No.1 son back from Sweden and he had a thoroughly good time there and he is impressed by the work on the house. Some normality now returning to the home front although I have now received a quote for the electrical work required. That should only take one day but the eye watering quote from a large national company will see me looking for a local electrician with a more realistic price. More importantly I am trying to capture our semi-feral cat Maisie who has injured her tail as I discovered this morning but she remains elusive. Having seen something similar with Tigger many years ago I suspect a cat bite so we'll lure her in and off to the vets for a check up and treatment. Here she is in younger days...

One fly in the ointment of returning to a quieter life is that of the local drug dealer / nuisance who has returned. He has called at our house late at night, usually under the influence and badgering for a variety of things but we keep the front door securely locked. Last night at about midnight he was back and after a polite 'Go away' I eventually loudly and bluntly told him where to go and never return. I will contact our local police as he has also been calling at neighbours houses, most of them very elderly and his clientele have again been making a public nuisance. 

I like living here as it is in the centre of town near the river and  everything is easily accessible. It is also very quiet outside of rush hours and the working day. But with an increase of anti-social nuisance behaviour and the future plans for development of the area I do wonder what it will be like a few years from now. Sue would like to move to a quieter area but having lived in one of the nearby 'villages' (increasingly a suburb) and heartily disliked some of the people living there (Think of Mrs Bucket pronounced Bouquet!), I do prefer down to earth areas and the future plans might rejuvenate this area. I am also aware that a few years from now we might not need a car and cycling / public transport might be preferable. We might also have sensible central and local governments that support cheaper sustainable public transport and cycling. But locally more and more houses are multiple temporary occupancy with absentee landlords and the loss of neighbourliness. For now I am happy to stay here as it is home and I like it here. It is odd to think that our house, if moved to London would be worth ten times its current value and much sought after. For today I am staying indoors as it is raining and very welcome it is although I shall return again to catching the above pictured little bugler.

TTFN.

 No pictures yet of the completed work as the plasterer is coming in tomorrow to render around the new door frame and he plans to then plaster one evening next week. We are still moving things around and planning how best to use the space. Moving a large armchair yesterday evening and I felt a spasm of pain in my back so we are both taking a slow, gradual approach as we are both tired and generally letting everything settle down.

Any spare time has been spent in the garden in the fresh air although it has been cool with showers over the last few days. The ground is dry and cracks appearing in the lawn but I have maintained the plants and this rose bush is thriving. We also have small green tomatoes on both plants, better late than never. The cats are getting used to the return to normality and all three slept in the house the other night.

Maisie has spent this summer sleeping in the garden and doesn't travel too far as she was won't to do as she has grown older. She is approximately seven years old now and Sherlock is eight. 

I also managed to do some modelling today and I was like a dog with two tails finally able to return to my hobby. This build has sat on the side for a few weeks but this morning I managed to attach the undercarriage and some other small parts. The small container of paints is an approximate RLM paint colours for late war German aircraft and I will be brush painting this model. I also have aftermarket decals for a specific aircraft from 1945.

I have to admit doing this this morning felt like a weight lifted off my shoulders and I felt very relaxed.  This will occupy me this weekend and probably into next week as we continue sorting out the furniture and cleaning up. Hopefully you all have a relaxed, safe and summery weekend.

TTFN.

 A quick building update...they finished the work apart from some plastering to be completed around the new door frame. For the latter I have learned measure more than twice and check again with the work man before ordering the wood. Also, ignore on-line ordering and go in person to see the product for oneself if at all possible.

We have been cleaning despite Sue having the leurgy, moved some furniture back in after laying down a large cheap off cut carpet which will do for now and more cleaning. The amount of dust is astonishing and although we are seeing less of it with each day, there is still some each morning. We are getting there and the work, despite the delays is fantastic. An excellent company with great communication and the workers were lovely but we are heartily glad to see the back of them. The house already feels drier and fresher. Six weeks of waiting and then we can make a start on painting the walls. I will post photos up at some time but work is sadly calling me.

TTFN.

 What an odd week with the brief heatwave earlier this week which laid me low for a day despite being careful and these last two days as temperatures dropped and it is very cool today. Plastering stopped for two days because of the heat and cracking plaster but back on track with the plastering hopefully finished today and the skirting in next week. We are having to replace a door and I am negotiating that with one of the joiners but our plans are for weekend cleaning and a general tidy up. We are also buying a couple of large carpet offcuts as a temporary measure as redecorating and some other works are planned before we have some new carpets fitted. The thought of having the downstairs rooms back and a return to some normality is eagerly anticipated. I will post pictures of the completed work at some point.

The cats are behaving as expected and are very confused and anxious with lots of fussing and reassurance provided. But I was not happy with the little bleeders when I found this unusual poor bird in the garden on Tuesday.

After some research via the RSPB and other sites I finally discovered it is a Diamond Dove, a native of Australia but can be kept as pets. The RSPB site states some might have escaped to live in the wild but I suspect this one was an escaped pet. We're unsure if any of our cats were responsible or any of the feline visitors to our garden. Two birds killed this year and both either rare or unusual.

During the past four weeks of the work I have read through seven books and currently on numbers eight and nine. No TV and it is simply marvellous, focusing on reading again and catching up on music and various podcasts. Very little modelling done and I am itching to get back to the table. I ordered some more reference books although the one model I ordered hasn't been delivered and I have contacted the seller to query this. I have informed evil bay and they will intervene if it isn't sorted but I also pay for any purchases by credit card so there is some protection there if this turns out to be a scam purchase.

No.1 son has flown off to Sweden to spend time with his girlfriend and a well earned break from work. He was recently promoted and has been working hard but he is also saving up for his own place although he admitted he would rather move to Sweden. He wants me to apply for my Irish passport as he believes once I have that it will be easier for him to apply for one and he'll also be able to access the EU including employment and living in Sweden. I will do this once we have the house back to normal and I can access some of my paperwork. Odd to think he will flee the nest but potentially move to another country to do so. The circle of life...

TTFN. 

 Friday was spent waiting for the electrician to find and repair whatever the fault is that shorts out the lights. Booked between 8 am and 1 pm, he arrived at 4! A faulty wire to one particular light but he explained why we have electrical problems in the kitchen, that we need a new fuse board with eight RCD / fuses rather than the current three fuse box from the seventies! We knew that and we have requested a quote for the work and I will then shop around for further quotes for the work. One job completed results in two new jobs but not unexpected with old houses. We managed to get to the GP for Sue's appointment following his late arrival.

Whilst waiting for the electricians arrival I cracked on with a simple build from the stash...

It will be a simple build but the fun will be in painting the model and this was cheap because there were no decals with it. I have bought some aftermarket decals and I have a specific build in mind. 

I am reading a series of three books called Alarmstart and I am now on the third book which has some details about the particular pilot. I have three of these model aircraft by different companies and hope to model three different types. This is the progress from Saturday with a good fit but sprue goo filling and sanding of the seams required. The pilot, cockpit and engines interior brush painted and ready for assembly of smaller parts.

We also now have the tools to tackle the willow tree in the garden, an extendable lopper / saw and a mini chainsaw. Given the next few days are going to be extremely hot and avoiding any unusual activity  in the garden which is currently the sanctuary for the cats I shall leave this for now. I also continue to have a marked reluctance to cutting down trees but I have a plan to keep the tree stump and turn it into a bird table safe from the cats. If it does come down completely I have the small cherry tree ready to go into a larger pot for the corner of the garden.

For today, a quiet day spent trying to keep cool but it is lovely to have a properly hot summer. I wonder if this presages a cold snowy winter just when fuel poverty really bites. We'll see but I might need to store the willow offcuts for winter fuel...

TTFN.

 An update on the damp course work here in week four...yes, it will go to week 5 next week with a finish planned for next Tuesday! I shan't say any more for now as it would not surprise me if Tuesday becomes Wednesday in the minds of the builders. What I will say is that the bloke who has worked the last two days is excellent, fast, efficient and cleans up afterwards. 

Work had an added bonus today as I spotted the following beauties and chatted with the owner who gave me a brief tour (I was in between visits) and history.

                                           A Fordson van c1947 (Fordson E83W)

                               A 1947 Canadian Ford V8 Monarch.

He has an old Moggie Minor and a Ford Prefect but the two above were a sight for sore eyes and I can pop back to have a look anytime. I had a student with me and she was surprised by my enthusiasm and excitement but these are two vehicles I had never seen prior to today. 

I have also made progress with the Messerschmitt Bf 109E and it is ready for a pin wash and light weathering before calling it done. I am itching to start on the next build but it is a complex one and I shall hold off until the work is completed...However, there are other simpler builds awaiting my attention!

I have three days off now and I am glad to escape. Tired and looking forward to some time spent in the garden although the noisy new neighbours and their friends in the drugs house have lived down to expectations. Noise, late nights, alcohol, blue lights and other assorted shenanigans...

The Tory election...Meh! 

TTFN.

 Testing 1,2, 3...

There is a cat hiding behind there...

Hopefully these photos will show up.

 

This is the current state of play...

Render is on most walls in the two front rooms but...

The hallway and back room still awaiting render. Looking at it all progress has been made but I now believe the work will take at least another three days.

After yesterday's wonderful sunshine it is four degrees cooler today and cloudy. I will still sit out and soak up what little sunshine there is. Hopefully this time next week we can sit in comfy chairs. Time to order in lots of cleaning materials as the mess is horrendous and we'll be busy with the bucket and mop following completion of the work. I also need to find out how soon after the plaster has dried we can paint the walls.

I see every creepy crawling thing is throwing their hats in the ring for the leadership campaign. Can we advertise for another Guy Fawkes. preferably one that succeeds this time. We can then invite the grown ups back although the social media campaign for "Go Nads" (Nadine Dorries) to try for the leadership made me chuckle.

Tea and left over garlic bread for breakfast, living the Life of Really?

TTFN.

 Not a lot to say as third week in and the work is still not finished. To say we are fed up would be an understatement but the end is in sight with the last of the rendering to complete plus boarding up an alcove and then the plasterwork and woodwork. Hopefully the middle of next week will see completion but the salt on some of the walls was horrendous and held up proceedings.

This the latest delivery, a short run New Zealand kit from twenty years ago but cheap and a challenge to complete despite very few parts. I haven't been able to do any modelling at all as everything packed away. With no TV I have been reading once I have returned from work and following the Wastemonster shenanigans on the net. Work has been extremely busy and I had some positive news this week but today some very negative news as masks have returned. I shall spend as little time in the office as possible to avoid that nonsense.

The cats are anxious and need lots of reassurance which wasn't helped by Maisie being stuck in one of the rooms for a few hours as the men worked. She comes in for food, a fuss and then runs away. But today was lovely and sunny, sitting out topping up the vitamin D and the cats happily sat around us. I have been ploughing through the books and I do not miss the TV but boy do I miss a comfy armchair.

TTFN.