I have even got my own tool belt now!
Below some before and after pictures for you.
12 months on from buying my ‘forever’ home and I can finally see the light at the end of what has turned out to be a very long tunnel.
Back in August the builders and I parted company. It wasn’t that the renovations were complete, it was more that their attendance just sort of fizzled out. I had neither the time, energy nor desire to get them back so that was that.
However, that did leave me in a bit of pickle with a few jobs still to be completed that were too big or complicated for me to attempt. My DIY skills may have come along leaps and bounds during these renovations however I know when an expert is required & there are no shortcuts. Experts were duly brought in.
Luckily, some newfound Welsh friends were kind enough to give up almost every single one of their weekends, the husband being an ex-handyman, and have proved to be an absolute god-send. My knowledge has increased as I sort of became his apprentice, finding out and learning skills I have never had to have before.
Give me a piece of wood to saw now and I can do so straight, with hardly any effort and without getting the sodding teeth of the saw stuck!
I have to admit, it’s been kind of fun working on things that involved me using my hands and power tools instead of my voice or computer. In fact, it now transpires I am a power tool magpie, my local Screwfix now calling me by name, chatting and smiling when I arrive to pick up my latest gadget. And oh, how miraculous some of these gadgets appear to this magpie’s eyes!
I still have to engage brain every now and then when faced with a task I have not encountered before. Putting up bookshelves on to a cavity wall being a case in point.
First attempt held but not entirely secure – luckily, I’m a quick learner from my mistakes and thank goodness for YouTube is all I can say.
I have even got my own tool belt now!
And so, at last, my new house is beginning to feel like home. As the nights draw in it is warm and cosy.
A delight to get the log burner going after a mizzle, wet day and snuggle down into my deep, squishy sofa. Rugs are going down; pictures are going up and my ‘to do’ list of tasks is decreasing steadily.
With a bit of luck, I’ll be completely finished over the Christmas period and will then have a bit more free time to get to know my local community better which, after all, was one of the main reasons I moved to the beautiful Welsh countryside for.
It seems to be thriving in my particular village and already, some of the villagers are stopping at my gate to introduce themselves and have a natter.
I am looking forward to learning more and getting more involved come 2023.
A delight to get the log burner going after a mizzle, wet day and snuggle down into my deep, squishy sofa.
