Angels

For some reason, Someone up there liked us on Wednesday. Backtrack to Monday, when we were under the impression - a well-informed one, having had three phone conversations and an emailed quote from the brickie in question - that a local bricklayer would be starting on our wall on Tuesday morning. Said morning came and went sans word from said bricklayer. I got edgy. I rang, again and and again, only to be greeted by his voicemail message. Not entirely happy, I emailed him. Eventually I got an email apologising for his tardiness, and promising that he would be with us first thing Wednesday morning.

Got back from the school run to - you've guessed it! - no man wielding trowel. Rang again. Ditto Tuesday's saga. I decided to find someone else, so placed an ad on ratedpeople.co.uk. It's a brilliant site if you're looking for any sort of tradesperson. Literally minutes later I got a call from a brickie, who was round 15 minutes later to quote. Lovely man, and I'm sure his work is wonderful, but his price was through the roof so we had to turn him down.

None too chipper, we closed the door on him, but 10 minutes later received another caller - the angel Jim, who had seen the ratedpeople ad and popped by on the offchance, having spotted our yardload of blocks and bricks and put two and two together. He's Irish, he works with his Da', and boy is he as good as his word. They were in our back yard by 7.30 on Thursday morning and haven't stopped since. They've built most of the back wall (had to stop part way through because they ran out of bricks - another saga!) and are currently laying our driveway and replacing one of the pillars at the entrance. They stop for lunch and that's all. I mean, seriously? Pat laid the entire driveway entrance AND built a pillar in about two hours.

They are, truly, angels. Sent to save us in our hour of need.

And I loved the fact that Irish Jim wore a Springbok rugby jersey on his first day :)

Here they are:

The Farrows have moved!

It feels as though we've been in for ages, but it's been just three weeks since we officially moved in. Pictures and blinds, mirrors and other bits and pieces still need putting up, but on the positive side the garage is looking stunning, we have surround sound (if you've ever wanted to listen in on the rugby while you're preparing the bbq food in the kitchen, come over to ours) and all the TV/Sky/DVD bits are wired up and working efficiently. There are four remotes and no one but Himself knows how to work the whole shabang, but who has time to watch TV anyway? There are walls to be re-painted before the cooker splashback is installed; there are at least 17 trillion photos to be sorted through and put in albums or frames; there are rooms to be frou-froued (ideas for the smallest room, anyone?). I'm having soooo much fun, at last :)

Himself not so much. The weekend of Father's Day was spent shovelling a veritable mountain of clay from one section of the back yard to another; the clay came out of the ground when he dug a trench into which we had to pour a foundation for the retaining wall. And then, after the building inspector visited the other day, he's had to mastic all the windows and doors, build a temporary access ramp at the front door (which we've just heard has to to be replaced with a permanent one ... erm, I mean "permanent" as it is NOT staying after inspection), seal every possible nook and cranny before the air pressure test is carried out on Friday and finish preparing the bit at the back where the wall's going to go. The latest tradesman is starting tomorrow, building us that retaining wall so that Himself can retain the speck of energy he has left in order to lay the patio. And finally we will be able to throw a massive housewarming bash. So those of you not in MK, get your passports ready/cars fuelled and get awaitin' your invitation. First sign of weekend sunshine, it's on.

As long as the smallest room has been frou-froued by then.

View of Flozone

The beige-y sofa has gone; note TV already on wall, minutes after we'd moved in

Note fab bar stools; disregard mess (it's NEVER usually that messy haa haaaaa)

Moving in

It's here at last! We're moving into TNH. Luckily for us, we have a few days to complete the move, which means lots and lots and lots of trips back and forth carting stuff. We've hired a big van today to move bookcases and cupboards so we can fill them, and I've finished the wardrobe inners so I can start sorting out clothes and finish the kitchen and laundry today. Another big push tomorrow and - as soon as I've found the bed slats - we can sleep there.

It will be weird to say the least. But mostly just lovely. The kids are both excited and fed up with the scatterlings of possessions, although popping bubble wrap seems to amuse them for hours so that's something. What else is "something" is moving in the rain. I know it's not as disastrous as countrywide Jubilee celebrations being washed out, but it's still a PITA. As is erecting fence posts in the rain, and the fact that I have to postpone my long Sunday run. Sigh.

But I guess the sun will shine again. When school's back.