Very busy and productive day for all of my building trades and me before Daniel and I bring in and fit the utility room white goods and breakfast room table and chairs and the vinyl is fitted such that we resume normality
Awake to find the weather bright, but getting cooler. Tired from the late nights, I just about got through my routine breakfast and ablutions and was ready for the builders and tradesmen. A good active day for them today, but they were everywhere as a result. Di went to Huntingdon to get Daniel’s computer fixed and to escape the builders and do some shopping. She achieved the first two aims, but depressed herself further by leaving her shopping at the supermarket! Back at the house, I installed our bell at the new front door, just about succeeding to both fix it and drive the builders mad at the same time. Also to work on some more light fittings and, after lunch and in the evening, I fitted the central bell that is to be our main warning for domestic and trade callers. Worked very late again. Today I also chased Smallbone about the hood and agreed an eventual interchange of the food trolley with Debenhams. The plumber installed just about all of the new bathroom furniture today and Cheeseborough did a large proportion of the tiling. The carpenter finished off the cladding for the balconies and we are desperately waiting for the asphalters to come and fit the balcony surfaces.
The electrician was back to do some more wiring on the heating control boxes, but fell short of commissioning them entirely – the valves are ‘non-return’ or something and the electricians design does not work. The decorators finished off the wall papering for the hall, stairs & landing and it looks very nice. But the main development today was the return of the carpet people to lay the remainder of the floor vinyl. They are laying it loose and without adhesive to see how the underfloor black adhesive reacts with it. Also leaving the edges over Christmas to see how it settles. This suits me, as I can lay my alarm wiring around the edges. Once they had gone (and before my bell project above) Daniel and I had to bring in and install the washing machine & tumble drier and then the breakfast room table and chairs. The house is now returning to some sort of respectability and we are beginning to get the extra amenity that makes all the trouble worthwhile.