pride and joy

i think the part of the extension most exclaimed about by any female visitors is the new pantry.  And I have to admit that I too get quite excited about this little place.  It is squeezed into the corner of the kitchen and has an almost full sized door. We did have an experiment as to how many people we could get into the larder and managed 4 almost adult sized. 

There are shelves along two of the walls and a little room left for hooks most likely for aprons but you never know it could be onions! The internal walls are painted white and the electricians even put me a light up in there.

It is marvellous having all my food stored in one place. All the Follies like seeing exactly what we have available to eat, though I am finding that the stash of treats gets eaten more quickly than in the past.

The pantry is the perfect display space for my tupperware
bought about 15 years ago from my Canadian friend
(do you still use your boxes Heather?)

Whilst using the internet to research the design of my pantry I came across a couple of pantry titled blogs which I've enjoyed.

http://penelopespantry.blogspot.com

http://avillagepantry.wordpress.com

star gazing

if I didn't have so much going on at the weekend I might have been tempted onto the streets of Winchester - the city about 20 minutes away from our home.  Parts of the city around the cathedral and winchester college are extremely old and provide a perfect historical setting which is why scenes from Les Miserables are currently being filmed there.

Though I couldn't make it over to Winchester I caught up with the gossip from one of my friends who happens to live at the end of College Street where filming was taking place.

She took a wander around the street at night noticing lots of horses and bonnets but no sign of Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway or the list of stars reputedly due in Winchester to film.  As she pointed out it's not all glamour living in such a stunning location - due to night time filming she had to suffer floodlights shining into the bedroom at the back of her house throughout the night. Might as well don your bonnet then and venture onto the streets!

frustrating

... well I clearly jinked things with my last post, as after high hopes for an end to the renovations, things have slowed down once more.

The report from the building control officer has forced a change to the external door to the utility room. Mr and Mrs Folly are both disappointed about this as we were re-using an old door from a doorway we bricked up and it linked the old and new parts of the house really well from the outside.



The utility room door we had hoped to use on the new extension

The existing door to the kitchen in an older part of the house

The plumber fitted the toilet and put some water in the bowl to test the joint and discovered a leak through a hairline crack in the side of the toilet bowl.  We have returned this to the store and now have to wait for a new one to be delivered.
The data points were eventually installed but when Mr Folly checked them with his data connection gadget he found that half of them didn't work.  We also seem to have lost the majority of our tv channels much to the younger follies disgust.

All of these issues are small problems and for that I must remind myself to be grateful but I am becoming increasingly aware that patience is not one of my virtues.

nearly there

we are so close now to the extended part of the house being ready to move into that it is hard to be patient.  Each day seems to bring painfully slow progress on small details. 

Today the worktop and sink were fitted in the utility room. We are pleased with the look and once the two washing machines and dryer are fitted I know that I will be spending alot of time in here.

All the electrics were connected today so we are able to switch lights and try out the electric fire in the room which has become known as 'the snug'.









Painting continues when there isn't too much dust being created and the woodwork upstairs now has the first coat of paint.

A definite improvement on a few weeks ago 

There are still a list of items to complete ...

- data connections are not yet wired up - particularly important for Mr Folly's computer cupboard.

- the shower works but there is as yet no enclosure to contain the water!

- there are doors to be waxed

- and there are still a couple of holes in the floor to sort out

• there are also a few building control technicalities which need to be sorted out before the project can be signed off.

We have chosen carpets for upstairs and once painting has finished we can have these fitted.  Downstairs the flooring has to wait until the scree has dried out a little and begun its curing process so we have delayed making any firm decisions about this.

I daren't ask about a new scheduled completion date as the answer might test my eagerness to the limit.

Easter

here at the Follies we usually stay home at Easter and this year is no exception. Our celebrations began Saturday night when we joined in the Easter Vigil Celebration of Light which usually begins after sunset. For us this was 8.30pm and the service finished around 10.30pm so easter morning was a lazy affair. 

In the past I have laid a trail around the house of brightly coloured plastic eggs filled with goodies but as the youngest Folly is almost 10 we have moved on to written clues which take more decoding. 



searching close to the woodpile for chocolate eggs

I always write the clues in rhyme though sometimes these can be a little forced. Here is this years selection:

Think of somewhere very cold.

Then grab the handle and be bold.

You may find something for your tea

Or perhaps you’ll find something 'wee'.

This one is not laid by a hen.

Go into the garden and think again

Eggs here we sometimes find.

You will need sharp eyes to look behind.

‘Where are you going to little brown mouse?

Come for a feast in my logpile house.’

Of the logs there are lots.

But whats’s nestled amongst the pots?

For this place there is no key.

But rather numbers – you’ll need three.

In addition to the treat there is a clue.

To find the last this you must do.

Now you are stuffed and can eat no more.

So the last is not made of chocolate galore.

Go to your rooms old and new.

And find something that each can do.

the afternoon continued in relaxed mode with lots of chocolate and sweetie eating accompanying movie watching.

We rounded off the evening with a family feast with us all around the table and look forward to spending time with our extended family later on in the week.

easter preparation

the follies all knew that as soon as the schools broke up for Easter then the good weather would also break and they were right.  Without the sunshine to keep them outside playing they began to give their craftiness full reign ...

• there were cards made for relatives

• decorations painted

• an Easter garden designed
  

I was tempted by the Easter designs on the front of a making magazine mollie makes but as yet I have not tried any of the suggestions. Perhaps I'll manage some of them in time for Easter next year.