Sunday, October 24, 2010

Under Construction


Because I love all of you and fear for your sensibilities, I will not post pictures of our house. We're in the middle of a little construction project and starting Friday night our bedroom moved into the living room and the bathroom moved into the hall and we were either huddled around the dining room table or (until this morning) enjoying the relative order of the kitchen.

Our bedroom ceiling has been dry walled, our east facing wall completely re-plastered and a very pregnant wall in the bathroom has been cut out and replaced with dry wall. Our house is over 70 years old and has (had) the original plaster. We will now live for a week in boho squalor until the workmen return next Saturday to paint.


In all this, the kitchen was my haven. That is of course until the washer popped a valve this am and water poured out and into the kitchen. My floor is now very clean. A neighbor washed, dried and folded our laundry and through it all the sun kept shining and we kept breathing and laughing and dashing outside as often as possible to breathe fresh air. And quite frankly I kept sneaking outside and taking pictures of the garden to both distract myself from the chaos and to have something to post about. Blogging, one of my other great denial tactics.

That iris just won't quit will it?

10 comments:

  1. Renovations; how exciting! You have magnificent neighbours, how lucky are you? Of course they hit the jackpot as well, yes?

    Can't wait to see the changes!

    Sue
    xo

    P.S. What are you feeding your plants???!!!

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  2. Your iris and my nasturtiums. Thought they were past resurrection, but, surprise!, we're on a second bloom just like the roses.

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  3. hi jane,

    boho squalor! i love it. can't wait to see the results. your garden is a giver, it's so beautiful. and you are blessed with good neighbors and a clean kitchen floor.

    ~janet

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  4. I know that squalor! The wall in our office is going to fall down on my head, as I type this, if I look at it sideways. We are undecided as to plaster over it or strip it back to the bricks! Guess we will let nature take it's course and if the piece that eventually falls of is huge we will strip...if small we will plaster over!
    That iris is magnificent. xx

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  5. Sue, it's true around here: you do get what you give. xo

    Karen, I love nasturtiums but I always think it's too hot here to grow them. Any pictures?

    Hey Janet, we are blessed. We are pretty excited about the reno. now if i could just fine a black and white butterfly pattern wallpaper for the bathroom the didn't cost 299 euros or pounds or whatever too much.

    Julienne, Maybe you better keep looking sideways because you are going to want to duck and cover if that plaster falls on your head.

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  6. Oh go on, show us! You know we love before and after pictures!

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  7. I rather like the sound of 'boho squalor' - it has a certain ring to it! Gorgeous flowers and you know it will all be worth it when the renovations are finished. Oh, and p.s. thanks for your lovely comment. Don't think I've gone any blonder (maybe the flash in the camera?)and hair looked a little shorter as I managed to flick up the ends with good old hair rollers (am not usually all that good as hairdos!!) X

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  8. Gotta love these 70 year old houses. Always something to do and never a dull moment. Can't wait to see the after photos. And your roses! Mine haven't yet caught their second wind. Sounds like another fun weekend at your place!
    Karin

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  9. You sound impressively calm in squalor - perhaps the boho goat-keeping phase was good preparation?

    Now, Jane, in response to a past comment you left on my blog, have you planted your bulbs yet?? While your house is in chaos why not spend more time in the garden... Planting BULBS! You know you want to!! xx

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  10. Rachel, If i can get a good pic of the bad I'll show you immediately1

    Semi Expat, I know throw in a boho or two and the worst mess sounds rather picturesque, right?

    Karin,It's always fun here? Forget fun we're longing for restful,but i don't see that in the near future.

    Belinda, dammit you are so right! I wish you had suggested this yesterday,now I've wasted a WHOLE day off cleaning out cupboards and waiting for the servicemen who are 8 hours late. and I need to do laundry. Curses, could have been in the garden!

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