We’ve relied on this local DIY shop since we moved to Gateshead.
You could get pretty much anything from the place. We’ve bought plaster, cement, tile adhesive, wood, plywood, chipboard, silicone, bolts, screws, nails, paint, varnish, padlocks, and a door (we’ve certainly missed something).
We’ll so miss Maxwells.
So, I’m not making great progress with the kitchen. I’ve built another couple of units, but can’t put them in place because they’re (deliberately) too high for the existing worktop.
This is the unit meant to hold the washing machine easily the easiest because I didn’t need to add doors or shelves.
Recent delays have mostly been down to my being distracted with the removal of an unnecessary door frame.
And, then, there was the shed. I’ve not taken pictures yet (mostly because we used the shed tonight.
After a ridiculous amount of time, the first kitchen unit is almost complete – I just need to add the worktop.
Slow drying paint means that won’t happen this week (I’m back at the pub tomorrow).
At this rate, I should finish the kitchen by the end of 2023.
I’d so underestimated the amount of time I’d need to build a new kitchen from scratch.
Of course, I’ve only been working on it one day a week, some weeks not at all. But it’s still a very slow process.
I’ve only just finished building the first unit.
To be fair, I started with the most complicated unit. It’s huge too, impossible to lift. So the remaining units must be both easier and less time consuming. Surely?
I just need to sand this one down first. Then paint it and fit the worktop. And remove the existing unit.
Harriet by the fire.
My reduced, voluntary, hours at the Schooner means I’ve time to do things I’d planned for some time ago.
While I appreciate that this is going to be a lengthy project, likely to be interrupted by others, I’ve finally made a start on the kitchen.
Yes, the existing kitchen units look fine, but they were fitted 17 years ago and, on close inspection, are showing a lot of wear.
New doors would have been an easy option, but I really want to try to build some freestanding units.
After leaving the Civil Service, I’d planned several projects. Some were actually completed before buying into the Schooner, but some important ones weren’t started.
Now that I’ve pulled out of the pub, one small project has been completed. Wardrobes in the spare room.
Of course, the room now needs to be decorated before I can start something else. Around 18 months later than planned, the kitchen’s next.
It’s important not to make decisions when drinking wine. Unfortunately, I do that all too often.
The decision to buy a wood burner was actually a good one. The stove purchased might not have been my Best buy.
It arrived today and was duly deposited on the pavement outside the house. On a pallet. While attempting to separate the stove from its pallet, a man asked if I needed assistance.
He was walking his dog, on the other side of the road. I didn’t know him, although he looked vaguely familiar. I politely declined his kind offer, responding that help would be arriving soon.
I (barely) managed to get the stove only the pavement, but I couldn’t move it far. It’s very heavy.
Fortunately, my beloved soon arrived and the stove entered the house. While the stove’s great, it’s extremely heavy and not at all moveable.
And, so, it’s now in the living room until we come up with a way of moving it upstairs.
I’ve missed having a jukebox ever since I sold our old one following its death. Regrettably, my attempted repair was a failure and it was taking up a lot of space in a small house.
After a few years, I found a suitable replacement, several weeks ago. Due to impending decorating, the new jukebox was stored in the spare room. Unfortunately, decorating was delayed by the need to work on the van.
But, now, decorating progress has been made, allowing the jukebox to be mounted on the living room wall.
It’s actually older than the old jukebox, early 70s rather than mid 90s, but it’s a lot smaller and has passable built-in speakers.
Best of all, it has had a hard drive fitted.
Our roof is currently in the garden.
But we do now have a liner in another chimney.
