Next steps

Over the past few weeks I've spent quite a bit of time clearing up brambles and stinging nettles which had become a bit hazardous.

We've not been idle. All of the storage boxes from this downstairs room have been transferred either up into the loft, or into the adjoining 'furniture & kitchen boxes' storage room, to create space for a temporary 'shed' and decorating equipment storage.

This is an example of the amount of cardboard we recycle on a weekly basis, taking trailer-loads to the tip.

These boxes of salvaged parquet flooring, together with all our old kitchen cupboards, have been cleared out of the Rectory garage which is now completely empty of our stuff.

This is a selection of the oak flooring samples we've requested - almost enough to do the whole extension!  Such an array of choices.

The girls are now on their school summer holiday so it's nice not to have the usual daily routine.  And they are both enjoying spending time in their own new bedrooms.  (Emma's the first of us to get an actual wardrobe which she's very pleased about.)  We've enjoyed welcoming several family and friends to visit over the past few weeks which has made a nice change from the chores we're supposed to be getting on with! I've also managed to step back a bit from my responsibilities at Findon Village Pool (thanks to a number of fantastic new volunteers) but am still doing weekly supervisor sessions, instead of getting on with house painting.  The pool supervising gives you a better tan - weather permitting!