From little acorns...

[Penners]

Come on, Moo - snap out of it. If there's much more of this you'll be earning the soubriquet, "houseproud".

Then you'll be sorry.

 

[Flyfisher]

A valliant effort Penners, but I fear it may be too late . . .

 

[Moo]

We seem to have a different idea about the meaning of the word 'houseproud', Penners.

To me, there's a huge difference between diy (in this case, with a paintbrush) which lasts for years and years**, and 'housework' which has such impermanent results.


** Remember - I'm dealing with paintwork that was last done over twelve years ago, and I don't intend to do it again for another dozen years.

 

[JoceAndChris]

Twelve years is nothing! I'm never doing mine again.

Here's how Robin Forster and Tim Whittaker think we should do our houses (or not do anything them to them really) Excuse the quality of the images, I just took a photo of my book.

 

[Flyfisher]

Did anyone see that recent programme about the Carribean by Trevor MacDonald? Part of it was all about Cuba and many of the buildings had that sort of 'faded grandeur' look in Joce's photographs.

 

[Penners]

In case anyone isn't familiar with the phrase "faded grandeur", it translates into English as "shabby".

 

[Flyfisher]

True, but shabby that was once quite grand rather than shabby that was once plain and ugly. I'd much rather have the former.

 

[CatherineB]

It's not exactly authentic, though, is it? It's not as if the original owners would have let it get into that state.

 

[jocelyn plummer]

Yes, but to the word shabby you must add chic.

 

[Moo]

I see something very like the wall in that last picture every time I go up to our top floor. It's the first thing you see, straight ahead of you, as you reach the top of the stairs*.
The odd thing is, I've got so used to it that I barely notice it now.


* The result of a saturated wall, caused by guttering that had been aiming jets of water straight on to the soft red bricks for what must have been years. All sorted now, of course, and the wall's dried out a treat.

 

[Ushy M]

inspired by your woodwork I'm doing the dinng room woodwork in "London Clay" - my word, what a multitude of sins that covers!

Hello people, I'm back again having spent far too much time working of late instead of pursuing PP-related projects - but all that's going to change this year! Is that a F&B colour Joce? (it's not on my shade card which I think must be out of date). Do you think it would go with "Pointing" on the walls?

 

[Moo]

... "London Clay" - my word, what a multitude of sins that covers!

I know what you mean, Joce. It wan't until I began painting over the flat oil dark brown that I realised how knackered the surfaces were. The woodwork in the rest of the house is definitely going (some time......) to be repainted in exactly the same colour.

 

[Penners]

I realised how knackered the surfaces were.

I'm sorry, but I'm not going to allow that word, for fear that it will be applied to other aged, but... er... characterful things. (Mainly me).

 

[Moo]

Point taken, Penners.
In future I will say something like 'uneven' or 'pitted' or 'lumpy', or even 'chipped'.
None of those words could ever, in a million years, be applied to you.

 

[Penners]

That's not what Mrs P says.