49. Progress update - November 2011

Rob has been lime plastering downstairs for what feels like forever - I’m amazed at his patience in what is a really dirty and time-consuming job. The bathroom is all plastered now and the beams have been painted. It’s beautiful and rustic, a bit like washing in a cave! All that’s left is some finishing touches - well, pretty big finishing touches actually, like fitting the bath (next week, apparently, the builders are finally coming to fit it) and an actual bathroom door.  That’s right, we have no bathroom door. It may sound bad but it’s quite nice being able to maintain a conversation while in the loo. I’m all for multitasking!

Bathroom ceiling all tarted up

The pantry/utility room has also been plastered, we just need to get a nice worktop and some shelves fitted and it’s done. Good job too, because I have been hoarding food like the apocalypse is coming. We have enough beans, lentils, pasta, flour and fabric softener to last until Easter! What can I say, it’s a sickness. A chronic case of snow-fear-itis.

Stocking up for the end of the world...or maybe just a cold winter.

Next up, plastering the kitchen! The kitchen is the biggest room in the house so it may well take about 20 years to finish at our pace. The whole room needs plastering and we want to take the ceiling down to expose the wooden beams. All very messy, very disruptive work. At least I can escape upstairs to my day job!

We’ve got new windows in everywhere downstairs and they’re gorgeous - all handmade wooden frames which we’ve stained dark. The glass is only single glazing - brrr! - but we’re going rustic and eventually we’ll make some wooden shutters to keep the cold out. They’re certainly a lot better than the rotten, draughty windows we had before. New upstairs windows will follow very soon...

Our bedroom is painted and finished, except for a wardrobe (we’re going to build our own). It’s very cosy and a lovely room to escape to at the end of the day. And did I mention we’ve got an actual bed now? So long airbed, thanks for all the backache!

We’ve also managed to turn the yellow room into a passable guest room - and just in time as our first visitor from home arrives tomorrow.  It looks okay, providing you don’t peek too carefully at the detail (no skirting boards, the mattress is an airbed, an improvised rug made from a throw...). 

The Yellow Room

I’m curious to see how the place will look to our friend that’s visiting from home. We’re so used to the unfinished state of the house and all its little quirks we hardly notice anymore. Having to walk outside to go upstairs or downstairs? Perfectly normal. Boiler ‘farting’ every time we run the cold tap? What’s up with that? No bathroom door? No problem!