Snowing solidly for three days

Snowing solidly for three days
....it's like Little House on the Prairie

the kitchen taking shape

Thursday 20 May 2010

The scaffolders turned up, then they went away again. They have only put up half of the scaffold so that the tilers are running out of roof space to cover. Trying to track down the scaffolders now. We need to get the scaffold up in the neighbour's garden in the next week so that their side of the roof can be done while they're on holiday.
In the meantime, am now researching kitchens, tiles and bathrooms. A time-consuming process as they all look much the same to me and I'm not that high-spec. A modern Magnet kitchen looks good value and stylish. The wood-burning stove is high-spec though and will cost a fortune, but hopefully will keep us warm.
First date for a utility connection today - well done EDF! Gas and water are taking months.

Friday 14 May 2010

Nigella's burnt butter cupcakes are a big hit with the builder. I said I could make them every day if they just get started. Our move date looking increasingly ambitious, but the scaffold is coming on Monday and the roof starts next week.
Need to choose the kitchen and bathrooms this weekend and try and get a discount on four woodburning stoves so that we can have one in each house.

Thursday 13 May 2010

Rather taken aback to hear that Southern Water had a six-month waiting list for drain connections. Luckily this has now been lifted and we are rushing to apply. But I can see this is going to take some time. The manhole is on the other side of the road and very deep so will need traffic lights. Am checking out composting toilets. Should be popular with the teenagers.
Just as worrying, the builder is on holiday next week.

Wednesday 12 May 2010

Got the price now and amazingly, it's less than I expected so will get started this week with the roof. The old tiles were from north Vietnam with only one UK importer - he came round but said he had no record of them being delivered to the site so any redress from him is unlikely. More nettle cutting at the weekend so at least the verges and road edges look neat....trying to be good neighbours.
But our buyers want to move in on July 15 which made the builder go a bit pale - we will be in that caravan yet!