phil would have probably preferred to wait until he got home from Somerset to choose with me but I had no choice because the 75% discount sale finished at 10pm on Tuesday. I choose the cheapest I could get away with and the whole lot cost £300 plus fitting. I am itching to get all the carpets fitted but I know this isn’t practical so I am getting the fitting done in 2 parts. I can’t wait, because once some carpet has been laid, I know we are on the home run. I also went and got the wall tiles for the bathroom from The Tile Depot. We normally get white tiles from B&Q but they have gone up tremendously in price and having checked prices in HomeBase & Wickes, the Tile Depot turned out to be the cheapest. I am doing a feature wall at the back of the bath which will be expensive and I have yet to source these tiles yet. They are not going to be cheap but are essential to make a cheap bathroom look expensive. Phil is yet to be convinced but he will see that in the end it will be worth the layout. I have a vision!On Tuesday evening, Christine called for me and we walked across to Cineworld to watch “Confessions of a Shopaholic”. I couldn’t believe how many women were there, it was virtually a full house. Anyway the film did its job, bit cheesy and predicable plot, but it was fairly light on the mind and made me giggle. Not something Phil would want to see in a million years! Christine popped in for a quick coffee and I ended up watching something on telly and didn’t go to bed until 10pm. Consequently I didn’t wake up the next morning until Phil rang me on the landline around quarter to seven.
Anyway after 3 cups of tea and answering my emails, it was back to the flat to start on the second round of the glossing. With radio 2 playing away in the background I was so engrossed I didn’t hear the front door knocker. It was mad Betty, our neighbour in the Cranfield flat, who’d come over to show me her new KA. It was black with silver wheel trims but I’m sorry who can get excited about a Ford KA albeit a custom one? I’m not really into cars but I admired her car profusely and think I said all the right things because she seemed happy enough. I invited Betty up for a coffee (had no choice really) because not only had she come round to show off her new car but she’d brought me a bottle of perfume from the Avon book. I explained to Betty that I needed to carry on glossing and she followed me like a lamb around each room keeping a safe distance away from my paint pot but still remaining in earshot. Anyway, some 3 and half hours later she eventually left. I tell you, now I know what it's like to have a stalker!
Alone at last, I decided to get all the furniture in the main bedroom down into the lounge, all bar the bed frames, which were too awkward to lift on my own. When I’d done that, I got up the bedroom carpets and got them down stairs ready for the council to collect on the free delivery service. Once I’d done that, I decided I may as well go for it and get the landing and stair carpet up as well, leaving just the underlay. I really wanted to finish but seeing the exposed skirting boards, I just had to get on the first layer of gloss which took me longer that I thought it would. I finished just after 4pm, got into my human clothes and went to David Lloyd for a shower. I had planned to go for a swim but there was no time because I was meeting Harriet in The Barge for a quick bite to eat. HH was a little late and very flustered when she finally arrived. Apparently Shane had texted to say he was probably going to run out of petrol on the way home from work. I said she could go to his rescue as having been through the menu whilst I was waiting I really didn’t mind eating alone. Harriet’s rumbling stomach made the over-ruling decision and she decided to stay.
HH as usual had the rump steak and chips and I went for the sole fillets with new potatoes and fresh vegetables. Whilst we were eating I asked Harriet if she wanted to move in to the Oldbrook flat with Shane. They are both looking for somewhere to rent and I figured why pay someone else rent when she could pay me? At first, she came up with a whole load of negatives and I said “suit yourself, take it or leave it”; I was offering to rent it to her at a reduced rent and if she decided not to take me up on my offer, then I could easily get another 100 quid a month more. Unfortunately Harriet didn’t eat her meal, apparently the steak was too tough, the chips were too salty and she didn’t like the look of her peas. I enjoyed my meal, grateful for a proper meal inside of me and something different from chilli.
Yesterday it was back to the Oldbrook flat but I will confess that I first I went to David Lloyd for a 30 minute workout. Although I have been busy in the flat I have been worried that I haven’t done any cardiovascular workouts for a while and painting doesn’t really get the heart going. There is no reason of course why I couldn’t work out after the flat but to be honest I’m too knackered then. After my express workout I went to get petrol, picked up the mail from the PO Box and whilst I was in Kiln Farm I checked out a furniture warehouse www.stock2go.net which I found on the web. It’s really good and if you need furniture or rugs you should pay them a visit. I didn’t purchase because major money spends needs to involve Phil (and his credit card). After browing around stock2go I nipped to IKEA. The main purpose of my visit was to pick up a laptop table for Phil to use in his guesthouse together with a folding chair. Although he has a double bed, a 32” flat screen TV and an en-suite he doesn’t actually have anywhere to sit and work other than if he lies on his bed which is not ideal. I found just what he needed for less than 20 quid and also while was I was there, I checked out the showroom for some inspiration for furniture for small areas. I have a fair idea for colours and interior design for the flat but it’s always good to check out what’s current and get some fresh ideas. I picked up a fantastic shower curtain which was reduced and a shower pole and some funky shower curtain rings. We’re a long way off from dressing the flat but these little things always help me with the final picture and give me something to work on.
After IKEA it was back in the Oldbrook flat to finish off the last of the glossing. I had a touch up all round with the emulsion and tried a coat of sandolin on the front door even though it was drizzling outside. The front door really needs replacing but I wanted to see if it could be rescued. Unfortunately it can’t be but at least I had a go and tried my best to save Phil some money. I also got off the last of remnants of the grouting from the bathroom walls. I had remembered at the last minute that this was the only real job that Phil had tasked me to before his return. It was bloody hard work and with the old grouting came away lots of plaster so I’m not sure if I am going to be in trouble. Perhaps I was too heavy handed but it was only way. The best thing of yesterday was that I was able to tick off everything that I set out to this week when I wrote my list on Monday. Good girl!
Of course with Phil coming home 1 day early, Thursday has become the new Friday for us. He was exhausted when he got home last night, understandably; a skin full of wine, a brief chat and dead to the world and in bed way before midnight. I moan, but physical tiredness is, in a way, quite pleasurable for me. Of course we’ll be back in the flat working solidly for the next couple of days, but you know, now I can see the light at the end of the tunnel, it beats a 9-5 proper job and next week I’m away on holiday. But more about that in my next blog!
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