A Rest at Christmastime

The plasterer and his mate have been here for four days this week - no explanation as to what happened to Monday - and there's still a couple of days' work left on the extension.  However, the work so far looks very good and I'm very pleased with the finish.  Unfortunately, the delay has meant that there isn't really time to do the plumbing and floor before Christmas - we would have been still doing the floor on Dec 23rd instead of
enjoying Christmas preparations with our daughter and partner who will stay until Christmas Eve.  Therefore we decided last night that after the plastering we will use the extension for storing stuff from a bedroom, thus allowing the bedroom to be used for its primary purpose over Christmas, and recommence work in January.  Today I realized that this then allows me to do the painting before doing the floor, thus avoiding the need to cover the black limestone flags while rolling white paint on the ceiling, so there's a small benefit from the delay.

One realizes also at this stage of a project that the bottom of the money pit is in sight.  I reckon that we will be about 10% over my original budgetary guess, although that figure depends on exactly what one includes; for instance, I don't think I included kitchen appliances such as the range, fridge/freezer or light fittings (and we did choose some very expensive brass switches!) in my original budget.  I know we didn't budget for the library bookcase, specially made to a very high standard (right).  Anyway, I knew at the outset that it would be expensive to get this wreck habitable, and I was willing to commit capital in order to have a house which was warm and a joy to live in.  I think I have achieved that result, but the other result is that I'm not throwing money at things now; I might even do the very last bit of lime plastering myself, and of course I'll do the decoration and other finishing work in slow time.  I think a trip to the scrapyard is in order soon; that should yield a couple of hundred pounds as I've been collecting copper, brass and lead bits for ages, as well as cast iron.

We've had a lot more praise for the landscaping in the front garden, which is most gratifying.  However, the weather has been absolutely awful recently, and the front lawn is getting cut up as it has been used by us for turning our car, and by our neighbour for parking his car (pending the construction of his driveway).  It has also meant that the builders' yard at the back of the extension is a muddy pit - the amount of rainfall has been immense.  At least I don't think that I need to water my new trees any more - another benefit!

Anyway, Christmas is nearly here and we've been rehearsing to sing in the choir at the Nine Lessons and Carols this Sunday.  Today I helped the rector put the lights on the Christmas tree in church - she's got my measure I think, as I was called upon to fix a loose connection in a plug to one of the seven light sets.  It'll be good to have my son and his family to stay Christmas night which will be their first stay here.  Talking of family, my grandson is now walking and he's still not quite a year old.  He only has one difficulty - he looks at you, runs towards you and then trips over his own toys!  He can also climb stairs very well in a most deliberate fashion, which is handy if you don't feel like carrying him up to bed.  The photo shows him a few weeks ago before he got the walking bug, using a skittle as a bat.