Yes that's me, what a sight! The scaffold and the roofer were supposed to arrive around the 16th Sept. However, on the 13th, yes the same day as I discovered there were at least two more of the wrong type of man in the world, the roofer texted me to say that the scaffolder was unable to put all of the scaffolding up. Why? I hear you cry! Because he couldn't get his poles through the giant holly bush, silly! At first I wasn't sure if that was some sort of euphemism, but if you'd met the roofer you'd know that he'd be unable to even spell it. He is a good roofer, she hastened to add whilst extracting her self hurriedly from the hole she'd just fallen into.
Anyway, when the scaffolder came to price the job, he'd failed to notice our enormous bush (now, now, behave!) and hadn't alerted us to the need to trim it to make way for the poles. Perhaps he needs his eyes testing, does anyone know an optician??!! Ah-ha! you cry! The saga with the council, the permit and the tree surgeon! Yes that's the one. As we didn't have the permit at that point,we had to settle for just having scaffolding round the back and along some of the side. Anyway, after a great deal of huffing and puffing the scaffold was erected, but with only one lift. At gutter height. With no obvious means of access. The scaffolder was called. The roofer was called. 5 days later a second lift miraculously appeared. Still no obvious means of access, but because we are both agile enough and have superb climbing skills, combined with no fear of heights and a complete disregard for Elfin Safety, both Deb and I are able to access both levels.
So the roofer has repaired the back of the roof, repointed the chimneys and mended the impressive hole. Simultaneously, Deb and I have painted the windows on the back of the house, the guttering and the down pipes.
Chris, the builder has put the helibars in to repair the cracks and has repointed most of the walls. So things are moving on! The attic window has been repaired and put back in. John and Denis have done a fantastic job. The front window should be back with us tomorrow.
Sadly, around this time I was not at my best. That's what looming life events do to you. It was my birthday. Something I've been struggling with for a while. I've been convinced that I've lost all of the limited mathematical ability that I may, or may not have ever had. I just don't seem to be able to do take-away any more. I just keep getting the wrong answer. Poor Lynne asked me for coffee the day before the big event, and I spent the whole time in tears. That was after I'd spent all morning in tears with Deb. Its such a trauma to loose your mathematical ability! Then Deb gave me a card that explained it all. I'm 18 in reality, I just have a lot of years of experience to go with it! Problem solved, life goes on. My friend Charles says that I should now be able to take a more nuanced approach to age and life. I'll give it a go, but subtlety never was my strong point. Same as Patience isn't my middle name. Tact and discretion have little place either. But there we go.
Anyway, back to the house. Let me see, so I've told you it's a two-up-two-down, that it needs everything doing, we're cracking on etc,etc. What else? Oh yes, Deb has made some fantastic purchases on ebay. Complete shower enclosure, brand new £100. Roll-top bath £16.14. We're hoping for a fabulous maple kitchen tonight. We've yet to track down a sink, but we'll find one.
Sadly we're still waiting for the right type of man!
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