Ding bloody dong!

Ready for lunch

Ready for guests!

At long last, after our third inspection, Anglian Water have finally approved our plumbing and promised to give us mains pressure - they can't say when, but at least we know everything is now as they want it. The inspector said to me that the new sign by the outside tap was so much better (dark gungy green and not very clear with its black type). He did not share my view that the previous sign was far easier to read and gave a much clearer warning with its red type on a white background. He also said that what we did after he left was up to us (in reference to the shower hose). I was well ahead of him on that one!

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All we need now is the sprinkler system to be commissioned and we're done with the formalities. Unfortunately our rainwater harvesting man has let us down rather badly as he said he hadn't given us any priority in responding on the pump replacement. He's not kidding - its nearly four weeks ago since I spoke to him about it. Its now five days after my latest call and he's still not provided the promised quote. However, I have to admit that its not a priority for me at the moment as we need to get the rest of the house ready for us to move in since our buyers are now gently pushing for a moving date from Clifton.

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We've spent most of the week getting the large store cupboard (at the end of the mezzanine) ready so that we can start to fill it with toot - sorry - useful stuff that we don't use very often (at all?). With a covering of our favourite material - Glasstex - two coats of white emulsion, an offcut of carpet from our local store, and some simple skirting, its all ready except for the door. This is being painted in the garage and should be ready for fitting by the middle of next week.

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I called out reluctant electrician - Andy - during the week to ask him to resolve the non-working outside lights, and the movement sensitive porch lights which seem to have a mind of their own as they come on during the day (sometimes), and not always at night. As ever he promised to come at the weekend. As ever, he didn't show! Similarly, I called Michael. our alarms man, during the week and he promised to come at the weekend and finish the installation. He didn't show either. What is it with these guys?

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With a delivery of the studio bed, dining table, and chairs from John Lewis on Friday, Wee House is looking more like a home now. The study/guest room is now complete with bookshelves, books, studio couch, desk and chair, whilst the living room has the table and chairs roughly in the right place but subject to change by management (Jan's still deciding on the exact position).

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Generally speaking we're at the end of the jobs inside the house now - mainly those little things left to do that didn't seem important when there were more significant things, but now need finishing before we move more furniture in. There are several bits of "touching up" of paintwork, for example, and we're still deciding on the colour of the splashback and upstands for the kitchen. I favour a clarety sort of colour - not too different from the red in the bathroom.

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John Lewis will be delivering the two sofas on Tuesday which completes the major furniture purchases. We'll have to call the curtain suppliers to see when these will be ready as this will make such a difference when they are in place.

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Jan is busy sorting out Manor Close - looks like the charity shops will benefit, including it would seem, possibly receiving most of our furniture. I called our local auction house during the week and was told that yew reproduction furniture, of which we have a lot, is the most difficult to sell. In their judgement we'd be lucky to get £50 for the lot. As "the lot" includes an extending table with four chairs, corner display cabinet with glazed upper door, another corner cupboard, large coffee table, two side tables with drawers, two 2 seater sofas (M&S Charlotte in green), two display cabinets (dark oak finish from Locke's of London), and two pine wardrobes, then that strikes me as quite a lot for £50! So, if anyone reading this wants some furniture for a small donation to a favourite charity, then let us know. Only thing is, it needs to go quickly.

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Jan & Rog