Update, as been missing for some time

I realise I have not been blogging recently, for quite some time in fact. I have some excuses, I decorated my living room and had to deal with all the chaos that went with it. I had hardly caught my breath when there was water ingress into my bedroom from flat above.

This resulted in the insurance company arranging to empty my bedroom and store the main furniture for me. The smaller stuff I kept – just for practical purposes, so the rest of the flat was in chaos – with me camped out on my settee for almost a week and a half.

The ceiling was brought down and plasterboard put up, then it all skimmed. A wait for 4 days till dry enough to paint the ceiling and the walls, they didn’t do the wood though. So, as soon as semi organised, got my painter to come to do the white wood work – but only where it was seen (I could not bear any more upheaval!)

Now just waiting for the new curtains and blanket box I have on order to finish that room.

I had been planning to update my kitchen, for practical reasons – easy to clean and easy for me to work in, and after all that has been happening, I decided I had better bite the bullet and get the work done now, because any delay and I might never do it!!

Plans have been agreed, as have cost, and it all begins in early December. I have found a home for my dresser, which should be going this weekend, then next week the big clear out begins! My ‘how to be positive’ attitude is that I will at last manage to have a good clear out. You know those drawers chock a block with junk , tins which might now be out of date…etc  Will chuck out or  send to charity shop whatever is appropriate. Then last night I thought I would plan what will go where, to try to be as sensible as possible. If I changed my mind once, I changed it a dozen times! Keeps me out of mischief!

I am not looking forward, in truth, to all the work involved. There is the clear out, the chaos as stuff is stored, the trying to live for 3-4 days with a kettle and microwave. Then, of course, putting it all back…… then the vinyl to be chosen and fitted for the floor, then painting.

I have settled for a slightly adventurous colour scheme – being tired of always playing safe – so units are high gloss white, splash back and work tops black, the vinyl to be a slate tiled effect. Then all the walls to be pillar box red!!! I have bought an oil cloth for the table, in a Japanese design with white, black, grey and red. The ceiling is to be a soft grey. I am being brave and doing what I want – from the quiet response I got from mum and OH, I am not so sure they are as enthusiast, but hey my kitchen, I am paying for it!!

Through all of this there has been a bit of obvious stress, and I have been plagued by neck pain, however new meds are being taken which seem to be helping. I might even consider getting in professional cleaners to go through the flat after kitchen done, and the hall painted (that will be the last thing to be done) If I can get the hall done before Christmas. That will then be finished, finito, done!

It’s funny, that even though you are well aware of your limitations when you have a chronic disease, you forget that your condition will evolve and worsen in time. This was what caused the decision to carry out the kitchen work, as I have found that I have real problems getting stuff out from base units, or from too high in wall units. I am going to have the deep double drawers in some of the units so I can have the likes of crockery much easier to get to. As I have difficulty reaching to clean, the gloss white doors are easier to clean as dirt tends to slide off and so on.

I hope this means I will start the new year with my flat as good as it can be with my financial restrictions, as I can’t see anything major being done again.

Apart from all the above, life has been very quiet, cats are great, my hair is still red!