FEBRUARY REFURBISHMENT

The middle landing used to be the bathroom. Some space had been stolen from the bedroom on each side for the toilet and bath. The toilet space has been reclaimed by the main bedroom. A window-seat is being built across the window, to hide some plumbing, to provide storage and to fulfil a childish whim to have a window with a window-seat to sit on, all curled up and reading a favourite book whilst peeping out at the real world now and then.

The other bedroom will be turned into two rooms, hence the two doors. The one on the right will be the dressing room because it has no windows and cannot be a bedroom. It has plenty of ventilation because there is a fireplace in there with a chimney which will assist airflow. The new boiler has been installed in this room.

And so has everything else with no home yet!!!

The other half of the old bedroom is being transformed into a bathroom. I stood on the bath/shower platform to take this picture looking back towards the landing and showing the sink and space for the toilet.

No toilet, sink, bath, shower, central heating or hot water... together with the constant banging and sawing, created a major sense of deprivation. This increased as each day passed and was not much ameliorated by staying in the motel down the road at night. On our return the bath plug system was found to be faulty and the bath would not empty. Another day of waiting ensued before we could rely on a bath, sink, central heating and hot water.

But we have been very fortunate in our tradesmen. The joiner came in on Saturday to skim the bathroom so that he can put tongue and groove panelling behind the toilet space so that the plumber can install the new toilet. There is an old one which flushes with difficulty in what was once an outhouse.

It will be wonderful not to have to descend two flights of stairs and cross two rooms for a wee in the small hours. A toilet in a warm and convenient spot will do much to restore my sense of humour.

I made more marmalade, which restored my sense of achievement and we walked to the village of Byers Green along the Auckland Way on Saturday, through the fog, for lunch at the Royal Oak. A round trip of about 6 miles. And last night we ventured to Darlington for a concert at the Civic Theatre. The Grimethorpe Colliery Band lived up to their reputation and exhilerated us.

February is therefore the month of refurbishment. I'm hoping it will be well seen to by March.

Still no progress on the sock even though I took it to the motel each night and it is up/down to the toe! Just one room renovation causes turmoil, a whole floor causes major upheaval.

Cheers somewhat cheerfully, Gillian