You know that Camilla flower petal shawl I keep mentioning? I'm nearly done! Just working the fishtail ends, 16 to do total and I've done.... 4 and a bit. I'm not doing it right at the moment because I'm waiting on phone calls and it requires a bit of concentration. I'm just glad the end is in sight, I was getting sick of counting to 30 something then doing a decrease and then counting to 30 something again. Definitely an ideal beginner shawl, gets you used to decreases, increases and yarn overs, but absolutely boring once you get the hang of it. It would have probably gone quicker if I didn't find 4mm needles and Ba ta'at yarn such a tricky combo, there's something about the two that means I was constantly splitting the yarn or missing the stitch, so I had to knit and purl at half speed and watch my hands which is booooooorinnnng!
My blocking wires are still somewhere in transit. I've asked Alison to check the post next time she passes incase they decided to ignore the redirect and send it to Portsmouth anyway.
I did have a brief surge of hope on Friday when I got a "sorry we missed you card" but when it was redelivered yesterday the hope died. What did I get? A book, even better, a free book! You see, Galaxy chocolate bars currently come with a code on the inside of the packet that you enter into their website for the chance to win a book. I put mine in and won. I had a choice of three, two were very blatantly women's books; pastel covers, titles like "she loved him but couldn't say it" or the like and the third was one that sounded vaguely interesting "Her fearful symmetry" I didn't register the author at the time, but it sounded the most interesting so I plunked for that one. When it arrived yesterday I realised it was the same author as "the Time Traveller's Wife" oooh, thinks I, maybe this will be worth a read. So, I now have a physical book to read next time my hands feel up to it.
Jo still appears to be enjoying his job, he's certainly enjoying being able to have some personal time and getting up at 7am rather than 4am. He was a bit "meh" last night but he hadn't been able to play his new game and there was an annoying story in the news and he was exhausted from the late evening.
I've been brought into a new game online, Lord Of The Rings Online, lotro.com If you find the right sign up page it is completely free, and I did lose a number of hours to it yesterday. There's a lot of back and forth which is incredibly dull but otherwise it's interesting. I've started a dwarf champion who dabbles in jewellery making.
Anyhoo, going to go play that while I wait for Dad to ring me back about a file I need. He'd ring back sooner but they're getting delivery of their new sofa today and so having to "persuade" the old one out, I remember "persuading" it in!
Later folkals.
Fluzz
P.S. Photos in my next post, I promise!
Wednesday, 26 January 2011
Tuesday, 18 January 2011
So busy!
I'd forgotten how much work needs to be put in when you move. Not just the unpacking and finding space for everything but the phone calls and details changes.
Today I have:
Set up my registration with the GP's
Got an eye test booked for Thursday
Changed my blood, bone marrow and organ donor details
Gotten pet mince
Gotten meat supplies
Taken the house in Portsmouth off the rental and sales markets
And I'm sure I'm forgetting something!
I also got a second concertina airer so we can dry a full load of laundry in one go. Said laundry is almost done.
The doglet has finally settled and is happy to be with us still. We went to the RSPCA in Halifax to get her annual boosters and health check done, the vet was happy with her which made me happy. We popped into the local vet on the way back, just to get a positive experience for the doglet and to discuss things. Turns out the fleas here are immune to Frontline so I need to bring that up when I go to get Madam's flea and worm stuff next.
Yesterday was exhausting! The train journey was an hour, combine that with a 30 minute walk to the station, 10 minute walk to the RSPCA and repeat in reverse I could probably cope but silly little me went shopping too! On the plus side I got to catch up with Alison and have a very nice lunch in the Sainsbury's cafe while the doglet slept in the car but have you ever tried carrying a food waste caddy full of:
* 2 packs fo Fru and 1 pack of Gu puddings (6 glass ramkins!)
* 250g peanut butter in glass jar
* 1 Glass jar of Clipper hot chocolate
in one hand, holding the leash of a traffic-phobic dog and carrying a bag with a 3l bottle of squash over the other shoulder? Suddenly that 30 minute walk is far more exhausting. Still, it meant I have puds for a few days, hubbie has squash and the doglet doesn't need to go into town for 6 months.
Today's shopping was good, the butcher in the market is fantastic and very reasonably priced, 20lbs of pet mince was £11.64 a little over what the butcher in Tod charged but not so much we can't afford it, I can also set up a regular service with them so we won't go short. They come in 2lb bags which, while easy to store in the huge freezer we now possess, are a tad difficult to feed madam with, still, it does mean I only have to get one out every other day.
I'd forgotten how useful having a Wilko's is!
Last week I went on a walk with the doglet to get some things, mainly recycling bins but we also got a second back door key cut. It took a few wrong turns and finding someone employed by the Council to find the recycling bin place but once I did that was good, arranged to get the bins delivered and got some food waste bags, they don't do the smaller kitchen caddy here, they expect you to keep the big one in the kitchen, hence buying one yesterday. On the way back we made a wonderful discovery, a cash and carry that stocks mainly Indian food supplies, I got a 1kg bag of Turmeric for just £2.99 So that sorts the bulk of our herb/spice supplies. There's a stall in the market for yeast, we've found an online company for eggs and milk (both organic) and yoghurt, meat and veg from town, pet mince from town.
Still to source is:
Squash (probably Sainsbury's)
Tinned tomatoes
Tinned sweetcorn
OJ
Ferret litter
Probably some other bits I've forgotten.
For the litter it may very well be plausible to borrow someone with a car, pay for their fuel and get 6 bags from Tod market every 6 months or so. I shall have to pop up to the pet stall in the market here and check Wilko's.
My knitting mojo is back enough to knit, I've started a baby item infact, a free pattern from DROPS design, it's a santa coloured snuggle suit thing, I'm adjusting certain sections and doing it all in white. I fear though that I've chosen something for a 1yo but we shall see. My hormones aren't up to filling the suit yet but as it'll take me quite a while to knit a baby wardrobe we shall see...
The ferrets are testing me and the dog a lot. You see, in Portsmouth I used a combination of doggy gate and some firm mesh and a piece of wood to contain them, the piece of wood slotted between the laminate and the doorway so couldn't be moved. Here there's no laminate! Rumble usually does the escape but today it was Nushu, so once I had her safely out of doggy reach I went and put the furballs to bed. Need to take the drill down and put another hole in the wood so I can cable tie it to the mesh and stop future escapes. They do enjoy their cellar though, lots of room to romp and flags to wear claws down. They've also found some joins between flags that are good to dig in and I don't mind. Don't think I'll be able to make the yard ferret-proof so I'm glad they're happy. if I can get a job that pays well enough I might even be able to buy them some more tubes and toys. Alternatively, we do have 70 or so packing boxes, hmmmmm.
The fish are doing okay, not perfect yet, the stress of moving and the new water (treated with chlorine remover) has claimed two mollies but the rest are fine. I need to start finding homes for the babies though! Some are big enough to be fine away from here and my 2' tank is looking rather crowded.
The spare room is very very nearly sorted, just two bin liners of cuddlies to find a place for and it's done. Currently it's also the laundry room, it's the only floorspace we have big enough to put two airers and bars between them then leave.
Thinking of laundry, I can procrastinate no more, it must be put out if hubbie is to have boxers tomorrow.
Later peeps, maybe even some photos soon,
Fluzz
Today I have:
Set up my registration with the GP's
Got an eye test booked for Thursday
Changed my blood, bone marrow and organ donor details
Gotten pet mince
Gotten meat supplies
Taken the house in Portsmouth off the rental and sales markets
And I'm sure I'm forgetting something!
I also got a second concertina airer so we can dry a full load of laundry in one go. Said laundry is almost done.
The doglet has finally settled and is happy to be with us still. We went to the RSPCA in Halifax to get her annual boosters and health check done, the vet was happy with her which made me happy. We popped into the local vet on the way back, just to get a positive experience for the doglet and to discuss things. Turns out the fleas here are immune to Frontline so I need to bring that up when I go to get Madam's flea and worm stuff next.
Yesterday was exhausting! The train journey was an hour, combine that with a 30 minute walk to the station, 10 minute walk to the RSPCA and repeat in reverse I could probably cope but silly little me went shopping too! On the plus side I got to catch up with Alison and have a very nice lunch in the Sainsbury's cafe while the doglet slept in the car but have you ever tried carrying a food waste caddy full of:
* 2 packs fo Fru and 1 pack of Gu puddings (6 glass ramkins!)
* 250g peanut butter in glass jar
* 1 Glass jar of Clipper hot chocolate
in one hand, holding the leash of a traffic-phobic dog and carrying a bag with a 3l bottle of squash over the other shoulder? Suddenly that 30 minute walk is far more exhausting. Still, it meant I have puds for a few days, hubbie has squash and the doglet doesn't need to go into town for 6 months.
Today's shopping was good, the butcher in the market is fantastic and very reasonably priced, 20lbs of pet mince was £11.64 a little over what the butcher in Tod charged but not so much we can't afford it, I can also set up a regular service with them so we won't go short. They come in 2lb bags which, while easy to store in the huge freezer we now possess, are a tad difficult to feed madam with, still, it does mean I only have to get one out every other day.
I'd forgotten how useful having a Wilko's is!
Last week I went on a walk with the doglet to get some things, mainly recycling bins but we also got a second back door key cut. It took a few wrong turns and finding someone employed by the Council to find the recycling bin place but once I did that was good, arranged to get the bins delivered and got some food waste bags, they don't do the smaller kitchen caddy here, they expect you to keep the big one in the kitchen, hence buying one yesterday. On the way back we made a wonderful discovery, a cash and carry that stocks mainly Indian food supplies, I got a 1kg bag of Turmeric for just £2.99 So that sorts the bulk of our herb/spice supplies. There's a stall in the market for yeast, we've found an online company for eggs and milk (both organic) and yoghurt, meat and veg from town, pet mince from town.
Still to source is:
Squash (probably Sainsbury's)
Tinned tomatoes
Tinned sweetcorn
OJ
Ferret litter
Probably some other bits I've forgotten.
For the litter it may very well be plausible to borrow someone with a car, pay for their fuel and get 6 bags from Tod market every 6 months or so. I shall have to pop up to the pet stall in the market here and check Wilko's.
My knitting mojo is back enough to knit, I've started a baby item infact, a free pattern from DROPS design, it's a santa coloured snuggle suit thing, I'm adjusting certain sections and doing it all in white. I fear though that I've chosen something for a 1yo but we shall see. My hormones aren't up to filling the suit yet but as it'll take me quite a while to knit a baby wardrobe we shall see...
The ferrets are testing me and the dog a lot. You see, in Portsmouth I used a combination of doggy gate and some firm mesh and a piece of wood to contain them, the piece of wood slotted between the laminate and the doorway so couldn't be moved. Here there's no laminate! Rumble usually does the escape but today it was Nushu, so once I had her safely out of doggy reach I went and put the furballs to bed. Need to take the drill down and put another hole in the wood so I can cable tie it to the mesh and stop future escapes. They do enjoy their cellar though, lots of room to romp and flags to wear claws down. They've also found some joins between flags that are good to dig in and I don't mind. Don't think I'll be able to make the yard ferret-proof so I'm glad they're happy. if I can get a job that pays well enough I might even be able to buy them some more tubes and toys. Alternatively, we do have 70 or so packing boxes, hmmmmm.
The fish are doing okay, not perfect yet, the stress of moving and the new water (treated with chlorine remover) has claimed two mollies but the rest are fine. I need to start finding homes for the babies though! Some are big enough to be fine away from here and my 2' tank is looking rather crowded.
The spare room is very very nearly sorted, just two bin liners of cuddlies to find a place for and it's done. Currently it's also the laundry room, it's the only floorspace we have big enough to put two airers and bars between them then leave.
Thinking of laundry, I can procrastinate no more, it must be put out if hubbie is to have boxers tomorrow.
Later peeps, maybe even some photos soon,
Fluzz
Thursday, 13 January 2011
Back Online!
Well, after 3 weeks of packing, moving, unpacking, hunting things down, etc. I'm back! I wrote a few posts while I was offline so here they are:
Friday 31st December 2010,
Hello from Preston! We're settling well. Hubs and I are taking a break to enjoy a spot of nothing much while eating cake and chocolate.
Moving went okay. Could have been a lot better. The company we chose had quoted us £300 for the move, we amended our list (added more stuff) and they didn't ring us to update it. Get to Thursday morning, sitting there waiting, nothing to do, 9:30 comes and goes, still no guys and a van.....10am....I ring the man "oh, the boys didn't get back from London until early this morning, they're just emptying the van and will be there within the hour." 11 am..... "they're on their way!" a bit past 11 and a "movers van" turns up, the guys mention something about how they were told to come and help and were told it was only a small job. 80 boxes later they rang for help! 1pm Jo, Dad, ferrets, dog and myself head off for Preston, Dad needed to be gone by 2pm so we left a set of keys with the guys to lock up after us. Few hours later they turn up in Preston, 5 men, 2 vans (1 transit, 1 large box van), their head guy is with them and explains that the guy we booked with had asked them to do it and so it was now their contract and they wanted more money, in cash no less! So, we discuss it a bit with them and Jo heads off to get some money out.
The men move us in, filling rooms with boxes and furniture and bags. I ring the first man and get told that he was going to put it up to £400, fair enough we think...tell this to head man "oh no! far too low!" After they finally get everything in we discuss money, he says if we'd used them in the first place it would have been nearer £800, but as we were quoted lower and so had nowhere near that amount of cash he settled on £495. End of this little tale: do not use "Happy Days Removals" in Blackburn for moving your whole house contents. I was informed they only own a Transit van and by our reckoning that would have been 6+ trips to do the job!
So, everything is now in, some rooms are less passable than others. I do like the house though! The garden/yard needs work but I'll leave that until it's a bit warmer outside I think.
Jo had a chat with the man on our right and he's told us a bit about the area and the landlord ("pillock" was used), burglary is an issue here so we've made sure the downstairs windows are locked and will remember to lock the doors as we use them.
So, what the house like do you ask? Great! Only two main levels this time which made the removal guys happy(!) We have a cellar too, the ferrets are settled in there and got their first play time today, much bottle-brushing of tails and general poofing of fur to look big incase anything scary came out! They soon realised it was safe and happy wardancing and running ensued. We're getting a big chest freezer soon that's (hopefully) going to go down there too. There is a sort of.....cubby separated down there but it's full of junk so we need to ask the landlord if we can get that removed then we can store our moving boxes in there and I'll have somewhere to keep the kibble. There's also the gas an electric meters, the gas is pre-pay, this took some getting organised but we now have it and have even fathomed the boiler.
Up the cellar steps is the kitchen, a bit pokey but lots of cupboards, no drawers which has caused us to problem-solve a little. It does have more surface than Tod but alas, electric hobs! The washing machine fits nicely and I may even do some laundry tomorrow, I know where the airer is and the laundry liquid. From the kitchen are two doors; the first goes to the back yard, in said yard is a mainly paved area, a raised bed and an outside toilet, The raised bed has a holly tree and two other trees in it that need a bit of a trim. There's also the door to the back alley that allows me to take the wheely bin out for the binmen.
Back to the kitchen and the other door, this takes us to the dining room, a nice big room with built in drawers/shelves unit to one side of the chimney breast, the ceilings are 12 feet up and there are 4 shelves up to that, the top two are rather inaccessible normally so we've put some boxes of things we won't unpack up there out of the way. The bottom two are currently empty. We've put the cutlery in one of the drawers, just the right size for our cutlery tray infact. I'm claiming the drawers if I can for my fabric stash.
From the dining room to the hallway, this leads to the front door, stairs to 1st floor and the lounge. I love the lounge! We're sitting in it and it's pretty much sorted. I have my PC in here, tucked down the side of the sofa, Dad gave us a monitor arm and with a little shelving adjustment and a G-clamp I can now sit and PC instead of having a laptop. We've placed some super-long shelf planks across the firebreast between shelving either side and the DVD's are unpacked. We know where the books are but where they will go remains to be fathomed. The full three piece suite is installed, the telly and the fish. We're all very glad we moved the fish on Wednesday! We packed the car full and brought them over, they've taken Jo's mini-walls (3 bricks high) and some planks to hold their tank and are happily set up under the firebreast shelving. It looks really good. Pippa also has her bed in the living room, she has her "day bed" and her crate with it's curtain, her little den where she can go if it all gets too much. Right now she's fast asleep.
Up the stairs! Immediately ahead is the spare room, this will be kept fairly clear for guests and features the futon, a bedside table and soon the spare telly, VCR and dressing table. Round the corner is the back bedroom, our bedroom, just the bed in here and a bedside table, it's a nice size and will be used solely for bed things (sleeping and the other thing). Along the landing is the bathroom, well, shower room actually, it's a shower cubicle, a toilet and a sink. It also has one of those bizarre waste things...the waste pipe is actually at the back of the house while the shower is at the front so it's got an electric box under the toilet that seems to have a blade in it and a motor and it mushes up the waste to shove it down a smaller pipe to the waste pipe, works well but takes some getting used to, especially as it regularly empties, including while you're....occupied shall we say. Just to the left of the loo is the final room, the front bedroom, Jo's study.
This is, I think, the biggest room and will be Jo's study and the dressing room. We put the wardrobe up today and the chest of drawers is in there atleast. The light fitting disintegrated on us today, the springs and contacts just fell out so we're going to ring the landlord and okay getting and fitting a new one, for now we have a lamp in there that is surprisingly effective. In here, when we're sorted, will be Jo's gaming stuff, his desk, his two PC's, my desk, the wardrobe and the chest of drawers. Possibly also the rug.
So, that's our house. The road is a fairly busy one but not 24/7 traffic and no real big vehicles. We have a B&Q and a Wickes within 5 minute walk, also the bus stop, the local vets (also the emergency vet for the area), a pharmacy, the park and several GP's.
Madam and I took a walk to the park this afternoon, she's doing okay for her first move with us, she did follow me *everywhere* yesterday (including the smallest room), she was so certain we would just vanish or something. So today, when she hadn't eaten for over 24 hours and was suffering the indigestion that goes with I took her for a walk, after she saw we could go walkies and come back she agreed to some dinner and has most of it over the day, she's also feeling secure enough to go wondering the house on her own and not howl when I go down to check the ferrets, or the loo for that matter! Although I do get a very happy pounce when I appear again, just to make sure I don't forget she loves me. The ferrets don't really care, they have eachother and their cage and bedding so they're happy. The fish are in their tank, nowt new here.
Yes, I think I shall like it here, the people in this terrace are apparently lovely and they seem to be so far. Madam has wheedled at the dog behind and it has wheedled back to her satisfaction.
Soon I shall have time to craft! Right now I'm suffering a lack of enthusiasm/restfulness and also a lack of happy skin on my hands, all the washing them and dust and general stress (only mild, but still stress) has upset the eczema somewhat so I can't really knit/crochet as the yarn catches.
Anyway, I shall stop boring you! Happy New Year!
Friday 7th Jan 2011
Jacqui:0 Oven:1
With the new house comes a new oven, without a manual. Today I tried to bake bread....I sort of succeeded. The dough was alright, could have done better but cold kitchen+lack of yeast = not well risen. Anyhoo, shaped it into rolls and left them for a second rise....or lack of... Ladies and Gentlemen, the world's smallest rolls! They truly are, oh well.
Next came understanding the oven, now this oven is a tad unusual, to raise the temperature it puts the grill on. Fair enough, but if you don't know this and put things in on the top shelf as soon as the "heating" light goes out you end up with burnt buns, not too badly because I spotted the red glow but still, not funny oven!
It's been a busy time since my last writing, we have a usable: lounge, kitchen, study and bedroom. The dining room needs clearing a bit more (read: selling the coffee+lamp tables on EBay) and the box room is waiting for me to be arsed. The cellar is pretty much usable by the furballs but I would like to give it a good sweep, that's waiting for Fred to feel better, he and I came down with a cold this week so he's been in his own cage with food and water dishes right next to his bed and I've been managing the house.
I'm currently sitting here waiting on the landlord, never tell your landlord you'll be in all day, they will make you wait all day! It's 2:47pm and I have neither seen him or had a call from him, rather maddening really. Why is he coming? Because the study light fitting doesn't work. When we moved in there was no bulb so we shrugged and the day after moving in went to install a bulb...hubbie pushes the bulb in, can't get it to twist, lowers bulb and is showered by small pieces of brass. The connections and the springs just fell out! We put a standing lamp in there and yesterday hubbie got a new fitting, we were just going to stick it in...fat chance! There's more than the usual number of wires, so I wired it in as the last one had been, we turned the power back on at the fuse box and *bang pop!*, so that's now screwed to the ceiling with all the wires disconnected and pointing away from eachother, the landlord is coming to wire it in and make it work, I hope.
We had our first post of the year today, nothing forwarded which is rather concerning. We have things we know are in the system but they're not here. I would ring Royal Mail but I'm leaving it just now. You see, the newsagent rang me today asking if the house was still for rent, we're meeting tomorrow for her to look round and maybe say yes, either way I'm going to the house in Tod so I can check for signs of mail there.
Not much going on here really, Jo's enjoying his new job so far and will have almost all of Thursday off which is nice, he's also going to be able to claim expenses for his train fare to Blackburn twice a week when he teaches some Muslim A-Level students which he seems to really like.
The dog is settling well, the ferrets are settled and the fish are fine. Rumble the ferret made a bid for freedom on Wednesday, I'd left the top door of the cage open by accident and he has no fear of heights so he'd jumped out and was enjoying the cellar, he climbed up the stairs and started to dig at the door, doglet was going crazy at the cellar door, I opened it a little to find a Rumble looking at me. No animals were hurt fortunately. Pippa has a very intense curiosity with the ferrets and they with her so it's rather hard to separate them sometimes. Barry despises Pippa and will hiss, fluff up and bite her given a chance, Rumble wanted to climb on her head! Mad furballs of all sizes.
My crafting mojo is returning but undirected. I want to knit something but I don't know what, I have no internet so I can't browse Rav for inspiration. While I wait for the epiphany to strike my brain I'm working on the granny blanket I started last year, in greens, purples and yellow, it looks great but working it hurts my hands at the moment so it's going at a snail's pace. I do have a lace knit to do but enthusiasm evades me.
Anyway, I'm going to go do *something*
Later peeps.
Saturday 8th January 2011
Huzzah! We have a tenant. The newsagent was happy with the size of the place and to pay the rent as it stands, she's also mentioned the posibility of being able to buy it should they sell the shop and we said yes. So, 4-6 weeks from now that'll be sorted, she's waiting on the people who are taking over the shop to set a date and we need to organise too. We need to:
Get gas and electric certificates sorted
Get the place cleaned
Get a "yes you can" stamp from the Council.
Once all that's sorted then that's the mortgage covered and Jo just has to earn the costs of this house. Once the internet is up I can start hunting too, maybe find a job I like as much as Jo likes his. I had honestly forgotten how nice it is to have a happy husband! He sleeps better, he laughs and jokes more and he's happier to help me with the housework, it's lovely. He doesn't have to go to bed at 8pm to be up for 4am so we get time together in the evenings, he gets most of Thursday off so we can spend time together then too. Bliss!
We also have.....Sunshine! Not being in the steep sided valley that is Portsmouth, Yorkshire we get sun all year round here and it's nice to come down in the late morning to see it on the living room floor. Come summer Madam may even be able to cook herself in the living room which she'll like because then she can watch me and cook, most important the watching of the humans. She's still got full roaming rights in the house, and now a bed in the study so when I'm painting models and Jo is on his PC she can come sleep up there.
Crafting wise the crochet blanket is growing slowly and I have a mindless lace knit that I do a row of every so often. It's Camilla Flower Petal Shawl from the Elann website and once set up it gets rather dull I'm afraid, you spend a lot of time just counting, so it's not telly knitting because I have to count but it's not full on concentration knitting either, hence the dullness. Still, it should look lovely when it's done and I only have 29 more rows before the fishtail points anyhoo, only just getting to the end of my first ball too so it should be fine! (I hope)
Anyhoo, not much else to report really, life goes on, the dog does her wheedles (we left her for 7 hours today, oops!), the ferrets are all fine and the fish are as active as ever.
Later peeps.
Friday 31st December 2010,
Hello from Preston! We're settling well. Hubs and I are taking a break to enjoy a spot of nothing much while eating cake and chocolate.
Moving went okay. Could have been a lot better. The company we chose had quoted us £300 for the move, we amended our list (added more stuff) and they didn't ring us to update it. Get to Thursday morning, sitting there waiting, nothing to do, 9:30 comes and goes, still no guys and a van.....10am....I ring the man "oh, the boys didn't get back from London until early this morning, they're just emptying the van and will be there within the hour." 11 am..... "they're on their way!" a bit past 11 and a "movers van" turns up, the guys mention something about how they were told to come and help and were told it was only a small job. 80 boxes later they rang for help! 1pm Jo, Dad, ferrets, dog and myself head off for Preston, Dad needed to be gone by 2pm so we left a set of keys with the guys to lock up after us. Few hours later they turn up in Preston, 5 men, 2 vans (1 transit, 1 large box van), their head guy is with them and explains that the guy we booked with had asked them to do it and so it was now their contract and they wanted more money, in cash no less! So, we discuss it a bit with them and Jo heads off to get some money out.
The men move us in, filling rooms with boxes and furniture and bags. I ring the first man and get told that he was going to put it up to £400, fair enough we think...tell this to head man "oh no! far too low!" After they finally get everything in we discuss money, he says if we'd used them in the first place it would have been nearer £800, but as we were quoted lower and so had nowhere near that amount of cash he settled on £495. End of this little tale: do not use "Happy Days Removals" in Blackburn for moving your whole house contents. I was informed they only own a Transit van and by our reckoning that would have been 6+ trips to do the job!
So, everything is now in, some rooms are less passable than others. I do like the house though! The garden/yard needs work but I'll leave that until it's a bit warmer outside I think.
Jo had a chat with the man on our right and he's told us a bit about the area and the landlord ("pillock" was used), burglary is an issue here so we've made sure the downstairs windows are locked and will remember to lock the doors as we use them.
So, what the house like do you ask? Great! Only two main levels this time which made the removal guys happy(!) We have a cellar too, the ferrets are settled in there and got their first play time today, much bottle-brushing of tails and general poofing of fur to look big incase anything scary came out! They soon realised it was safe and happy wardancing and running ensued. We're getting a big chest freezer soon that's (hopefully) going to go down there too. There is a sort of.....cubby separated down there but it's full of junk so we need to ask the landlord if we can get that removed then we can store our moving boxes in there and I'll have somewhere to keep the kibble. There's also the gas an electric meters, the gas is pre-pay, this took some getting organised but we now have it and have even fathomed the boiler.
Up the cellar steps is the kitchen, a bit pokey but lots of cupboards, no drawers which has caused us to problem-solve a little. It does have more surface than Tod but alas, electric hobs! The washing machine fits nicely and I may even do some laundry tomorrow, I know where the airer is and the laundry liquid. From the kitchen are two doors; the first goes to the back yard, in said yard is a mainly paved area, a raised bed and an outside toilet, The raised bed has a holly tree and two other trees in it that need a bit of a trim. There's also the door to the back alley that allows me to take the wheely bin out for the binmen.
Back to the kitchen and the other door, this takes us to the dining room, a nice big room with built in drawers/shelves unit to one side of the chimney breast, the ceilings are 12 feet up and there are 4 shelves up to that, the top two are rather inaccessible normally so we've put some boxes of things we won't unpack up there out of the way. The bottom two are currently empty. We've put the cutlery in one of the drawers, just the right size for our cutlery tray infact. I'm claiming the drawers if I can for my fabric stash.
From the dining room to the hallway, this leads to the front door, stairs to 1st floor and the lounge. I love the lounge! We're sitting in it and it's pretty much sorted. I have my PC in here, tucked down the side of the sofa, Dad gave us a monitor arm and with a little shelving adjustment and a G-clamp I can now sit and PC instead of having a laptop. We've placed some super-long shelf planks across the firebreast between shelving either side and the DVD's are unpacked. We know where the books are but where they will go remains to be fathomed. The full three piece suite is installed, the telly and the fish. We're all very glad we moved the fish on Wednesday! We packed the car full and brought them over, they've taken Jo's mini-walls (3 bricks high) and some planks to hold their tank and are happily set up under the firebreast shelving. It looks really good. Pippa also has her bed in the living room, she has her "day bed" and her crate with it's curtain, her little den where she can go if it all gets too much. Right now she's fast asleep.
Up the stairs! Immediately ahead is the spare room, this will be kept fairly clear for guests and features the futon, a bedside table and soon the spare telly, VCR and dressing table. Round the corner is the back bedroom, our bedroom, just the bed in here and a bedside table, it's a nice size and will be used solely for bed things (sleeping and the other thing). Along the landing is the bathroom, well, shower room actually, it's a shower cubicle, a toilet and a sink. It also has one of those bizarre waste things...the waste pipe is actually at the back of the house while the shower is at the front so it's got an electric box under the toilet that seems to have a blade in it and a motor and it mushes up the waste to shove it down a smaller pipe to the waste pipe, works well but takes some getting used to, especially as it regularly empties, including while you're....occupied shall we say. Just to the left of the loo is the final room, the front bedroom, Jo's study.
This is, I think, the biggest room and will be Jo's study and the dressing room. We put the wardrobe up today and the chest of drawers is in there atleast. The light fitting disintegrated on us today, the springs and contacts just fell out so we're going to ring the landlord and okay getting and fitting a new one, for now we have a lamp in there that is surprisingly effective. In here, when we're sorted, will be Jo's gaming stuff, his desk, his two PC's, my desk, the wardrobe and the chest of drawers. Possibly also the rug.
So, that's our house. The road is a fairly busy one but not 24/7 traffic and no real big vehicles. We have a B&Q and a Wickes within 5 minute walk, also the bus stop, the local vets (also the emergency vet for the area), a pharmacy, the park and several GP's.
Madam and I took a walk to the park this afternoon, she's doing okay for her first move with us, she did follow me *everywhere* yesterday (including the smallest room), she was so certain we would just vanish or something. So today, when she hadn't eaten for over 24 hours and was suffering the indigestion that goes with I took her for a walk, after she saw we could go walkies and come back she agreed to some dinner and has most of it over the day, she's also feeling secure enough to go wondering the house on her own and not howl when I go down to check the ferrets, or the loo for that matter! Although I do get a very happy pounce when I appear again, just to make sure I don't forget she loves me. The ferrets don't really care, they have eachother and their cage and bedding so they're happy. The fish are in their tank, nowt new here.
Yes, I think I shall like it here, the people in this terrace are apparently lovely and they seem to be so far. Madam has wheedled at the dog behind and it has wheedled back to her satisfaction.
Soon I shall have time to craft! Right now I'm suffering a lack of enthusiasm/restfulness and also a lack of happy skin on my hands, all the washing them and dust and general stress (only mild, but still stress) has upset the eczema somewhat so I can't really knit/crochet as the yarn catches.
Anyway, I shall stop boring you! Happy New Year!
Friday 7th Jan 2011
Jacqui:0 Oven:1
With the new house comes a new oven, without a manual. Today I tried to bake bread....I sort of succeeded. The dough was alright, could have done better but cold kitchen+lack of yeast = not well risen. Anyhoo, shaped it into rolls and left them for a second rise....or lack of... Ladies and Gentlemen, the world's smallest rolls! They truly are, oh well.
Next came understanding the oven, now this oven is a tad unusual, to raise the temperature it puts the grill on. Fair enough, but if you don't know this and put things in on the top shelf as soon as the "heating" light goes out you end up with burnt buns, not too badly because I spotted the red glow but still, not funny oven!
It's been a busy time since my last writing, we have a usable: lounge, kitchen, study and bedroom. The dining room needs clearing a bit more (read: selling the coffee+lamp tables on EBay) and the box room is waiting for me to be arsed. The cellar is pretty much usable by the furballs but I would like to give it a good sweep, that's waiting for Fred to feel better, he and I came down with a cold this week so he's been in his own cage with food and water dishes right next to his bed and I've been managing the house.
I'm currently sitting here waiting on the landlord, never tell your landlord you'll be in all day, they will make you wait all day! It's 2:47pm and I have neither seen him or had a call from him, rather maddening really. Why is he coming? Because the study light fitting doesn't work. When we moved in there was no bulb so we shrugged and the day after moving in went to install a bulb...hubbie pushes the bulb in, can't get it to twist, lowers bulb and is showered by small pieces of brass. The connections and the springs just fell out! We put a standing lamp in there and yesterday hubbie got a new fitting, we were just going to stick it in...fat chance! There's more than the usual number of wires, so I wired it in as the last one had been, we turned the power back on at the fuse box and *bang pop!*, so that's now screwed to the ceiling with all the wires disconnected and pointing away from eachother, the landlord is coming to wire it in and make it work, I hope.
We had our first post of the year today, nothing forwarded which is rather concerning. We have things we know are in the system but they're not here. I would ring Royal Mail but I'm leaving it just now. You see, the newsagent rang me today asking if the house was still for rent, we're meeting tomorrow for her to look round and maybe say yes, either way I'm going to the house in Tod so I can check for signs of mail there.
Not much going on here really, Jo's enjoying his new job so far and will have almost all of Thursday off which is nice, he's also going to be able to claim expenses for his train fare to Blackburn twice a week when he teaches some Muslim A-Level students which he seems to really like.
The dog is settling well, the ferrets are settled and the fish are fine. Rumble the ferret made a bid for freedom on Wednesday, I'd left the top door of the cage open by accident and he has no fear of heights so he'd jumped out and was enjoying the cellar, he climbed up the stairs and started to dig at the door, doglet was going crazy at the cellar door, I opened it a little to find a Rumble looking at me. No animals were hurt fortunately. Pippa has a very intense curiosity with the ferrets and they with her so it's rather hard to separate them sometimes. Barry despises Pippa and will hiss, fluff up and bite her given a chance, Rumble wanted to climb on her head! Mad furballs of all sizes.
My crafting mojo is returning but undirected. I want to knit something but I don't know what, I have no internet so I can't browse Rav for inspiration. While I wait for the epiphany to strike my brain I'm working on the granny blanket I started last year, in greens, purples and yellow, it looks great but working it hurts my hands at the moment so it's going at a snail's pace. I do have a lace knit to do but enthusiasm evades me.
Anyway, I'm going to go do *something*
Later peeps.
Saturday 8th January 2011
Huzzah! We have a tenant. The newsagent was happy with the size of the place and to pay the rent as it stands, she's also mentioned the posibility of being able to buy it should they sell the shop and we said yes. So, 4-6 weeks from now that'll be sorted, she's waiting on the people who are taking over the shop to set a date and we need to organise too. We need to:
Get gas and electric certificates sorted
Get the place cleaned
Get a "yes you can" stamp from the Council.
Once all that's sorted then that's the mortgage covered and Jo just has to earn the costs of this house. Once the internet is up I can start hunting too, maybe find a job I like as much as Jo likes his. I had honestly forgotten how nice it is to have a happy husband! He sleeps better, he laughs and jokes more and he's happier to help me with the housework, it's lovely. He doesn't have to go to bed at 8pm to be up for 4am so we get time together in the evenings, he gets most of Thursday off so we can spend time together then too. Bliss!
We also have.....Sunshine! Not being in the steep sided valley that is Portsmouth, Yorkshire we get sun all year round here and it's nice to come down in the late morning to see it on the living room floor. Come summer Madam may even be able to cook herself in the living room which she'll like because then she can watch me and cook, most important the watching of the humans. She's still got full roaming rights in the house, and now a bed in the study so when I'm painting models and Jo is on his PC she can come sleep up there.
Crafting wise the crochet blanket is growing slowly and I have a mindless lace knit that I do a row of every so often. It's Camilla Flower Petal Shawl from the Elann website and once set up it gets rather dull I'm afraid, you spend a lot of time just counting, so it's not telly knitting because I have to count but it's not full on concentration knitting either, hence the dullness. Still, it should look lovely when it's done and I only have 29 more rows before the fishtail points anyhoo, only just getting to the end of my first ball too so it should be fine! (I hope)
Anyhoo, not much else to report really, life goes on, the dog does her wheedles (we left her for 7 hours today, oops!), the ferrets are all fine and the fish are as active as ever.
Later peeps.
Thursday, 16 December 2010
2010 in knitting
As next week onwards is going to be rather hectic I'm going to do my summary of 2010 now....
Firstly, the year in knits:
Kindle cosy:
Hubbie's jumper (I only have the 1 sleeve to finish by Christmas!)
Dad's hat:
Lace shawl for Dodo:
Lace shawl for me (probably won't be finished until 2011)
Socks for me
Thick socks:
Socks that went to the USA:
Socks for Mum and Dad:
A little coin bag:
Knitting bag:
Crochet blanket (On hold until after moving as it's rather substantial now)
Mitred squares (dunno what I had planned for these)
Palm tree:
Innocent Hats:
Parents Anniversary afghan (to be finished by June 2011)
Chicken jumpers!
Serenity Hood:
Tunisian crochet bag:
Dad's Cowl:
Rainbow scarf:
Shaun the sheep DS cosy:
Baby blanket:
Blanket for JuneBug (I only knit a few squares and put the whole thing together)
Chicks:
26 projects, more knits (I think I made 25 Innocent hats)
I did start and frog some things too, but I won't mention those ;) Except for the Advent scarf/shawl I was doing: I'd decided to ignore the edge stitches as I'd put my own edging on....don't do this! Turns out they do serve a purpose, and so I had to frog the whole thing when I'd done a chart that should have produced diamonds and I got spirals! Nice effect, but didn't fit the theme at all.
We're moving on the 29th this month....13 days! We will then be internet-less until Jan 13th so don't try and contact me between 28th and 14th Jan next year because I won't reply!
Have a very Merry Christmas and a wonderful 2011!
Fluzz, Hubbie, Pippa the dog, the ferrets and the fish.
(and a mouse somewhere in the kitchen)
Firstly, the year in knits:
Kindle cosy:
Hubbie's jumper (I only have the 1 sleeve to finish by Christmas!)
Dad's hat:
Lace shawl for Dodo:
Lace shawl for me (probably won't be finished until 2011)
Socks for me
Thick socks:
Socks that went to the USA:
Socks for Mum and Dad:
A little coin bag:
Knitting bag:
Crochet blanket (On hold until after moving as it's rather substantial now)
Mitred squares (dunno what I had planned for these)
Palm tree:
Innocent Hats:
Parents Anniversary afghan (to be finished by June 2011)
Chicken jumpers!
Serenity Hood:
Tunisian crochet bag:
Dad's Cowl:
Rainbow scarf:
Shaun the sheep DS cosy:
Baby blanket:
Blanket for JuneBug (I only knit a few squares and put the whole thing together)
Chicks:
26 projects, more knits (I think I made 25 Innocent hats)
I did start and frog some things too, but I won't mention those ;) Except for the Advent scarf/shawl I was doing: I'd decided to ignore the edge stitches as I'd put my own edging on....don't do this! Turns out they do serve a purpose, and so I had to frog the whole thing when I'd done a chart that should have produced diamonds and I got spirals! Nice effect, but didn't fit the theme at all.
We're moving on the 29th this month....13 days! We will then be internet-less until Jan 13th so don't try and contact me between 28th and 14th Jan next year because I won't reply!
Have a very Merry Christmas and a wonderful 2011!
Fluzz, Hubbie, Pippa the dog, the ferrets and the fish.
(and a mouse somewhere in the kitchen)
Thursday, 2 December 2010
Yes I'm mad
I keep thinking of more knits to do before Christmas!
But now I am resigned that I can only finish two more:
MIL's felted Kindle holder
Hubbie's jumper (torso done, sleeves in progress)
When we went to Grandad's 90th Dad mentioned how he'd like a hat to go with his cowl and gloves, well, how could I refuse someone who loves my knitting so much? I got some cream and navy King Cole Merino Blend Aran and got to work finding charts I liked......
So that's now listed in the huge directory that is Patterns on Ravelry.
I also finished and blocked and posted the Zauberball Lace shawl:
Dodo was very pleased with it and it only took half a ball. So, should I want to, I can knit myself one.
I've also started the Lace Advent Shawl:
http://www.unikatissima.de/e/?page_id=4523
After a miscalculation on my part I've cast on and done some garter st to start. I'm adding my own border as I go because I don't like the look of the original. I'm also doing it in Texere's gorgeous Lambswool 2-ply that I dyed with green and yellow at the dyeing event with Freyalyn last year. I think I should have enough, if not, I'll improvise.
December already! Eep.
But now I am resigned that I can only finish two more:
MIL's felted Kindle holder
Hubbie's jumper (torso done, sleeves in progress)
When we went to Grandad's 90th Dad mentioned how he'd like a hat to go with his cowl and gloves, well, how could I refuse someone who loves my knitting so much? I got some cream and navy King Cole Merino Blend Aran and got to work finding charts I liked......
So that's now listed in the huge directory that is Patterns on Ravelry.
I also finished and blocked and posted the Zauberball Lace shawl:
Dodo was very pleased with it and it only took half a ball. So, should I want to, I can knit myself one.
I've also started the Lace Advent Shawl:
http://www.unikatissima.de/e/?page_id=4523
After a miscalculation on my part I've cast on and done some garter st to start. I'm adding my own border as I go because I don't like the look of the original. I'm also doing it in Texere's gorgeous Lambswool 2-ply that I dyed with green and yellow at the dyeing event with Freyalyn last year. I think I should have enough, if not, I'll improvise.
December already! Eep.
Sunday, 28 November 2010
Aquarline Heaters
For those of you with tropical fish, or who may one day get some, DO NOT GET THESE HEATERS!
I've had 2 in 3 months. The first one wasn't sealed properly and water slowly seeped in down the power cable.
The second one was worse:
The guarantee on these heaters doesn't cover the glass outer. I did my usual water change, sat back down and heard a 'chunk' noise then hissing as of air under pressure, coming from the tank. Immediately unplugged the heater. Went to remove the heater and only came away with half a heater! The glass had fractured and neatly split half way down. If I'd not been here my fish may well all have been electrocuted by now. Including my 11" long pleco!
So, don't get this brand of heater, it may be cheap but that's why. They're not properly sealed and the glass is weak. Spend a little extra and get peace of mind instead.
Resun are excellent, the one that came with my 2 foot tank has stood the test of time and can definitely be submerged.
I've had 2 in 3 months. The first one wasn't sealed properly and water slowly seeped in down the power cable.
The second one was worse:
The guarantee on these heaters doesn't cover the glass outer. I did my usual water change, sat back down and heard a 'chunk' noise then hissing as of air under pressure, coming from the tank. Immediately unplugged the heater. Went to remove the heater and only came away with half a heater! The glass had fractured and neatly split half way down. If I'd not been here my fish may well all have been electrocuted by now. Including my 11" long pleco!
So, don't get this brand of heater, it may be cheap but that's why. They're not properly sealed and the glass is weak. Spend a little extra and get peace of mind instead.
Resun are excellent, the one that came with my 2 foot tank has stood the test of time and can definitely be submerged.
Saturday, 20 November 2010
Books for sale
I'm having a big pre-move clearout, as I am no longer able to hold books open long enough to read any amount I'm selling my reasonably substantial collection to raise money to get ebook versions. Prices are based on condition (mainly excellent) and current resale market prices. Postage and packing will be calculated based on what you want.
I am open to offers!
Photos to come when the camera batteries are charged.
Neil Gaiman
Anansi Boys - Hardback £5
Fragile Things - Hardback £5
Neverwhere - Author's prefered version, paperback - £3
Smoke and Mirrors - Paperback £3
American Gods - Author's prefered paperback - £3.50
Laurell K. Hamilton
Anita Blake 1-3 - paperback £3.50
Anita Blake 4, 5, 6 & 7 - paperback £3 each
Meredith Gentry entire set - 6 paperbacks and 2 hardback - £15 for the set
Katie MacAlister - paperbacks £2.50 each
Fire me up
you slay me
light my fire
Holy Smokes
Maria V. Snyder
Poison, Magic and Fire study trilogy - £5 for the set
Charlaine Harris
Dead Until Dark - £3
Living Dead in Dallas - £3
Nora Roberts
Circle Trilgoy - Box set - £5
Thomas Harris
Hannibal Rising - Hardback - £4
Hannibal Trilogy (Red Dragon - Hannbial) - Paperback - £7
Clive Barker
Abarat 1&2 - paperbacks - £5 for both
Sergei Lukyanenko
Day Watch - £3
Night Watch - £3
Twilight Watch - £3
Alice Borchardt
Raven Warrior - Paperback - £3
Silver Wolf - Paperback - £3
Iain M. Banks
Against a dark background - Paperback - £3
Inversions - Paperback - £3
Excession - Paperback - £3
Feersum Endjinn - Paperback - £3
The Player of Games - Paperback - £2.50
Look to Windward - Paperback - £3
Consider Phlebas - Paperback - £3
Use of Weapons - Paperback - £3
Iain Banks
A song of stone - Paperback (still in celophane) - £3
Complicity - Paperback (still in celophane) - £3
James Mallory - Merlin Triolgy - £5 for set
Kate Mosse - Labyrinth - £3
The Illuminatus Trilogy - £4
Mary Gentle - 1610 A Sundial in a Grave - £4
Fritz Leiber - The First book of Lankhmar - £3
Steig Larsson - Millenium Trilogy - £8 for set
David & Leigh Eddings - The Redemption of Althalus - £4
Aaron Clement - The Cold Moons - Hardback - £3
The Essential World of Darkness (White Wolf publishing) - Paperback - £5
The Quintessential World of Darkness - Paperback - £5
Arthur Golden - Memoirs of a Geisha - £2
Alex Boese - Elephants on Acid and other bizarre experiments - £2
Dan Brown - Deception Point - £2
Please do reserve books in comments or email me at Jacqui (dot) bennett (at) gmail (dot) com
I am open to offers!
Photos to come when the camera batteries are charged.
Neil Gaiman
Anansi Boys - Hardback £5
Fragile Things - Hardback £5
Neverwhere - Author's prefered version, paperback - £3
Smoke and Mirrors - Paperback £3
American Gods - Author's prefered paperback - £3.50
Laurell K. Hamilton
Anita Blake 1-3 - paperback £3.50
Anita Blake 4, 5, 6 & 7 - paperback £3 each
Meredith Gentry entire set - 6 paperbacks and 2 hardback - £15 for the set
Katie MacAlister - paperbacks £2.50 each
Fire me up
you slay me
light my fire
Holy Smokes
Maria V. Snyder
Poison, Magic and Fire study trilogy - £5 for the set
Charlaine Harris
Dead Until Dark - £3
Living Dead in Dallas - £3
Nora Roberts
Circle Trilgoy - Box set - £5
Thomas Harris
Hannibal Rising - Hardback - £4
Hannibal Trilogy (Red Dragon - Hannbial) - Paperback - £7
Clive Barker
Abarat 1&2 - paperbacks - £5 for both
Sergei Lukyanenko
Day Watch - £3
Night Watch - £3
Twilight Watch - £3
Alice Borchardt
Raven Warrior - Paperback - £3
Silver Wolf - Paperback - £3
Iain M. Banks
Against a dark background - Paperback - £3
Inversions - Paperback - £3
Excession - Paperback - £3
Feersum Endjinn - Paperback - £3
The Player of Games - Paperback - £2.50
Look to Windward - Paperback - £3
Consider Phlebas - Paperback - £3
Use of Weapons - Paperback - £3
Iain Banks
A song of stone - Paperback (still in celophane) - £3
Complicity - Paperback (still in celophane) - £3
James Mallory - Merlin Triolgy - £5 for set
Kate Mosse - Labyrinth - £3
The Illuminatus Trilogy - £4
Mary Gentle - 1610 A Sundial in a Grave - £4
Fritz Leiber - The First book of Lankhmar - £3
Steig Larsson - Millenium Trilogy - £8 for set
David & Leigh Eddings - The Redemption of Althalus - £4
Aaron Clement - The Cold Moons - Hardback - £3
The Essential World of Darkness (White Wolf publishing) - Paperback - £5
The Quintessential World of Darkness - Paperback - £5
Arthur Golden - Memoirs of a Geisha - £2
Alex Boese - Elephants on Acid and other bizarre experiments - £2
Dan Brown - Deception Point - £2
Please do reserve books in comments or email me at Jacqui (dot) bennett (at) gmail (dot) com
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