As plans go, ours have been changeable, we didn’t move in over the summer as expected, we had to change our internal plans for the house. Our major plan to retire early, swanning off abroad for the winter to warmer climes, was abruptly halted as were most people’s plans for travel. However, having cracked on and really worked hard on the house we are getting to a point where there is lots to do, but not much I am that good at. There is no point pretending, I am awful at painting; I can do undercoat, base layer topcoat, but finishing layers and gloss/satin, I am awful. Perhaps the lack of fine movement control over my arm, or possibly I am just rubbish. Lots of new items are arriving, the kitchen tap, waste disposal, and new door handles, all things that will make this a fabulous place to live.
The major current job is the skirting. It takes a few coats to look good and Ian has to do it. He doesn’t enjoy it, it’s awkward and it is freezing in the house with no heating, I mean really cold, 10 degrees cold, so lying on the floor isn’t much fun.
I retreat to Agy and write, read, look up things we need and generally try to keep morale up with yummy food, but that’s about to change..... If you haven't tried this mash (and you need instant) you should, it is the best we have found!
About a week ago I had a phone call from a former charity CEO colleague, she was asking for ideas on who she could approach for some consultancy work. As she told me about the role, I got really excited, it sounded interesting and right up my street, so I told her what I thought….that I would love to do it. She knows I have given up work, am renovating etc., so didn’t think I would be interested, but I am! After several more conversations, CV sharing, references etc. I am starting work mid next week on a 3-6 month contract working from here! We won’t be going anywhere this winter, so may as well do something interesting, make a difference and earn some money too. The charity is Independent Age, they are a fabulous organisation that challenge ageism and discrimination in older age. I'm really looking forward to starting, but it has been delayed until I can wash my hair. I can NOT meet my team looking like this!
All very exciting, but that means we really need to get on with the urgent 2 person jobs and ensure we are ready for the plumber to finally fit the radiators on Monday (hooray!!).
The surrounds need to be built for the wardrobes, so they are more built-in than free standing. Ian’s done this before, so we get going. Now, I need to remind you it is very cold and we are very tired, and I can be clumsy. We set about the measuring, cutting, fitting drilling, gluing. All is going well until we are almost done. Do you remember the radiator you saw in the last blog, the one in front of the wardrobes? Well, it had to be moved for this job to the middle of the room, the ladder was there too, and the big box of screws.
I was passing up wet and dry cloths as Ian caulked in the surrounds. And then… I see the box lid from the screws is digging into Ian’s heel, so I bend down to flip it shut. Such a simple task, what can go wrong? Plenty, I can tell you! I topple forwards, let out an involuntary shriek, push Ian forwards towards the window, push the new radiator over towards our lovely finished wall and land in the box of screws on my dodgy arm. Honestly, it could only happen to me!
Having checked I am OK (I am) Ian pulls me up, I am sobbing mainly from shock and exhaustion (I do cry a lot when tired), and Ian starts laughing, I too am now laughing, crying, trying to explain in a completely incomprehensible hiccupy voice what happened, and we are both basically incapable of having a conversation for laughter. Ian finally manages to speak and says, “Liz, you look like a newborn giraffe, all out of control legs.” The look I have aspired to for years…….We’re still chucking about it now occasionally!
The good news is no damage was done to me, the radiator, wall or wardrobes (Ian was never in danger from the screw box lid apparently) and miraculously our neighbour pops some home made cake on the step. She possibly heard the sobbing, laughing calamity that is my life and thought we needed sustenance.
Ian judiciously decides I need time to recover and rest before I start my new role, so I go for a long walk via the post office to post my documents and only enter the house when necessary, to prevent a mishap with the gloss paint work.
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