Loft Progress #19

By the end of today the new bathroom will be all plumbed in and working, along with the radiators (1 in the bathroom and 2 in the main room). The photos aren't that interesting to look at but at least you'll get some idea of what is going on.

Brag Book

My SIL is none too well at the moment so I thought she might like a Brag Book featuring her nephew. I used Basic Grey's funky collection Scarlet Letter and didn't really bother with any embellishments, as the papers speak for themselves.

A LO Featuring A Strong Woman ...

An acquaintance over on UKS asked me to help out with a CJ she is putting together for someone whose original CJ has gone missing (we actually know where it is but the holder is refusing to act upon our pleas to return it...). Anyway, the theme is Stong Woman so I chose Violette Szabo, wartime heroine of SOE and the subject of the 1958 film Carve Her Name With Pride, starring Virginia McKenna.

"Smiles" LO

I scraplifted the idea for this LO from one that Sib did recently about DN and ice-cream in Lanzarote. I'd been at a loss as to what to do with the paper. And as luck would have it, it fits the criteria for this week's challenge on UKS! (Scrap something yummy, use black & pink, poetry (I concocted 4 lines of doggerel about DS's chocolate face!), hidden journaling and use fabric.) DS's name was added to the LO once I'd scanned it.

My Wee Boys

For three days this week it's just me, DS and the pup (can't really count the builders because they are paid to be here!). Ds and I took the pup for a run on the Common this morning while the sun was out and this afternoon I introduced DS to the delights of Dirty Dancing, although to be honest he seemed more interested in his cuppa and raisins! He's got Strictly: It Takes Two to look forward to this evening after his bath ...

"Spooks" Is Back!

Yay, series 7 starts tonight and the delicious Richard Armitage has joined the cast. If you haven't already seen it, check him out as John Thornton in the BBC costume drama North and South.

Loft Progress #18

Today we just have Jeff the Roofer on site, although Tony the Plumber did stop by to deliver the bathroom suite, which he hopes to fit on Wednesday. (Sam is away for a week, learning to ride a motorbike safely and legally apparently!) It's a beautiful day, albeit on the cold side, and Jeff has said that he hopes to be finished by the end of the week and has told everyone else who wants a job doing that they'll have to wait until he's finished here ... good man!

The news on the glass blocks for the gable end is that they still haven't been delivered. DH rang the company making it directly on Friday and it appears that there is some confusion as to whether the frame is coming from Germany or that the guys who are making it are currently in Germany! (Oktoberfest, anyone??) The good news is that on the other gable end wall, Sam fitted the glass on Friday and primed the frame inside and out. Now we're only half as drafty (spelling?).

I nipped out onto the scaffolding just now (through the hole in the wall and not up the ladder!) to get a good look round. We will definately need another skip because there is still what looks like a mountain of debris on the scaffolding platform.

Strictly ...

... poor old Mark Foster, he's out of the competition. Despite the fact that it was obvious he couldn't dance very well, I liked watching him because he's so fit! Me and thousands of other women across the country, I'm sure! Still, he very kindly removed his shirt (what there was of it) during his last dance with Hayley!

And as for John Sergeant, well ... you just gotta love him!

October's Scrap Your Day

The one advantage of not having taken many photos meant that there was less choice involved when it came to putting the DLO together. Had a bit of a scare when I realised that I'd turned over 2 days in the album ... some careful unsticking had to be done!

"Two" LO

I finally used up the last of my Scrapagogo kit from last month (bar the sheet with the cupcakes on ... keeping for a recipe CJ!) and here it is. I'm up-to-date now with my album of BF's children so that must mean a visit is due!

Photography

Today, as you know, is Scrap Your Day but I've really struggled with capturing images.

Coffee at our friends' house didn't go to plan, as their little boy was out at his Japanese lesson, their little girl was asleep almost until we were ready to leave and the wife thought we were staying to lunch but the husband had forgotten to extend the invitation! (And we'd made no arrangements for the dog, thinking we were only going to be a couple of hours at most...)

I still have a cold and a cough so wasn't feeling 100% and DH bore the brunt of my grumpiness ... I'm amazed he is still speaking to me after today!

Anyway, here's the best of a bad bunch ...

October's Scrap Your Day

Yep, it's that time again ... tomorrow is Scrap Your Day day and luckily for us this month we have some plans! We are taking DS for a playdate with the son of friends of DH. They are a French/Japanese family so it will be interesting watching the small people interacting with each other!

(Shimelle is currently on honeymoon but still sent through the reminder, bless her. I had to smile when I saw she'd written on a pad from a hotel in Singapore, because we had part of our honeymoon in Singapore as well.)

Teatime Tantrums

DS throw a wobbly just now and did his best to send his goulash & rice all over the kitchen. He screamed, he cried real tears and he tried his best to climb out of the highchair. An alternative offering of spread cheese & crackers went the same way as the goulash. I think he's upset because he didn't want his daddy to go out (DH has just left for an evening seminar up town). Anyway, the dog will be having goulash with his dinner, DS will be going to bed hungry and I will be in need of a stiff drink!! (I don't have any left ... Sib drank it all last week!!!) This is my time-out while I calm down and DS hopefully stops what can only be described as bleating ...

Loft Progress #17

This week has seen Mark the Plasterer doing his thing mainly on the new stairs and the stairwell. Jim the Gaffer arrived this morning to fix the window on the new landing permanently into place but there was still no sign of any glaziers. The photos show how chicken wire is attached to the underside of the stairs before the plaster goes on (plasterboard just won't do apparently), the stairs with plaster in place and the two of them taking advantage of my hospitality!

Jamie's Ministry Of Food

We've seen a couple of episodes of Jamie's latest TV show and have been impressed by his drive and determination. DH said he'd quite like a look at the accompanying recipe book ... and, as if by magic, Tesco had it at half price this morning. The loose cover shows Jamie about to tuck in to a roast but I preferred the cover underneath.

Time For Scrapping Again ...

As lovely as it was to have Sib and DN here for the last week or so, not much scrapping got done by either myself or by Sib. As luck would have it, this week's challenge on UKS required an Autumnal feel so the Kew Gardens photos were made for it. Here it is ...

Monday

It's been very quiet here today ... DH went up town early and Sib & DN finally went home after their extended stay (British Rail cock-up on the ticket front and too long-winded to try and explain here!). Mark the Plasterer turned up this morning (minus his mate, who is missing in action after a weekend in Liverpool apparently!) and by the end of the day he'd completely filled and plastered the underside of the new stairs. I was half expecting a delivery of glass - glass blocks for the gable end, French doors for the dormer window and panes of glass for the new window in the stairwell - and wasn't too surprised when nothing materialised. Tomorrow is the start of week 10 of the loft conversion so I do hope the end is in sight!

Loft Progress #16

We are now at the stage where the plasterers are doing their thing and the brickies have turned up at last to finish off the gable end wall. Monday sees the delivery of the glass wall and the panes for the window on the new stairwell ... allegedly!

UKS Photography Competition

This month's competition theme is Autumn (no surprise there!), and as we went back to Kew Gardens today I kept a look-out for suitable images. Here's what I came up with...

Fun With Bubbles

Yesterday afternoon, once he was up from his nap, DS and DN had great fun playing in the garden with the bubble machine. Who says that children need top-of-the range toys in order to have fun?? (Mind you, DS did fall over and bang his thigh, resulting in the most hideous bruise!)

The "Joseph" Matinee

Wednesday saw Sib, DN and me at the long-awaited matinee performance of Joseph in the West End, which stars the fabulous Lee Mead. DH very kindly agreed to take the afternoon off work to be with DS. The show was completely amazing with excellent performances from Lee, the girl who was playing the Narrator and the guy playing the Pharaoh. Yours truly got told off by an over officious usher for taking a photo of Sib & DN in the Interval!!

Christmas MiniBook

I'm in another minibook swap on UKS and yes, you've guessed correctly, the theme is Christmas. Here's a wee taster ...

Bathtime Fun

DS got his second wind this evening at bathtime and was thrilled to discover that DN was getting in the bath with him ... I think that DN got the short end of the stick, although I could hear both of them squealing with delight at one point. It won't be long before DN thinks he is too old to share bathtime with his cousin so Sib and I must make the most of now!

Changing Of The Guard

We took DN up to Buckingham Palace this morning to see the Changing of the Guard. Because it was such a lovely day, weather wise, it seemed that thousands of other people had the same idea! Sib managed to get a few good snaps of the band and I took some of the 2 boys in Green Park. An added bonus was that we saw the Queen leaving BP on an official engagement.

Wednesday

Busy, busy here just now ... more to follow tomorrow, with news of a Matinee performance of Joseph and Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace! Stay tuned, folks!

Three Years On

Yesterday DH and I celebrated our 3rd wedding anniversary with dinner at a Michelin starred restaurant in Chiswick (because Sib very kindly offered to babysit). Not exactly sure where the last 3 years have gone...

Loft Progress #15

Today was the day ... the installation of the new staircase. I'm glad that we missed most of the noise and disruption and more than glad to arrive home to find very little mess. These builders are the kind of builders I like!! Apparently we even had Jeff the Roofer here today as well. The photos show the stairwell this morning, looking up the stairwell from the ground floor this evening and looking up from the landing this evening.