and now it is November!

Hi,

So, I failed in writing more frequently!!  I've been busy!!

Firstly, Lissa is having a baby!!  I think I knew last time I wrote my blog but couldn't really say on here - but she is now 10 weeks and has had an early scan and everything looks good!!  I am so happy for her - and for me! lol.  I am so excited!!  She has said I can be there at the birth! If that happens I think it will be one of the best things in my whole life!  I think it will be hard to see Lissa go through it - but at the same time - to see her baby being born will be amazing! I expect I'd bond to that baby like a mother!!  Its weird I already feel like a bond is developing - like when it was me that was pregnant!!

The only downside of this amazing news is that Erika is still trying desperately to have a baby and is not getting pregnant.  She has known problems so hopefully she will get there eventually because those problems are treatable.  She is seeing the specialist again this month.  I'm really hoping however, that this month will be the month!! if her and Lissa can go through all this together that would be awesome.  Me and my sister (Bev) went through it together when I was pregnant with the twins - and her with Megan.  My other sisters Helen and Joanne were also pregnant at the same time!

Lissa has started writing her blog again (Lil beetroot) - so it will be awesome to have a running commentary! I think I wrote a diary when I was pregnant with Adam, I'll have to find it and re-write it on here.

so, changing the subject from that amazing exciting news - to my boring life....I have been working in one of the attic bedrooms - I have put the details in a separate post, and it can also be found under 'house renovations'.

We went out for Paul's birthday Friday night - went to the Spinning Wheel as usual in Paignton - was a really good night!!  We have also arranged to go to a War of the Worlds event in London on 23rd November - ending up very expensive but should be worth it!



Was good to see Helen and Paul - I miss them when we don't see them for a while - we can talk about anything - laugh about everything...was awesome.

Yvonne came around last weekend and it ended up very badly!!  Andy and her ended up arguing - and me - siding with Yvonne.  I don't really want to go into details but it was about - Yvonne's opinions about porn - I asked her what she didn't like about it as she is very anti-porn, and her opinions about men and also stuff about Stuart. Yvonne ended up crying and going home the next day rather than Stuart come over with the kids and stay for the football.  Its all now a horrible situation, with Yvonne wanting to sort it out and talk about it and Andy not wanting to talk to her about it!

Anyway - I've just been and got changed into my PJ's because I got up this morning thinking it was Monday - and planning my work day - I was making Andy a brew to take down into the basement where he works - and suddenly realised that it was Sunday! That is the 2nd time I have done that!!  Today is football day!! The Jags are playing the Texans in London - we really need to win this game!!  We did consider going to watch the game and one night when we had too much to drink we almost spent £1400 on special hospitality tickets!! In some ways I wish we had - but we are not that flush for money to spend that much really.  So....we are now sat in the living room, in PJ's and the fire is on - and at 2.30pm my game is being played!!  If only we had yummy food lined up - and some Desperado beers in the fridge it would be the perfect day!

work in the attic!

So...since my interview the thought of going back to work has meant I have been working hard in the house!!  I have started to decorate the attic bedrooms....I say bedrooms - I'm just on the first one atm.   Below is a pic of the room before we moved in!



I can't find any pics of after we moved in - but this is what it is looking like so far...



Changing the lights makes a huge difference!!

It has been hard work - first tons and tons of cables came out - telephone and internet stuff....then lots of holes to fill.  Then the carpet came up - then another carpet which was glued down - that wasn't easy to get up!! Then ply board was screwed down - and all the screws were filled with glue - so now it is just floor boards which I am going to try and get decent! That won't be easy as there are signs of woodworm, holes in some of the boards, big gaps between boards and some have been stained with some kind of waxy varnish paint stuff.  They are original Georgian - so are over 200 years old so I am going to try my best to bring them back to life!  I have until just next weekend to get the room livable, because all the kids are visiting and one of them needs to stay in there!! I am confident it will be done - other than the floor that I am doing last.

I have ordered a huge rug, with matching smaller one for in front of the fire, I have ordered red chairs too.  I am hoping this room has a little designer feel to it - as I've gone for colours a bit different and matching purple and red....we'll have to see how it ends up!!  When all 3 rooms are done - it will be a massive transformation - from the pic you can see at the top of the page! I'm excited - and hope that if I get the job they wont want me to start for ages!!

October already!!

Hi - well I'm going to have too much to catch up on, so I don't think I'll try too hard!

Things that have changed....not very much tbh! I read my last post and I had lost motivation to get things done in the house and that didn't change really - although this week I have finished painting the living room - and fixed the curtain rail in my bedroom and have started to paint the window frames and generally finish what I started 2 years ago in the main bedroom!  I must have done other stuff too but I can't think of anything!  We moved around a bit - put our big purple couch in (what was) the dining room - and brought our old couch down into the living room (it was on the top floor).  Oh - I got a mantle piece up over the fire in the living room - that took me a year!  I built a log store - and when we had logs delivered I realised how inadequate it is! lol.  Still have logs in the back porch!

We have a guest in the airbnb at the moment but when she leaves - we have nobody else booked in!  This is probably because we are now out of season and most ppl lower their prices - but we left them the same as it will cost us a fortune to heat it up over winter.  We have toyed with the idea of closing it altogether - but we may as well leave it if nobody is booking it anyway!

So - after 3 years of not being employed (not saying, not working because I have worked my butt off on this house) I finally saw a job I thought I'd like.  I got through the short listing and had an interview - which I didn't do well in - think I'm not used to it! Was waffling and losing my way - cringe!  Apparently I wont find out until mid November - so I can chill again.  I have mixed feelings about going back to work! Who would want to? lol.  The thought of having to get up really early, and having to ask permission for days off etc. that all kills me a little.  However, I quite like the idea of letting to know ppl again and having more of a life - and the money of course!  I can pay ppl to come and do the jobs I can't be bothered to do - like painting!

Today I got a random message from a girl called Marie - we were friends at Uni.  She dropped out in the last year which was a real shame - and I haven't seen her since.  She sounds like she has had a tough time with a shitty husband, but she has got out of that relationship (finally) and sounds happy! would be great to meet up again and hear that funny brummy accent again!

Andy is away all this week - went Monday Morning and is not back until tomorrow evening (Friday).  It's not too bad when he is not here - I don't mind my own company most of the time.  I watch stuff in the evenings I know he wouldn't like - usually crime things lol.

Should be seeing all the kids soon (6th Nov I think)...I saw Lissa a few weeks ago - we all (me & Andy, Helen & Paul and Lissa & Antony) went to an escape room with a horror theme! It was good fun! Apparently Lissa hadn't realised it was a horror themed one lol.  I didn't really know what to expect but did expect to be scared!  When we got there we had some rules explained - dont touch this etc. and then we handed over all our bags and phones - we had to stand in a line against the wall.  They then handcuffed us - put a bag over our heads - and took a picture!

We were then shuffled along to a different area and placed in different places, in prison cells! Even when I pulled my hood off it was completely dark!  So completely blind, it sounded to me like I was close to Helen and Paul, Andy was off somewhere on his own and then they started to move Lissa somewhere, and I said shouted to her - "if they try to get you to take your clothes off - refuse!!"  It went quiet for a second - then Andy piped up (from somewhere!)..."should I put mine back on again then?" There was such tension and anticipation in the air - when he said then I totally cracked up laughing - completely belly laughing - was so funny!!  After that - armed with a tiny torch we had to find clues and get ourselves out - was weird and disorientating - but fun!

Anyway - I'll try and post more frequently again, but for now I'm off to get PJ's on and settle down for the evening!

xx

Green woodpecker...fake festival...Yvonne

Hello!

So the last couple of weeks I've done nothing on the house.  Its been too hot and to be honest I don't know what to focus on.  It's the first time I've experienced not knowing what to do with myself.  Having this problem with my foot doesn't help! I miss running!!  I have just been chatting with Helen online - and saying I'm being lazy and getting myself into a rut - and Andy is working away a lot too so I don't have anybody to talk to.  I realise that I need to get myself focused and start doing something constructive - on the house, with my fitness, with my diet and cooking and making the effort.  I need a plan so I am going to work on that!

So - changing the subject - I got up the other morning - came downstairs about 8.30am - came into the kitchen - and looked down towards the cats and in my periphery vision - something from above came right at me - and I just swore quite loudly and ran out of the kitchen!! I popped my head back in - and there was a green woodpecker flying about!!  The cats must have brought it through the cat flap and let it go.  It looked uninjured.

I went and got Andy - and we got the cats out and opened the window - but it was just flying about - hitting itself on the walls and ceiling - and not seeming to see the open window!  Eventually it came to a stop on the top of the kitchen unit - and then disappeared down the back - where the fitted oven is!  Andy had to get on calls then - so there was nothing I could do!  I'd hear it every now and again trying to get out but it was stuck! At one point it start woodpecking on the back of the unit!!  Eventually - about 6pm - Andy could help - and we got the oven out - it was clinging to the back of it.





I tried to get hold of it - but it flew out - and started its erratic flight around the room again! 



Then - it went on top of the units again and disappeared down the back of the freezer! It was stressful! not fun!

We realised that it had gone all the way down the back and was in the bottom - behind the kick board



In the end - we left the room because we couldn't get it out - then after a while I popped my head in - it was on the floor and must have spotted the window and flew straight out! woo hoo - lots of high-fiving followed by a brandy! hahah

So....on Saturday we had Taunton Fake festival.  We went last year with Helen & Paul and Connor & Emily.  This year was just H&P.  We walked there - the weather was good - unlike last year where it was lovely and then torrential rain - then lovely - then rain again!  The best band was Pink - by far - and U2 were good too!  We had a good time!



We walked back - had some food and stuff and got to bed!  I woke up feeling quite blurg as we had had quite a bit to drink!!

This week Andy is away Mon-Thurday night - and I expected to be on my own all week but Yvonne called on Monday - and I said I was going swimming - she had the day off as she had been for an interview that morning to become a Magistrate! So - she came over and came swimming with me.  First time I've been swimming in ages - fancied it after going with my folks in Cirencester.  Afterwards we came back for coffee - and she ended up staying! We had food and played pool and talked LOADS! lol - we didn't go to bed until 3.30am!  She is looking great! She had a gastric bypass operation in March - she was 25 stone and is now 18 stone-something, and you can really see the difference!

So....that's it for now!

xx

Last Couple of Weeks....

Hi,

Soo....what has happened in the last 2 weeks? We are now Superhosts! We currently have 17 five* ratings!

However....the guests currently staying with us messaged me this morning to say the TV is not working - and Andy is away!! So - I went in (guests were out) and yep...TV looked knackered.  I googled it and yep...tv looked knackered! So I swapped the TV with the one we have in our kitchen - not easy getting a heavy expensive TV off the wall - above head height! But managed to get them both out and swap them! Then re-programmed all the channels - and voila! Andy calls me about 5 minutes after the TV went on the wall in the annex and tells me it would have simply been the power cable not in properly! GREAT!

Its weird today...I feel frustratingly bored.  I shouldn't complain - most ppl are working through the intense heat - and I'm at home with nothing to do!  I could go out into the sunshine and read a book.  I know I'll be bored again in 20 minutes.  I don't really want to start painting or anything cos its too hot.  I have a bit of a headache and I need to eat - but don't fancy anything.  I need to iron bedding for the annex (not needed for another few days).  I'll go and do the weedkiller.....there must be something more worthwhile that I can do!!  I'm too bored to be bothered to do anything now....

I went and spent a night in Cirencester last week - my folks were there in the caravan - was supposed to go up and stay over and come back about lunch time, before they went dancing - but whilst we were playing cards and drinking - for some reason I agreed to go swimming with them AND go dancing lol.  Glad I did in the end because it was all fun and nice to spend time with them!



Adam has now completed on the house they were buying and has moved in - and I might be going there next week to help put skirting boards on and stuff lol.

Lissa and Connor are both doing well....

Wow....what shall I do with my day? Think I need to get some chores done and then decide! Still living the dream though....

Smile!

Morning!

So - its err....Tuesday - Andy went off to London yesterday and he is not back until Thursday.  Yesterday I spent the day running around getting the annex ready for the guest who arrived at 3pm.  A really nice welsh guy who is working close-by.  Hoping he is going to book up some more dates - its nice having somebody here for work, as they are out all day and are low maintenance (hopefully).  Was hoping to be a superhost from 1st July - however, they now say it takes them 2 weeks to assess ppl...

We had a guest called Jilly last week - she was SO nice - really liked the annex, and when I'd finished showing her around - she hugged me!  I returned that hug and really appreciated it, because I was feeling a little down because the guests that had left that morning were a bit annoying! Well, he was fine but the wife was obviously a moaner - pointed out that there was a step down when you come out of the bedroom - and in the night you wouldn't see it - so I left her a light that comes on when it detects motion.  When they'd left she wrote a note on the board saying she had fallen down the step in the night.  Really? really though? I had also recommended the Skewer House for food and they hadn't liked it...I expected a bad review but lucky for me it was him that wrote it and it was really good lol.  So - yeah when Jilly turned up - she completely cheered me up and she was just a pleasure!

I'm listening to Lady Antebellum - a country and western band I believe - but I'm loving them and I've been after some new music for ages!

This weekend - we had loads of sunshine! first time really this year - we got out in the garden and had a proper fun garden day!



When its a nice day I always send out a message to the kids asking what they are doing and to send pics....

In the first one Lissa was stuck in traffic...on the way to Frensham Sands....

Then they couldnt get into the car park so they stopped at a pub....

Then they managed to get in!!

Then Connor sent this:

Her was waiting to leave apparently - probably waiting for Emily to do her make-up lol  They were going on a pub crawl for a mates birthday.....a while later we got this...

and then this:

[16:00, 29/6/2019] Emily: He’s on the water already

[16:00, 29/6/2019] Emily: 3 pints and he’s done 😂

At least he was being sensible.

Adam sent this:

He was in the garden at Erika's parents - they have sold the flat and waiting for the house they are buying - Erika was at work.....

I think I would be so depressed working in an airport when the weather is amazing and everybody else is going on holiday!!

Later we got this:

She seems to have a penis!

SO - seems like everybody was having fun!!

Then yesterday - the swing I ordered turned up...tried to get a pic - and I had to say SMILE to get my camera to take a pic - in the pics I look like a grinning idiot because I was saying SMILE! HAHAHAH

I love this swing! Not as much fun when you are on your own though....I could however imagine curling up in it with a book.  Maybe later.....

So anyway - think I'm caught up!

Laters....

Tuesday

Hi

I really should try to come up with better names for my posts rather than "Tuesday"....but I have nothing....

So yesterday - after spending the day in agony with my back - I went to the Doctor, and I got painkillers - and I should be sent an appointment with a physio - in SIX WEEKS!! If I still have this problem in 6 weeks I'll be really pissed off!  I'm guessing that by the time the appointment comes through I'll need physio on something else!  I am losing patience with all the problems I keep having - I have planter faciitis in my foot - my back is killing - this time last year I had a dodgy back (in a different place).  Anyway - the painkillers are good - so thats a plus...

Me and Andy have just got the annex ready for the next guest - was good of him to help me - invalid that I am....

We just got a review off our last guest - a really good one - it says:

Just lovely. It’s an old house with real character and the annex has been well prepared for guests. Must be the biggest one bedroom apartment I’ve staying in through Airbnb. Working kitchen for those of you who want to cook, not a galley with a micro and a fridge like you usually get. Hosts were just great, lovely people engaging and easy to deal with. Local pub to walk to that’s a great local. It’s kind of out of the way even though you are so close to Taunton. Bedroom and bathroom were great. Definitely a “find”.

I like that one!  All of the reviews have been really good, and its awesome to know that people are enjoying it!

Andy is taking a few days off in July - and we have blocked the dates off so we don't get guests.  I need to ask a neighbour to feed the cats and I need to find somewhere for us to go - hopefully a weird and wacky experience for us to do.  

The weather is really warm today but there is rain too - we are supposed to be getting thunder storms followed by amazing sunshine by the weekend.  Watch this space for BBQ pics! :-)

I dont even know why I am writing this blog today - I don't really have much to say.  Oh....I have almost finished the four poster bed - putting curtains on it....I should have a pic...

It actually cost quite a lot to sort this out - over £200.  New curtains at the windows too to match the bed.  Andy closes all the curtains on the bed - he is aiming for a complete blackout and I'm doing everything I can - but he says bits of light are still coming in from around the window - even with shutters and curtains!  Maybe I should just buy him an eye mask - certainly cheaper! lol.

I'm not sure what to do with myself now...I need a shower - and the gardeners will be here at some point.  

Its nearly 1pm so Andy is going to want food soon. I've decided that food is my enemy.  I spent weeks dieting to lose a few pounds and have put it all back on in less than a week - I haven't even had major food frenzies or anything - just had normal stuff.  Its like I'm constantly fighting a losing battle.  Anyway - I'll make some lunch for Andy then jump in the shower - hopefully out and decent b4 the gardeners turn up because she always wants to nip to the loo!  Hoping they do something good in the garden today as we have made sure all the grass is cut!  Sorry for boring you with this post....I'll leave....