Embracing suburbia
Well, March seems to have flown by.
We haven't exchanged on the Chiswick house - but we have been gazundered. (Is that how you spell it?) They tell me we may exchange tomorrow... 1st April. Hmm. We are still waiting to hear back on the planning application for the garage (word on the grapevine is that it will be approved, so fingers crossed). We have started clearing some of the plants behind (in front of and on top of) the garage in anticipation of the demolition - "we" being the royal term for some of Quent's very kind ex-Venture Scouts.
The listed building consent application has gone in. That included taking a "dry lining" off the wall in the dining room, in the presence of the conservation officer. Good news: it seems we will be able to knock through a large hatch to the kitchen. Bad news: the timber beam (which is meant to hold up the house) seems to be rotten (by which I mean missing) at the bottom. Stuart, the unflappable surveyor seemed very relaxed about it and said the beams on the Bury (the manor house next door) were in a worse state when they uncovered them. But we've banned sneezing down that end of the house, just in case.
I have done some paid work - though not enough! There's lots in the pipeline, as our Sales Managers used to tell me when they didn't seem to be hitting target.
Other news. Oakley has finally cracked riding his bike without stabilisers. Quent has borrowed a scarifier for the lawn and is becoming obsessive about finding ex-Batchworth Scouts for a reunion. I have planted a herb garden outside the kitchen door. Last week, I embraced middle aged, suburban life by joining Weightwatchers and the Rickmansworth Horticultural Society. There is no 2 for 1 offer, but I am hoping the gardening will help with the weight loss. Interestingly, the RHS costs less for a year than Weightwatchers does for a week - and I know which will give more pleasure.
Next scan is April 20th, but we have Easter to look forward to before that.
We haven't exchanged on the Chiswick house - but we have been gazundered. (Is that how you spell it?) They tell me we may exchange tomorrow... 1st April. Hmm. We are still waiting to hear back on the planning application for the garage (word on the grapevine is that it will be approved, so fingers crossed). We have started clearing some of the plants behind (in front of and on top of) the garage in anticipation of the demolition - "we" being the royal term for some of Quent's very kind ex-Venture Scouts.
The listed building consent application has gone in. That included taking a "dry lining" off the wall in the dining room, in the presence of the conservation officer. Good news: it seems we will be able to knock through a large hatch to the kitchen. Bad news: the timber beam (which is meant to hold up the house) seems to be rotten (by which I mean missing) at the bottom. Stuart, the unflappable surveyor seemed very relaxed about it and said the beams on the Bury (the manor house next door) were in a worse state when they uncovered them. But we've banned sneezing down that end of the house, just in case.
I have done some paid work - though not enough! There's lots in the pipeline, as our Sales Managers used to tell me when they didn't seem to be hitting target.
Other news. Oakley has finally cracked riding his bike without stabilisers. Quent has borrowed a scarifier for the lawn and is becoming obsessive about finding ex-Batchworth Scouts for a reunion. I have planted a herb garden outside the kitchen door. Last week, I embraced middle aged, suburban life by joining Weightwatchers and the Rickmansworth Horticultural Society. There is no 2 for 1 offer, but I am hoping the gardening will help with the weight loss. Interestingly, the RHS costs less for a year than Weightwatchers does for a week - and I know which will give more pleasure.
Next scan is April 20th, but we have Easter to look forward to before that.
posted by Helen at 3/31/2009 09:44:00 pm
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