House, done. (For this year!)

Party at John's on Wednesday night (there he is on the right) with Sunday Club (they all meet at the local pub in the village on Sunday, Wednesday and Friday nights and we join them when we're around)

All the finishing touches have been done in the kitchen, (except the bespoke display unit which will be made next year). The splashback looks fab, as does the clock, my triumph I think. Much more in keeping than a standard big clock Brian had been eyeing up. It was just the first thing that came up when I searched for clocks. Lots of designs, 15 colours any of which can be your primary, secondary or tertiary selection, all get sent to you with a template to stick them to the wall. The rug was a little more expensive than we were hoping but we didn’t realise that rugs only come in standard sizes, so when I finally found one about the right size and perfect colour way, that was it! Brian has found a fire surround for the fireplace so all we need now is a salt lamp to go in there. We might find one tomorrow when we go out to collect Brian’s new glasses, if we are lucky. Brian’s absolute triumph though is the new door between the kitchen and the utility. The frame is a strange size, not square, and he wanted the door to open the other way. What he thought he wanted to cut off was only just within tolerance, where the handle needed to go was where they said don’t put it, and as for the banana shape…. He’d talked about it, built it up in his head, and fretted about it. He had the window guys to bounce ideas off, and approached it slowly and steadily, taming his inner bull in a china shop! He’s done a stunning job.

The splashback that matches the dining wall 

The dining wall and wild coloured rug

There's Jackie's wild clock that matches the other wild colours. The fireplace is now complete with grate and Himalayan salt lamp, the arch on the left is scheduled to have a bespoke oak cabinet made next year (always something to do!)

The garden is also looking good, once the window men left on Friday I could finally get the cleaning solution I’d bought to remove the brown stains on the patio left by the brick cleaner that Darren had used to remove cement that turned the grey slabs brown! I was not happy. This stuff however is magic and our slabs are grey once again. The acer we had spent all summer looking for we finally found in Bristol, so that’s in, along with the grasses in my ‘spring art’ bed. We have even managed to sit out a couple of evenings. This leads to its own amusement as Luna cat from next door, who will finally say hello, comes down, says hello and then marches into the house like she owns it. She is such a little madam, but we are very happy to entertain her.

Brian working on the new internal door from kitchen to rear lobby

Saturday we had Denise and Paul round for a nose, just as Anthony had arrived to trim the two end panels that came off so the floor could be laid. He didn’t take long though and we went out for a walk. Train to Barnt Green 7km under very threatening skies, with no view from the top of the Lickey Hills, but still a lovely walk. We finished at the Barnt Green Inn for a meal and a good catch up. Train back to village, waved them off and the heavens opened. We were very lucky! Have a look at our short Relive video with photos of our walk: click here

The fields near Bittel Reservoir with Denise and Paul

Drink and beer  in the Barnt Green Inn after our walk

Sunday after patio cleaning was Sunday Tea Club. The original six, Manu and Crystal, Helen and Ian and us. A couple of pints followed by a really tasty meal, fab.

I have to apologise to everyone in this photo as I caught everyone at a bad moment! Unfortunately I only took one photo rather than 3 or 4 to pick the best. I was keen to get back to the food - that'll teach me! Anyway this is our Sunday Tea Club group, Manu, Chrystal, Ian and Helen (rather than Sunday Club - an entirely different group of people)

Monday, also social, our first dinner guests. Alex and Rob came over to inspect their ‘holiday home’ ready for when we are on holiday and they are in the middle of destroying their back room so it works for us all to have them to come and stay. Apart from the trauma of deciding what to cook, another lovely evening.

Next doors cat Luna feeling at home in our garden while we enjoy the last of the summer wine

Tuesday Abi had asked if we could hang a couple of radiators for her so Tariq could plumb them in. Tariq is quite capable of hanging radiators but after his heart attack earlier this year, probably shouldn’t be. We did the heavy stuff, so he can plumb, and decorate. We also met Bradford, one half of a couple who also used to Housesit for her and Sooty. She’d roped him in to painting gloss in the spare and box rooms. It was good to meet him after hearing so much about him and we were all spoiled by a meal at the Murg Al Azam, the very nice Indian, just round the corner in what used to be a church. This was most unexpected, but we weren’t arguing.

Another photo from our walk in Barnt Green with Denise and Paul. A perfect reflection in the lake

Wednesday Brian had to create in the morning. He was making a tiramisu to take to John’s in the evening for a meal for Sunday club and wives, and a couple of extras. Another brilliant evening, we were all wrapped up but sitting outside under the event shelter eating, drinking and talking rubbish led to a thoroughly enjoyable time.

Today we’ve packed for Kenya (we're off there for two weeks on Sunday - see our plan and map top right) and then made Thai curry with all the vegetables from the bottom of the fridge that haven’t got eaten as we kept going out. We also blanched and froze the beans that Denise brought us that I just haven’t had chance to cook with. Hopefully we’ll have time to eat them between Kenya and South America when we want to turn the freezer off!

This is Denise's photo of the same view, I think hers is probably better than my effort (although I'd accept reassurance that mine's better!)