jocelyn plummer
Member
- Messages
- 2,297
- Location
- North Norfolk
At last, found time to pop back on here! My oh my what adventures some of you have had, one or two bringing back memories--managing an ageing wisteria for one.
We have been in our tiny, modern downsize for two and a half years now and have just about avoided becoming totally 'normal for Norfolk'!
A lucky break through has found me with a great team of willling and skilled people to help us update the cottage and keep within my budget. The Painter and Decorator is on an hourly rate and is an amazing perfectionist, the Joiner is equally amazing and totally unfazed by my wild ideas and the plumber cum bathroom and loo fitter is a real character! They are all one man bands, and only the joiner has been in his trade from the word go the other two have had other careers in the past!
So, the 'to do list' is nearly done--ceilings smoothed out ,plastered, coved and painted, refitted downstairs loo and bathroom , understairs cupboard under construction to create an alcove for display of my beautiful clock which has now, after 10 years, been restored back into full working order, and the garden is slowly being stocked with lovely trees, shrubs and plants under the guidance of The Romantic Garden in Norwich, they are amazing people.
The downside is that the slip shod cowboy builder that fitted and tiled out the kitchen did a truly dreadful job with the tiling and is just not interested so I will have to have that all re done at some point--after the conservatory project which is in the early stages of planning.
On a hilarious note the Painter had never heard of Rose of Jericho paint, and looked horrified when I told him to brush it on--he didnt and then went bananas when he realised that the pigments fleck when rolled on , and have a habit of bursting, exploding into colour! He rang round several painter friends, non of whom had heard of ROJ, so the buzz word in North Norfolk is Rose of \Jericho--- I am completely unfazed by what happened as he is such a neat and tidy painter and decorator who turns up as planned and does a good days work. We have agreed that he will come back in the Spring and brush on a third coat a wall at a time as it is our only living room and I have a storage issue for all my 'stuff' The room looks fab as I knew it would having used, that paint product for many years.
What other ups and downs have people had when downsizing I wonder?
We have been in our tiny, modern downsize for two and a half years now and have just about avoided becoming totally 'normal for Norfolk'!
A lucky break through has found me with a great team of willling and skilled people to help us update the cottage and keep within my budget. The Painter and Decorator is on an hourly rate and is an amazing perfectionist, the Joiner is equally amazing and totally unfazed by my wild ideas and the plumber cum bathroom and loo fitter is a real character! They are all one man bands, and only the joiner has been in his trade from the word go the other two have had other careers in the past!
So, the 'to do list' is nearly done--ceilings smoothed out ,plastered, coved and painted, refitted downstairs loo and bathroom , understairs cupboard under construction to create an alcove for display of my beautiful clock which has now, after 10 years, been restored back into full working order, and the garden is slowly being stocked with lovely trees, shrubs and plants under the guidance of The Romantic Garden in Norwich, they are amazing people.
The downside is that the slip shod cowboy builder that fitted and tiled out the kitchen did a truly dreadful job with the tiling and is just not interested so I will have to have that all re done at some point--after the conservatory project which is in the early stages of planning.
On a hilarious note the Painter had never heard of Rose of Jericho paint, and looked horrified when I told him to brush it on--he didnt and then went bananas when he realised that the pigments fleck when rolled on , and have a habit of bursting, exploding into colour! He rang round several painter friends, non of whom had heard of ROJ, so the buzz word in North Norfolk is Rose of \Jericho--- I am completely unfazed by what happened as he is such a neat and tidy painter and decorator who turns up as planned and does a good days work. We have agreed that he will come back in the Spring and brush on a third coat a wall at a time as it is our only living room and I have a storage issue for all my 'stuff' The room looks fab as I knew it would having used, that paint product for many years.
What other ups and downs have people had when downsizing I wonder?