Caravan Diary, Day 35

Mats keeping himself entertained in the garden

Well, well, well! The last few days have seen so much progress, I don't even know where to begin!

The bedrooms upstairs are newly plastered (at least where it was necessary. Everywhere else the bad bits have just been patched. I so wish I had the money to get every room replastered completely - it would be like a whole new house!...). Now we need to paint the walls and gloss the skirting boards and we're actually able to sleep inside. Exciting times!!
The scaffolding has gone up ready for the roof to be done.
The old useless chimney stack at the back has been taken down
We have successfully demolished the hideous fishpond in the garden. The three remaining fish - which turned out to actually be quite pretty when viewed through clear water in their transport-freezer bags as opposed to the green slurry that was left in the pond - have been ceremoniously set free in the River Sowe by Stoneleigh. Our frog, who re-appeared this morning, has been gently encouraged to find a new home in some neighboring fish pond.
The airing cupboard in the boys' room has been knocked out.
The cloakroom has been stripped (but we're now waiting for the plumber to repair the main stop cock before anything can happen that involves turning off the water supply. Also, Mark our builder is still scratching his head working out how to make a twenty-first century toilet fit onto the mid-century soil pipe. Watch this space!).
The potting shed is becoming more and more a genuine option to retreat to n the weeks to come. I can really see myself in there starting future grow-your-own projects. i can't believe how much patience my dad has to find piece after piece of reclaimed wood that we can repurpose. So far the list of things we have bought for 'Project Shed' is limited to a set of hinges, a hasp and staple and one length of shelf. Not bad going for a shack that was at the brink of collapse :-)

The long-awaited scaffolding is going up at last

And what can I say, the weather has continued to be incredibly good to us. I can't believe that we're in England when I see all this blue sky!! Mind you, we unequivocally deserve it after the run of rubbish summers that we have had to endure recently...