Archive for November, 2007
Coming up from the rear
are these shots of number four pre and post extension.
It seems an age since we knocked the old extensions down but in fact it was late July when Tui's team swooped down and raised the lot to the ground. How weird that the wallpaper (so lovingly applied by Jack in about 1970) should have clung so firmly to the wall in a last act of defiance when every thing else fell. Hopefully the next 16 weeks worth of work can be seen in the after shot and no-one will think it a heinous crime to have knocked down what was there for the new extension. Since the after shot was taken, Antonio has finished tiling the terrace and steps and will, tomorrow, begin tiling the inside. Barry will then come to fit the walnut kitchen he has built, at the end of next week.
I am feeling very excited but also very scared as the kitchen will either hit or miss with nothing in between. In fact I was so scared by my choices on Friday that I had no choice but to consume some Trampagne ( Strongbow in a can no less) with a friend while insisting she re-measure everything and prop my fragile ego. So very, very sad.
Anyway, having reassured myself all was well I then received some bad news re applicances. Despite having ordered and paid for everything in good time the shambles who sold it all to me have cocked up and cannot deliver on time or anywhere near. Lovely recorded message trumpeting their customer care etc etc but it is all complete nonsense. So then Fiasco,(note cunning change of name for legal reasons) for the avoidance of doubt you are dumped and welcome back to Buyers and Sellers (www.buyersandsellersonline.co.uk). I should never have defected in the first place.
I want to do another refurb
but I must sayNO NO NO
actually that is a lie. As we approach the final few weeks of Number Four I have found my eyes wandering again. Although we still have floors to lay and kitchens to fit I cannot help but feel slightly sad that the end is near and would love to find a sad little flat or house for the New Year. I have started to accumulate little piles of local papers just in case something derelict winks at me.
If we keep on schedule then we will pretty much have finished by Christmas and in a touching leap of faith I have ordered a turkey in a belief that we shall be able to cook it come Christmas Day. Turkeys in East Dulwich have proved controversial this season with many pages of of the East Dulwich forum (www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk) given over to William Rose and their allocation of Christmas Fayre. Due to very high demand and only limited storage space, they have allowed regular customers only first dibs on Christmas orders although there will be tons of stuff to buy without ordering too. Various “outraged” casual customers have berated the poor butchers for this slight although it seems perfectly fair and sensible to me ( note smug tone from regular customer). The irony is of course that when WR opened in East Dulwich we all leapt for joy at having such a fine addition to the High Street and marvelled at such a small concern providing such quality from such small premises. So for those who have missed out and fear no bird this season I may be able to help out (for a King's Ransom of course) and flog on my organic beauty.
That digression aside, I am thrilled at the prospect of having a kitchen again. As I type, the marvellous Rupert is assembling the Ikea units for the utility area and over in another part of town Barry and others are creating the walnut cabinets for the main area. I have visions of myself becoming a great hostess, throwing legendary parties for hundreds. The reality of course will be much less glamorous with three small children just being delighted to have something other than pasta for tea.
Laying down the law(n)
And so it came to pass that at 4.30pm Friday 2nd November 2007, the bombsite that was the rear of number four became a lush green oasis.
Pete and the chaps began laying the lawn, all 380m2 at about 8.00am and by afternoon it was done. The change was quite magical to behold and the grim view atthe back of the house has been completely transformed.The children are desperate to step on it and roll down the bank at the back but we need to leave it for a few weeks before any of those shenanigans can commence. The new fencing looks quite lovely and overall masses has been achieved on a very tight budget. Pete has now moved his focus to the front of the house where Jack's lovingly made (yet hellish to behold) fence has been removed and yet more bizarre outcrops of concrete found. Unsurprisingly, we have managed yet another two twenty yarders in the process. I will not know what to do with myself when Monday morning's arrive without the fanfare of the skip mans hooter blasting through the air. How will I spend my weekly skip budget? Maybe there is a skipman's benevolent fund to which I could contribute rather than greasing the palms of the living…
Now all we have to do is get the floating terrace tiled and the drainage channels covered in some suitably attractive stones and the garden will be done until we can afford some planting in the spring.