Job Done......................
I got the paint out for the downstairs bathroom, didn't have to buy any - just used what was left from doing my bedroom, it only took a couple of hours and looks tons better. I had to stick the skirting board on with gorilla glue and do lots of filling as there were gaps where either the wall or the skirting board weren't straight. Then painted skirting and door frame and by the end of Monday that was another room finished. I'm pleased with what's been done here regarding bath and shower rooms, everything is much more sensible now.
Grrrrrrrr........twice..............
I wasted nearly 45 minutes of my life traveling 8 miles further on than the village with the swimming pool so as to visit a church, only to find it was locked, with a phone number to ring but as I wanted to get to the pool on time for the over 50's hour I couldn't stop to ring. Huntingfield church ....outside view only
Yum................................
Monday night was the Birthday meal for big WI. (99 years) It was at a pub in Big WI village. I'd chosen a chicken something followed by Eton mess. I remembered why I don't like going out for meals with a huge group (over 30 of us)- too much sitting and waiting. Service was sooooooo slow. Some people had starters so the rest of us had to wait even longer. There is a new chef at this pub apparently and the meal was all fancy. What they call presentation I call faffing about! I'm not sure what the round potato thing was, sort of a cross between mash and roast. Presented with a few pea shoots and a piece of chicken breast with something stuffed in it, then cut in half and stood on end. (can you tell I wasn't impressed? Although I will admit the chicken was very tender).
The Eton mess was delicious ........see empty plate!
Going, going, gone..........................................
More things went out of the house this week - a small selection of my clothes that haven't been worn for about 5 years - most came from charity shops in the first place so have now gone back plus yet another bag of books that I've tried on ziffit several times but they've not wanted them. Also another small box that ziffit did want - just £9 worth but better than nothing. From the workshop two old wire brushes and a couple more random small bits went into the bin.
I also turned some more 3D decoupage sheets into birthday cards.
Grass....................
Thursday was a beautiful day, dry and warm so I got both mowers out and did everywhere - hopefully for the last time this year.
And the Expense?
Well, we knew some of the infrastructure here was a bid odd and Col said a few times that he thought the hot water system wasn't right and too complicated, and when it was repaired last year we were told that it was a set up that isn't used anymore. So when the pressure of hot water out of the taps got slower and slower over the last couple of months I knew something needed mending. In theory the company who did the shower and bath stuff ought to have been able to do the water but they didn't seem very keen and I wasn't keen on them doing more here anyway. So I rang the company who did solar thermal at the smallholding but they've stopped doing anything to do with thermal systems. But I did get a phone number of another specialised heating and plumbing company and the man came and looked and tutted - as they do - and told me the bad news which I was expecting. I need a whole new simpler hot water tank without the strange system which they no longer use which involves a coil thingy which is full of lime scale.
The quote arrived...................not cheap, but it has to be done.
I keep forgetting to say welcome to new followers, number 422 and 423, hope you enjoy reading.
Have a lovely weekend everyone, weather forecast a bit iffy here
Apologies for not replying to any comments yesterday - ran out of time. I'll catch up with myself sometime!
Back Monday
Sue
A week of pluses and minuses!
ReplyDeleteI was so pleased to read that you ran out of time yesterday and hope that means that you are not finding yourself looking for activities as you were earlier in the year.
I smiled at your comment re the speeding. I find it very difficult to keep under the limit at times.
I become paranoid for a time if I think I may have been caught. It's never by much but I’m aware that even 3 miles an hour over is too much so I try to stay within the limit.
Enjoy your weekend and the new bathroom arrangements. Sue
Colin was always saying "you cant keep to under 30 in 4th gear so change down" - I should have listened!
DeleteLove this entry - there's so much to interest. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteOuch for the hot water system. These things are never cheap but I agree, it has to be done and would turn up in a survey if/when you sell the house and could be a sticking point - not to mention being better for you as well, of course.
I, too, find it hard top stay right on 30. If my attention wanders for even a moment, it creeps up a bit. I reckon I've been lucky.
Love your comments on 'presentation. I have little patience with 'foams' and 'gels' and other fancy stuff. There's either not enough (if it's nice), too much (if it's nasty) and you pay three times what you expect for the privilege of a sprinkle of 'micro-leaves'. All right for the Great British Banquet but . . .
The house decorating sounds great and must be very satisfying for you.
xx
The hot water is gradually getting slower and slower because of limescale in a coil thingy in the tank - the man said it will end up with just a trickle!
DeletePlumbing is never cheap. Hope they sort the problem. I got all the way to my late friends church in Liverpool 2 years ago to find that closed. I really wanted to light a candle for her. She was taken very quickly with cancer and it was a big shock.
ReplyDeleteI was surprised to find it shut as village churches everywhere else have been open
DeleteI am new follower, I have been blogging for some 9 years but have recently had a problem with hackers so i am now writing under my dogs name which I hope with keep the nasty people away. I have also had to make my blog by invitation only which is a bit of a pain but my real name is Diane and I have been holidaying in Suffolk for as long as I can remember. We used to go the Forest camping at Tangham as it is a lovely quiet site with acres of dog walking.
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear about the blogging problems - what a pain. Although we lived so close to all the foresty bits of Suffolk coast and heaths we never explored them! Always too busy with the smallholding I guess
DeleteYou have been busy Sue.
ReplyDeleteYour comment about the presentation of your meal made me giggle because I took Andy out for a meal last weekend and the look on his face when he saw his starter was a picture.....all little wisps and smears of this and that with a hunk of belly pork stuck in the middle. I think he could have eaten three of them.
I don't envy you having to have plumbing sorted out.
Hugs-x-
I thought a few pea shoots was a bit poor for vegetables. Too much meat not enough veg. A lady who had a whitebait starter got so much she couldn't eat all her main course!
DeleteMy house has poor hot water pressure. I have to turn the tap on some minutes before I actually need the water in order to achieve a realistic bowl full. I never considered doing anything about it and when viewing the house did not walk round turning taps on so was not aware until I moved in. I am not one for doing things really I suppose. As for meals out the last one I had was served on what looked like a floor tile. I said to the waiter to tell the owner that I would have preferred a plate. Scraping food off a dark grey tile was no fun nor enhancement to the food. None of us ever went back.
ReplyDeleteThe problem with hot water is getting worse - and if I didn't get it done I soon wouldn't be able to have a shower!
DeleteI'm pleased to say we got our food on plates!
If you haven't heard anything within two weeks you can presume that you will not be fined - good luck - just a couple of miles over is so easy for all of us to do.
ReplyDeleteI'm keeping my fingers crossed - but quite expecting a letter
DeleteSpeed cameras around here have a grace speed of 10 over speed limit usually. There's a van like you describe that is parked in front of schools. It moves around to all the schools and there are lots in our county so you never know where to expect it. Do you have redlight cameras? We have those that catch you if you run a red light. From here on the 11th floor we see the flash of that frequently at an intersection up the street.
ReplyDeleteI don't they let any one off if you are over the speed limit here. In Suffolk we have 30mph limits through all villages so I ought to know better!
DeleteI am a church warden and we were very sad to start locking our church. Following some minor vandalism, we were advised to lock it as, unlocked, the church’s insurance cover would be invalid. Ours is an old church in Wales and one of our artefacts is an ogham stone. This year we have been visited by two stone enthusiasts/experts. One from Brazil and one from Ireland! We have email addresses and phone numbers on our website as well as in the church porch, so visitors to arrange for the church to be opened. I am enjoying reading about your churches. Thank you.
ReplyDeletePam
Some places seem to suffer from vandalism more than others. The church I want to visit in the town centre of Ipswich is always locked but village churches have been open so far.
DeleteWell done on getting another room decorated. A crowd of us went for a meal and it was lovely to be together but agree with you that it took ages to get my meal especially as I didn't have a starter. No fancy food though thankfully.
ReplyDeleteThe whole house has been painted now except for the back porchway and the craft room walls (hidden behind the craft shelves).
DeleteLast year I went for a meal with the village over 60s and there was no wait at all - so it is possible - I guess depends on the size of the kitchen and number of staff
There used to be red light cameras at several intersections near us, and they were horrible. Once I got a letter with a ticket saying I was speeding on a bridge in Oakland. They put my license plate on the letter, but when I looked at the photo it was a totally different car with a different plate. Took a while to get that sorted out.
ReplyDeleteMost of the cameras are out of service as they didn't do what they were supposed to. Big Brother wasn't accepted.
Good luck with your plumbing. Our friends have an on demand water heater, lowered their bills and they have hot water in an instant.
We had a phone call once from our insurance company checking on if we had been in London causing an accident! Someone had got a number wrong. It was a worry for a few minutes
DeleteWhat a fun post, kind of like a week in the life of Sue in Suffolk. I can relate to so much you have mentioned and laughed at your description of of the fancy (faffing about) meal! I agree, those meals just don't impress me. It's like they drizzle some sauce around a plate and then arrange the tiniest possible portions of food on the drizzle! But of course you pay 3 or 4 times as much.
ReplyDeleteAs far as the driving goes, I never had a speeding ticket in my life until I was in my 50's and I got three! It's like my foot just got heavier and heavier! Now in my 60's I try to slow down - I can't afford the tickets!
Good luck with the plumbing. You have to have hot water so there's really not much choice on that expense but it sure does get frustrating. Still, you have made amazing progress on the house in a very short amount of time and you deserve congratulations for that!
Have a wonderful weekend.
Oh dear on the speeding tickets. I think IF I do get a letter for a first time offence I can do a speed awareness course instead of points on the licence.
DeleteAs for the meal - I really don't think a few pea shoots count as a vegetable!
Sue
ReplyDeleteI always read your blog with interest although I don't tend to leave comments. My life is very mundane - I spend most of my time knitting or reading! This evening, however I had a phone call from my son saying that he was stopped for speeding yesterday. He was really annoyed with himself for not concentrating properly. He had just heard that someone he knew reasonably well had died in a road accident in Bristol. As he said to me "knowing this I should have been taking more care". However, these things happen and he will wait to find out whether it will be a fine and points or a speed awareness course.
You have had a busy week. I used to do the painting many years ago - didn't really enjoy it, but there you are. It was my contribution towards decorating. Husband wallpapered and I painted! Nowadays I wish that I could still be able to do it.
Our first grandchild is just three months old and will be coming here tomorrow; we are being left in charge (for the first time) for a couple of hours whilst mummy and daddy go for lunch at the hotel where they are getting married next summer.
Look forward to hearing about your busy weekend. Look after yourself.
Jan
Thank you for reading and commenting, lovely to hear from different people ( and lovely to hear from the same people too of course!)
DeleteHave fun with your small person.
My weekend is turning out less busy than I planned because I can't be bothered to drive anywhere today!
The day which you said was a lovely day and you were able to cut the grass it rained solidly here all day and my lawn has not been dry enough to be cut for at least three weeks. As to that meal - it seems to be pea shoots with everything these days doesn't it?
ReplyDeleteI can't see that a few pea shoots count as a one of the five-a-day vegetables!
DeleteI loved your chatty post, sounds like it’s been non stop for you. My son was caught a few over 30, he reckons it was as he was slowing down after a 60 zone, waiting to do a course, still an expensive mistake to make xx
ReplyDeleteI shall be much more careful in future - too late!
DeleteBusy, busy, busy... but very interesting to read about ☺
ReplyDeleteI too have trouble sticking at 30, so I usually have my Sat nav on, she warns me of any impending speed cameras and I can double check my speed before it's too late. Fingers crossed you've got away with it this time.
Had a quiet Sunday to make up for busy week.
DeleteHi Sue, long time no comment hey. It might be worth looking at the warm front scheme from the government for help with the water tank and heating there could be some grant that you can apply for.
ReplyDeleteHiya, how are things going for you?
DeleteI expect I have too much savings to get a grant. The heating is OK ( That's jinxed it!)
Hey there, not so good. Hence I am not blogging no real time and not much good to write about so, if you have nothing nice to say, dont talk, kind of thing. Hope you are well
DeleteI believe Huntingfield church has suffered a lot of problems. The light box that illuminates the wonderful ceiling decoration takes pound coins and the box keeps getting broken into. The church warden is very good at opening up if you ring in advance. Well worth a visit.
ReplyDelete