Birthday Boy!

Today is Mr dots and spots birthday!

Happy Birthday Jeff

We celebrated with cake and his favourite.....

........lime jelly and ice-cream x

Easter weekend treats

Well the Easter weekend started off fabulously with a full day of warm sunshine.

So we changed our plans and spent all day out in the garden - tidying up a bit from the builders and deck prep! Hopefully in the next week or so, we will have a lovely deck across the back of the house.

It was sunny enough to eat outside for the first time this year and I even gave my old legs their first airing - I really do feel better when the sun shines x

We dodged the showers on Saturday for a girls day out with Sophie and my sister in Bristol, to see Mamma Mia. Sophie and I saw it back in 2013 and I promised her that if it ever came to Bristol we would go see it again. Well I bought the tickets a year ago, well worth the wait because it was fabulous.

We sang all the way home !!!

So today, Easter Sunday and the start of British Summertime with the clocks going forward. It's been rather showery, so I spent all day......

.....inside painting.

I've made a start but still have a very long way to go!

So It's Bank holiday Monday tomorrow and more rain forecast, so more painting is top of the list. We also get to celebrate a certain Mr. P's birthday, so a busy day planned to round up the Easter break.

Inspired

Back in January I set myself the challenge to run 500 km in 2016, that worked out at about 2 x 5 km runs a week. Now that sounds completely doable but with the build, the cold and rainy weather, I have only run 14/100 when it should be more like 25 by now!! I have a lot of catching up to do!

So inspired by the incredible achievement of Eddie Izzard recently, to run 27 marathons in 27 days for Sports Relief, I have challenged myself to run 27 5 km runs in 54 days, so every other day which is a little more realistic. 

This will still be tricky with family life, a house to decorate and rain in the mix (I don't run in the rain!!!) and I will probably end up having to do a few consecutive days to keep up but I think it will help me re-focus on my running and I'm going to try to run 10 km on the last run to recreate Eddie's double marathon on his last day!

So here goes - I ran yesterday, and I plan to run tomorrow and Friday, so a great start. Hard to believe this time last year I'd only just about run a full 5 km without stopping and in just under 30 mins. Just goes to show what a little effort and commitment can achieve.

Week 20 - build update and finale!!!!

So week 20 has stumbled to a finish - a finish of the whole build (almost!!)

Jeff and I made our 'snagging' list and on Wednesday most of the jobs got ticked off but as with most things, a few items are still left outstanding.

Jeff put up the new gate last weekend on his Sunday off and it looks good!

He plans to tackle the new deck next week once he breaks up.

With the builders gone now, Sophie and I decided it was time to peel off the protective covers from the cupboard doors. There is still quite a lot of painting to do but as it'll be me that's doing it, I can control the mess I make, so we peeled away.........

.......ta-daaaaa!!!!!!!!!

One (sort of) finished kitchen.

On Monday we are having new blinds fitted in the kitchen, bathroom and box room, so this weekend I've been busy stripping wallpaper, filling, sanding, prepping and painting to get the 3 windows ready for Monday. In fact I'll be doing that and more for the next foreseeable amount of time, as it's now down to me to decorate. I hope to finish the kitchen and bedroom by the end of the Easter break, so we can completely move into the 'new bit' of the house and then I'll tackle everything else!

Week 19 - build update!!

Okay we're into the final phase now - last bits to do next week but the big stuff is now done and then it's my turn to start decorating and styling and making the fab new spaces part of our home!

We've had decorators, plumbers, electricians, carpenters and a window man here this week. 

Radiators have been fitted, last bits of electrics done, shelves going up, cupboards being made, skirting board and architraves on and sealant to finish!

We can use the ovens now, although resisting pulling off the protective film and filling the cupboards yet, as there is a little decorating and messy stuff still to do!

And the final BIG project - the sliding door! 

It will cover over the french doors, as we're quite overlooked at the back of the house. This was a big deal for the carpenter but we got there in the end and I LOVE it!!! It's going to be painted white so it looks just like the wall and there will be a large cupboard in front of it when it's open, so it'll be quite hidden. SO we are very nearly there! The young decorator is back next week to finish up/touch up in the kitchen, there is still a little snagging and clearing away and then I think........ I'll have my house back!!!! I have a MOUNTAIN of painting to do, as we could only afford to get the basics done - realistically it will take me to Christmas but I will be able to chip away at it and we can get back to living, rather than existing!

Mother's Day

 So another year passes and it's Mothering Sunday again. 

Each year I am ever thankful for all my Mum has done for me ......

...and we remember Jeff's Mum who is sadly no longer with us x

I got treated to my very first breakfast in my new kitchen - 

tulips (my favourite) and a Gap voucher to spend on myself. 

We ended up looking like a Gap advert this morning - 

I wanted one good photo of the three of us - why is that so hard!!?!! 

Anyway these two are my world, growing up way too quickly but mean everything to me. They have their moments but I couldn't be prouder of what they have accomplished in their lives so far and am proud to be their MUM x

Week 18 - build update!

Another great week - lots ticked off the 'to do' list but still a fair few bits to do!

But I do feel we are very nearly there!

Today my 'Fab Three' returned to take down the scaffolding and do a few bits and for the very first time, you could open the french doors and .......

......look into the new space from the outside.

I spent all morning cleaning - I'm getting a little ahead of myself as there is still more to be done in there next week but since July, when we moved in, we've been squashed around the tiniest of tables. So I got Sophie and Sam to help me carry in our old table out from the summer house. I've given it a good clean up and will recover the oilcloth top once everyone has gone but it will be so good to eat around a proper table tonight.

I even prepped my first meal in there as I cleared and washed down all the worktops this morning. I can't move everything in yet as the decorators still have to paint and the carpenter has some bits to do so still the very high chance of more dust and mess but it's getting there!

YIPPEE!!!!!