Presents from Penrith are Perfect

Since we got our lovely new desk in place we've had one problem. The pink chair, that was the right height for our last desk, just wasn't tall enough for our new bureau. But help was at hand in the form of another present from Jane and Tim. Checking back over the blog I realise we've actually been very naughty and not written about our new piano stool yet but here it is! Initially we thought it would be good for the Hammond, and it has been, although it did make it look quite cluttered in that corner. Happily, it is also the perfect hight for our new desk, so here it will stay. 

Rather pleasingly, this means that our two lovely presents from my downsizing Auntie and Uncle in Penrith will stay together to keep each other company in the Big Smoke.

I also sometimes move it over to the sofa to use as a footstool/table for tv dinners!

We just made a decision!

Yes, the unbelievable has happened and we've made a decision about our windows! Cannot wait to show you the results in November.

We also found out our pebble dash is called 'Canterbury Spa' which sounds much grander, doesn't it!

Desk

Back in the springtime we had a trip up to Penrith for Auntie Jane's birthday party. There was lots of food, a massive cake and ceilidh dancing. We had a lot of fun. We also benefited from Jane and Tim's plans to downsize and desire to get rid of some of their furniture.  Now, several months later and thanks to the supreme generosity and driving lifting skills of Jane, Tim, Ian and Dad, we have a lovely new desk to replace that horrid green ikea number Jon's had since university.

A big job gets done

So I know we've been quiet recently but I've just started a new job and I am pooped! This post is very late, sorry. I've been saying recently how we've lost a bit of our momentum because all the jobs seem so much bigger now, well the other weekend we got one of the big jobs done!

 

Why am I unscrewing the mantlepiece?

Why is Jon unscrewing the funny wood around the fireplace?

Look how much rubbish is in our fireplace! This photo doesn't even do it justice. It's all sooty, concreaty rubishiness. It's stuck on the bricks and it's hanging down from the chimney.

And then it all fell out, before we'd put any dust sheets over our sitting room. oh dear. Look at that soot on the floor!

While Jon was making a mess in the sitting room I was painting the mantlepiece in the sun.

That's it, seal in the sooty dirt with paint!

We had a bit of an emergency with a downpour of rain, now the mantlepiece has finger and raindrop marks all over it.

A London Transport Museum bag stuffed with newspaper to try and stop some of the soot falling down

Jon even put some cementy type stuff down to try and even up and consolidate the hearth bit.

Ta da! Doesn't it look better than before