Phase Eight - sixth week

It was a tiring week even though shortened to 3 days work. The floor, fully covered with oak parquet, looks glorious. I'm going to give it a light wipe of turpentine, then a good coat of 50% linseed oil mixed with 50% turpentine maybe even 60/40, let it fully dry followed by a light buff. One coat rather than two as  I don't want 'glossy' but do wish to feed the wood before I reclaim the room as a bedroom.  We re-routed the computer and telephone wiring.
I'm not going to further report on this saga, except when I have a final photo. Needless to say jobs to be done are:
Skirting board, fully painted, is ready to be fixed.
Oak cover-strips in 3 doorways are almost ready to be fixed.
External and internal French doors need double glazed unit installment.
The same doors need several coats of paint on both sides.
Various holes in architrave and bay window lambris have to be filled, sanded, painted same colour as skirting board.
Bathroom door on bedroom side to be repainted a different colour.
Chandelier to hang.
I should think we might be finished by end of January!

Mid week I went to the final pottery session of the year to glaze my donkey and made a second donkey with raku clay. We started with a shared lunch! What a feast with several savoury choices and weighed down with gateaux. I made a chocolate orange cake, then there was a delicious to die for macaroon cake  - I'd like the recipe, then someone had made their own Broyeux biscuit cake, another lady had made chocolate and vanilla muffins and someone else produced hand-made chocolates.... plus a non-alcoholic punch to start with, wine, water and laughter!  Of course, we don't always have lunch but a combined pottery with learning to speak/hear French is a wonderful social occasion apart from pottery sculpture looking easy but isn't. Good for the mind though!

Thursday- our prayers were answered. LIDL sold Parkside sanders...we bought two! After a short shopping expedition for food and petrol we headed back to the funny farm to do what we could, tidy up HIS tools and say our blessings on my house being made into a home.

If anyone asks ... do not suggest house renovation in retirement!!!!!!! Unless of course one has no other dreams!