This month has gone quick....

but we achieved lots.  The house is still upside down with having the radiators put in for the central heating, but we have come to a standstill as we can't find an electrician who will connect the boilers to the electricity supply.  "Oh come on guys this looks like a straightforward task!  And I am not even an electrician". 

The living room carpet is back in place - we thought about changing it as it has been down for almost 30 years, but still in good condition.  "Star Wars" this pattern is - not sure how they come to that - very 1970s, but maybe it will do for a few more years yet.

The walls were very 1980s -

Rather than removing the paper and putting up lining paper, we gave it several coats of magnolia emulsion and I put up another pair of curtains, and it is amazing how much lighter the room has become.

We never got around to too much decorating over the years as our jobs and children took up a lot of time, but now we are heading for retirement, its time the house got its own make over.  I never imagined we would be in so much mess. 

The vege garden is taking its time.  In the meantime Mr Fox has dug out another den right beside the potatoes.  I am almost certain our vegetable patch is over a number of tunnels and holes, as everytime they dig they create another mound of earth, and it is very much like growing your veg on top of a hill!

Look at all those weeds - nettles too, knee deep all around the apple tree - days and days of work there.  Mr Fox does not take too kindly to us moving about, but he is determined to stay put!  Often sits on next door's shed roof during the day to watch us busy working in the garden.

Look at this too - more shrubbery to clear.  Wouldn't believe how much we have cleared this month and still all this to do. 

You might ask me what I am going to do with these!  These are two drums from old washing machines, and the casing of one of them.  The idea is to fill with earth and grow some flowers.  Since I got hundreds of flower seeds, I want to find out if I can grow them, having never had flowers in my garden, just shrubs, vegetables and weeds!


I was given two large pots by a neighbour and he said I should grow carrots in them.  So I am going to have a go. 

OK some of you and probably all of you have a garden and you grow lots of nice things.  Well I have the garden, but never had the time to do anything with it.  Mainly because I don't like gardening, but I don't like to see it like it is now.  So rules have been laid that within six months, we are going to clear this garden as it was 30 years ago!  That is certainly a challenge, because I have only given you part pictures - too embarrassed to show all!  Yes we have grass, and we have trees, but we have lots of other things that shouldn't even be here.  Its called "junk".  And I mean J-U-N-K....and I am not the hoarder. Although I do like to recycle, if I can find another use for it.

I am also trying to do some things I personally want to do.  And this month has been so busy that I haven't made one cake, nor pudding, and barely have had time to cook a meal each evening.  But I have sold lots of stuff from the loft on ebay, and feel pretty good about it.  I have space and I am saving for a trip to Australia.  Another story, another day.

Not yet given up work - if there is work - I will work - if there isn't then I will stick to home things.  Working from home can be an advantage - but sometimes you may not leave the house for days.

So - thats it for this month - now I can look forward to other things to do next month.  I have so much to do, I know I won't ever be bored on my road to retirement.....