On The Home Front

I can show you why I have not been on the blog scene much recently.

For the last month we have been decorating the downstairs of our house (3 rooms and kitchen) before we have much needed new carpets fitted.

The above photo (today) is the last room fortunately.

I don't know which is the hardest and most time consuming,  getting everything movable upstairs or the work itself.

We have a week now to finish as the carpet company want the skirting boards painted at least a week before fitting. They have also asked that we fill in any gaps between skirting board and floor boards if possible. (We still have to do this for 2 rooms) We have never been asked to do this before but apparently this is the reason one can, over time, get a black edge to the carpet from underfloor dust coming through the gaps.

At least having it all finished a week in advance of fitting I can buy my new curtains and have them hung beforehand.

We are also going to put one of the carpets into our 'garage' when it is all over. Now that will be fun as there will be so much to move out!

While Alan at the grand age of 82 has been doing the decorating, I have been keeping the home running and  washing covers and throws, cushion covers, seat covers and the downstairs curtains that I plan to move upstairs.

In the midst of all this there has been much (and still is) to do in  the garden at this time of year. Have done most of the pruning but have yet to tackle the weeds that are so prolific this year after so much rain  during the Winter. Part of the bottom fence has been blown over too in the severe weather.

We also had some very unwelcome visitors recently. We found a swarm of ants in our 'garage' covering the floor at one end. We ended up with a floor covering of ant powder and dead ants!

Right now the south of England has been covered in sand and dust from a severe desert storm in the Sahara 2000 miles away. Being busy we had treated ourselves to a professional car wash and then last Monday we could hardly see out of the windscreen! This happens a few times a year. It has been made worse this year because of the current weather conditions causing a high level (10) pollution causing smog over the London area which will apparently not clear until we have rain and wind tomorrow. Advice was to keep windows closed, however we have ours open as the smell of paint is so strong!

Well on a lighter note our son is back from India and has already booked his next trip - Peru in September.

I'll be back visiting everyone soon I hope