Renovations

We have a painter chap in at the moment doing some very nice work on the main hall and staircase. But it is proving to be something of a marathon job. He started three weeks before Christmas and it doesn't look like he will be finished much before the end of January. It is a rather large hall and it is over three floors with eleven doors and an ornate banister. He's doing a lovely job.. really he is. But why do tradesmen have to be so messy?

Every evening I hear him vacumming the dust from the floor, impressive you may think. It would be but for the fact that he then whips the dust sheets into a frenzy of folding and the house is hidden in a haze of fresh dust. Everywhere is coated constantly in a white covering of plaster and paint dust. I permanently have a duster attached to my hand.

Did I mention that everyone calls him Willy. I think it might have something to do with the fact that his real name is Richard! He talks to himself too. Constantly from the moment he arrives to the moment he leaves. Honestly it's a non stop drone of conversation. The dog kept jumping up as she heard Willy muttering to himself. She soon got bored with that. Now she merely eyes him wearily, humouring him with a tail wag when he asks her for her opinion. She's not getting up onto those old legs for anything less than a chocolate digestive.

This is just the latest in a number of projects we've had on over the last year. First we had the back yard dug up to replace the old lead pipes. That led to us having to get the yard re flagged, it does look lovely now. Following on from the pipes being changed we ow had enough water pressure to get the old, and I mean old bathroom done out. That took two months, more dust. His Lordship liked the work the plasterer had done and decided it would be a wizzard wheeze to get the entire hall stairs and landings plastered. So they ripped down the ceilings too, yippee, nearly one hundred years of spider poo all over the place. Trust me it plays havoc with your hair. So here we are plastering done the decorating is well under way and the end is in sight.

Then his Lordship blithely announced to Willy last night as he was leaving that he has another little project for him. NOOOOOOOOOO! I wailed.

Please can I have my home back sometime soon. Can I please go to the bathroom without having to wedge the door shut with an old toilet roll, because Willy has taken the lock off to paint the door and hasn't got around to replacing it yet. Please can I simply enjoy my morning coffee without having to listen to Willy's latest catastrophe with his car. Oh and please can I walk about the house in my work clothes without having to guard against dust attacks, or after much sniggering in the office finding that I have a hand print on my bottom. A parting gift from his Lordship.

Take Care All xxx