Archive for July, 2009

Exterior lighting

In case there’s another summer’s evening this year, I would like to be able to use the garden after dark. The existing lighting arrangements weren’t acceptable.

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£70 for 5 lanterns, bulbs and cabling at Wickes, and we were off.

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Don’t worry. It’ll be FINE!

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Really chuffed with the result – a nicely illuminated garden. :) Now, where’s that summer’s evening…

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Now, what else can I do to avoid unpacking?

Goodbye Tregarth

I moved house today. Not a great deal has sunk in, except that Diane and I are now in a quite ridiculous amount of debt, and the government has received an obscene stamp duty payment that I have every confidence will be suitably wasted. In this post, I’d like to concentrate on the outgoing house.

Built around 1980, I moved in to 46 Tregarth Place 22 years later. It hadn’t had much love in that time. Original carpets and bathroom. The kitchen had one drawer and three cupboards. Woodchip on every wall. However, it had two bedrooms and a tidy garage, so I was chuffed.

I’m really disappointed I don’t have many photos from back then. Here’s one from Christmas day 2002 – Robin tending to dinner:

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Note the nasty electric cooker, the complete lack of lower cupboards etc. Another shot of Tom and Robin from that night:

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Yes, that’s yellow woodchip. Nice eh?

We left the kitchen in considerably better condition. Hardly showhome standard, but modern, no less than 6 drawers(!), properly tiled floor, under-cupboard lighting etc.

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Okay, so the cooker may not look that great, but it was gas and it got things hot quickly. I loved it!

Here’s a photo of the living room from Christmas 2004.

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Lovely blue woodchip, crap carpet etc. This is how it was left today:

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The bathroom that Alex installed over Easter 2006:

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2nd bedroom (Diane’s office)

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Main bedroom (a *lot* bigger than our new bedroom) :(

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Finally, garden shots:

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In our time there, the house had a new bathroom, new kitchen, double glazing and new doors, new carpets, a shed, and a general all-round tidy. Lucky new owners!

Really enjoyed my time there – some crazy parties! When living in a terrace the general experience relies on good neighbours, and I had some really good neighbours. Overall, a good 7 years!