Tuesday 9 August 2011

Dust, Sweat, Builders and the 1000th Visit to my Blog!

As the long grim British Summer continues we have yet more rain, rioters on the streets and my kitchen is still a mess.  On the plus side my shoulder, finally, no longer needs pain killers to make it work and although it is still sensitive when I exercise and ride my bike it is not the sleep (and sense of humour) remover it was for over 2 months.

Just as well as the photos show the kitchen is moving on.  That means my thoughts are turning to the next room, my lounge.  This will begin with the same treatment as the kitchen.  All the plaster and render off the walls.  Massive dust and many Zoolander like opportunities for the lads and myself to appear from the house into the bright sunlight (yeah right!) glistening with sweat and covered in grey dust.  Not for the feint hearted.






A quick recap on the kitchen build:  The vast majority of the plaster and render has been removed.  The kitchen has been "Tanked" - this is a waterproof, anti damp slurry that is applied to the walls and floor.  It has then been rendered with a waterproof cement and sand mixture and finally plastered with a conventional plaster finish that I can paint.  The kitchen should now be damp free (another "yeah, right" moment!).  I have painted the ceiling and walls and fitted the new lights.  I have opted for 8 down lighters controlled by 2 dimmer switches.  The coving is being put up as I write - you see it half done in the photos above.  I will have a 4 seater table in my kitchen therefore the lighting has been installed to emphasise this dual role - Laurence Liewellyn-Bowen , eat your heart out.  The lights over the table can be dimmed with the lights over the work surfaces can be turned off.  It hides the washing up when eating (forgot for a moment that I have a dishwasher now!!).  The new lighting shows up well on the photos above.  Probably because it is on :-/.

The new kitchen brings with it new white goods including a dishwasher!  As it appears I will be very single for the next 100 years or so I thought it would be a good move (Ladies, now you see why I will be single for at least the next hundred years!!!).  Another reason for me being single is that the rework on my house is the final stage in my retirement adjustment.  Until now I have been enjoying myself and investing my money.  That phase is virtually complete so it is time to scale back my spending and live within my means.  It will be comfortable but limited therefore I need to start to think how to make some money on a regular basis for the luxuries of life.  I have already started and since I have returned I have secured several thousands of pounds of taxed income but have not yet seen the bulk of the money.  Not bad for 2 months effort and a cold start - September should see my current account swell again.  This will pay for my furniture and that will be quite a bill.  I want a comfy, warm home I can retreat to.  I'm a month and some difficult work away from accomplishing that and having a nice home is a major plank in what I want from my future, free and independant existence.  I also retain the option - if i do stay single - is I can flog it for loads of money in 3 years time and piss off to France or buy my boat and truly disappear!  Me against the world - what a way to go.  Man, what a dream.

I've started playing the drums again.  Back permitting this could be a nice way to earn my beer money.  I left my last band just before I went off travelling and the itch to play live again has returned.  So it's time to practise.  My neighbours will hate me for it but such is life.  An hour a day should get my "touch" back in a month.  Got to swat up on music notation and learn some new songs then I think I will be good enough again to play semi-professionally again.

To Gary and Lizzy - both in far off places around the world.  Guys!  Hope you are reading this and I hope you are safe.  Call me if you need anything.

More to follow - and today's music hyperlink (below) is a cracker and sums my mood up perfectly!  Turn off the advert that plays immediately and stick with it.  Maybe I will find my way home - one day.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2q9_ZEtuTR8&ob=av2n


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