Where did the week go? We’ve both been off work, and had grand intentions of all that we were going to achieve. A Christmas tree, a birthday, a ‘spot check’ visit from parents and more trades people than I could count coming in to quote, slowed us up a little. We have got some things done though, all totally unrelated and in no particular order:

1. We (he) took the kitchen ceiling down, what started as an ‘investigative hole’ revealed there was no insulation in the 1980’s extension, eek. At least that explains why it’s so damn cold in there! For reasons I’m not entirely sure of, the kitchen, bathroom and lobby ceilings then got taken down. Apparently to make way for insulation, electrician and gas man, due in late January and March, I’d rather have have waited and had a ceiling for Christmas given the choice!

2. I put up my favourite snowflake garland, it needs extending for the super sized fireplace.

3. We said a sad goodbye to Flash Gordon, fact is, it was him, or a radiator, super powers alone can’t keep you warm. Most of it came off in full pieces, so we’ll put him somewhere else one of these days.

4. We stripped the main bedroom. Actually, I mean ‘I’ stripped the bedroom, all by myself AND the steamer didn’t blow up even once!

I found another epic wall covering, above the picture rail languished this teapot-on-shelf number!

It had been hung upside down, of all the papers you could get away with hanging wrongly, this is not the one! (But please don’t haunt me past occupant, I’m sure it was cool at the time). There’s now only the last bedroom and the hallway and then the stripping is done – boom!

5. We found this printed Lino under several layers of carpet in the guest bedroom…

There was a newspaper underneath from 1929, so I’m presuming the Lino is around that era… The pixelated camo could easily be on the high street today, though maybe not as a floor covering… I can confirm nothing of major interest occurred on 8th October 1929 in Birmingham, on the sports page West Bromich Albion managed to beat Aston Villa 6/1, had that have happened this weekend, their manager might still have a job!

6. The house plants came home, they have been in the expert care of my aunt and uncle during our moves. We also bought back a couple of Belfast sinks I’d squirreld, we inherited two more when we moved in and STILL have two more to come… There is such a thing as too much of a good thing! The garden plants are staying until March, giving us a little time to clear some clutter from the patio area.

7. And finally, in other news, we have reason to believe Dottie cat has got a sideline as a Christmas Card model… So that’s where she’s been disappearing to since the cat flap was installed!