The Distancing Diaries - 15th & 16th November, 2020

Sunday was a lazy day, an hour spent reading in bed, crumpets slathered in butter for breakfast and painting my nails (in Barry M's Rhubarb) in front of The Andrew Marr Show. I caught up with blog reading and didn't bother getting dressed until midday.

After a weekend break, work on the windows was due to resume on Monday. Despite Mark and Keith vacuuming and cleaning up after themselves the house is covered with a fine layer of dust but with just the architrave in the spare bedroom left to fit I thought I'd crack on with cleaning up, tackling the lounge (I'd done the bathroom, utility room & the kitchen the previous day).

The downstairs sash windows aren't being replaced. Jon will be applying window film in the next couple of weeks, a task he loathes but at least he won't have to worry about the upstairs windows this year. I cleaned the lounge windows in readiness, as I won't be able to get to them once the film is applied.

The rugs were swept & curtains beaten, generating clouds of dust, the surfaces were wiped clean and the vintage glass, along with the hearth, washed in hot soapy water. The chandelier and the picture rail was tickled with a feather duster, the cushions plumped and the floorboards were polished. I shall shut the door and wedge the draught excluder beneath it tomorrow to prevent any more dust from finding its way in there.

WEARING: Vintage Indian block printed kaftan (Olds Cool Traders), Greek slippers (Corfu, 2019), Lion's head belt (charity shop)

Jon popped out for bananas, tomatoes and a tin of salmon for Frank (he's a slave to those cats!)

After a break for noodles I combed some Lush conditioning treatment through the ends of my hair and risked life and limb climbing over the furniture piled up and hidden under dust sheets in the spare room to find out my exercise gear and a change of clothes ready for Monday morning. 

I gave the bedroom a clean, that too can be closed up tomorrow so should stay relatively dust-free.

What of Jon and the lads? They've spent a large part of this weekend snoozing in front of the fire (the weather has been filthy) and watching crap TV.

Tea was a veggie curry with half a chilli nan. We spent the evening watching Spooks.

Monday morning started with a Wii Fit session followed by a mad rush to get the bathroom ready for the workers - a fresh towel, liquid hand soap, a new loo roll and some hand santiser - and a thorough clean of all the surfaces. Jon and I had just managed to get dressed and finish breakfast by the time they arrived. 

We spent the morning in the lounge with Stephen (Frank went walkabout), I continued with my crochet. After our noodles Mark and Keith handed over the paperwork and said their goodbyes, the windows were fitted and looking fantastic.

You can't really see a difference but that's the point, we're replacing like for like not modernising (perish the thought!) The frames are hardwood and the architraves identical. You can really feel a difference when you go upstairs though, it's warm and, being double glazed there's no rattling or noise.

The frames have been primed but need painting. For once we have no suitable paint in our stash, so Jon's just placed an order online for white one coat gloss due for delivery later in the week. Taking of shopping online, I've ordered some more fairy lights as we both get such joy from the glow of the chillis in the kitchen.

Jon replaced the curtain rails and pushed the furniture back whilst I dusted, swept and mopped the spare room, the landing and the hallway.

We'd planned on taking a walk around the block but, just like the last three days, it had started raining so we made do with a cup of tea at the kitchen table instead. I'm itching to get outside, I've rescheduled our National Trust visit from Wednesday to Thursday as it looks like being the driest day of the week. 

WEARING: Vintage wool housecoat (gift from G'n'T), 1970s suede waistcoat (birthday present from Liz)

Tea was a blue cheese topped vegeburger with olives, salad and plaka gigantes. 

Stay safe and see you soon!