Paint Colours and Outdoor Curtains
A Renovation Journal
Dear Gentle Readers,
I’ve been watching too much Bridgerton and haven’t written in a while! Just kidding, the time has just been flying by and all my news seems to be the same. It’s a bit boring really! Also, I have binge-watched Bridgerton and a few other things. I usually write these newsletters on Sundays, but our weekends have also been busy lately. Today though I have completely taken the day off. I actually have the house to myself while everyone else is off doing busy things so I’m doing all the things I want to and not much else!
So what have we been up to? Mainly finishing off the kitchen in the Old Estate Office. It is very nearly done and it’s all about painting and finishing touches. The panelling, window architrave and door frames have taken ages and are taking even longer to paint. I’ve had the paint matched to the kitchen units but I’m worried now that it looks much darker. It’s fine when it’s wet but dries almost black. Then the wall colour looks the same as the ceiling despite the ceiling being white and the wall a stone. Maybe it’s just the light in there? Anyway, I’m going to trust the process for now and see what it looks like when it’s all done. Maybe it will all work out?
I also came across a damp patch of plaster when I went to decorate the wall under the kitchen window. After some investigation, I think a blocked rainwater drain is the cause and it’s not helped by a high ground level in the flower bed outside. I dug it all out to let the wall dry from the outside and used a damp-resistant render on the inner wall. On reflection, I probably should have used lime but I was sucked in by the marketing on the Dryzone. It was super expensive and took a lot longer to dry than it said it would. However, it does now seem to be dry and there’s no sign of damp further along the wall so hopefully I’ve got away with it!
We did spend a whole day sorting out some blocked drains. Not the best of jobs. We need some new drain covers for a start but we managed to get the blockage cleared and the drains flowing again. We still haven’t quite figured out the one that comes from the washing machine but it’s not completely blocked. We bought a new drain-clearing tool and will tackle that again another day!
I’ve still been working on the scaffolding when time and weather allow. I’m on to repointing the second level at the moment. One more level to go. It’s a bit better being a level down as you have the shade of the level above and it’s a bit more protected. The lime mortar is drying a lot more slowly which is much better. I hope I can finish this level this week and then I’m nearly done. While I’ve been up there I’ve been trying to figure out the function of these brackets in the wall above the windows and the wood and screw holes next to them. After much pondering, I’m almost certain they were for an awning that went over this window. I really wish I could find some old photos that show what it looked like.
We did manage a few days away to visit James’ family in Dorset. We had a great day fishing and a lovely walk around Stourhead. Breaks are good! We’ve also had a few lovely sunny days when we’ve been able to use the pool. It still doesn’t have a patio around it but we’ve got it all booked in for October. We did think about trying to lay the patio ourselves but decided it might kill us to do it and then not be very good when it was finished! I think this is one job we can farm out. We still haven’t fully decided on the stone around the pool. Why is this such a hard decision?
Meanwhile, elsewhere in the garden, it’s just been a case of trying to keep on top of the weeds. Every garden I’ve had always has one weed that seems to be more of a problem than anything else. In this garden it’s bindweed. It seems to be determined to grow everywhere and smother everything. At this time of year, all you can do is keep pulling it out and hope to weaken it as much as possible. At least this year it hasn’t completely smothered the alstroemeria and peonies. I’ve also had trouble with deer getting into the garden and eating things. Lupins seem to be their favourite but the roses have also taken a hit. What with that and the squirrels that ate all the new buds on my rambling rose it’s not been a great year for roses!
Anyway, I hope to be able to write a bit more frequently from now on. I shot my last wedding last weekend and I’m looking forward to concentrating more on photography for myself. I also finally have a doctor’s appointment this week to sort out the gastritis I’ve been having on and off for the last month or so. Hopefully, I will feel a lot better and have some more energy once my digestive system is working properly! In the meantime, I hope you all have a fantastic week and I’ll be in touch again soon ;-)