Half Term

We've worked so hard since Saturday, especially John and my Dad, and I'm really pleased with the progress we've made on the house this week.

We began by emptying the spare room and office of furniture, no small task because, as you can see, they are a bit of a dumping ground.

On Sunday we pulled up the laminate and carpet, removed the old skirting boards, and took it all to the tip.

John spent bank holiday Monday building a frame to box in the horrible upvc window panel in the office. It took him most of the day but I can already see what a difference it makes, helping the room look more finished and less like a utility room.

On Tuesday and Wednesday John and my Dad laid the new flooring, the same as we had in the living room and hall. We had a lot left over so only needed to buy a few more boxes.

And today they fitted the skirting boards.

Tomorrow involves lots of filling and sanding so that we can start decorating the room, which will be Bella's bedroom (I'll go into that more later - it's musical bedrooms here!) But that's where we are for now. 

While John was laying floors, my Mum and I were busy in IKEA, choosing a wardrobe and bookcase for Bella's room among lots of other things, and Bella chose some new things for her room.

She has a great eye, and there is a theme emerging of blush pink, mustard and lots of plants. (I am very proud.)

I also treated myself to a few things for the house, including this gorgeous mat which holds together really nicely the bits I like to keep on the kitchen table.

A new mustard velvet cushion came home with me....

and this plant and basket.

I remembered that I needed a new apron, and was delighted to find one that had those two apron essentials: a front pocket and long ties so that you can knot the apron at the front, not awkwardly behind you. I also bought new tea towels. I love buying tea towels.

On a whim, I tried these curtains in our bedroom that had previously been hanging in the spare room downstairs. I had to let them down a little, but they look so much better than the navy ones which were there before, and feel like I got a brand new pair of curtains for nothing! We bought this pair ten years ago for our house in Leeds and I had gone off them a bit, but hung onto them because they were really good quality (most of out curtains are cheap as chips from IKEA). The navy ones I took down will go in Bella's new bedroom so nothing is wasted here.

Yesterday it rained all day and I indulged in an afternoon of solid baking. I made tea loaf, chocolate covered flapjacks and tried a new recipe, red velvet brownies from a Hummingbird Bakery recipe book. (I can't find the exact recipe online but if you search you will find lots of similar recipes.) They aren't really chocolately enough to be called brownies, but they are delicious, a bit like a red velvet cheesecake tray bake.

Today we got out into the fresh air for a walk, and everything was so green. May is always the greenest month, with all the leaves so vibrant and bright before they start to slowly fade, and the woods were glorious today.

The cow parsley is as frothily beautiful as ever.

So, that's half term. One more day of working on the room plus all the usual housework, then Saturday is John's birthday so we'll have a day off then and do something nice, if the weather is cooperative. Fingers crossed.