Home improvements and hilltops

Another week has passed us by.  I have a finished object to brag about but unfortunately have completely forgotten to take any photos... doh!

It's an aran gilet.  From the Favourite Arans series of books.  I'm very pleased with it.  Took my time knitting all the bits which were tedious at times.  Especially the back which was entirely in rice stitch and took ages to do.  The cables were relatively straightforward on the front but that didn't stop me regularly cocking them up and having to frog back to correct. I took particular care when sewing up and I feel I can justifiably say it's the best finishing I've ever done!  Just a bummer there are no pics.  Will get some next week I promise.

Usually I would get DH to photograph me modelling my finished garment but he's been rather busy this weekend.  Having got the windows done, thoughts have turned to decorating.

Newly painted stonework

Yesterday he painted the stonework around the windows and the front door.  The window fitters very kindly patched up some of the rendering after putting the windows in - a real favour as the render was falling off in places.   They look very smart now and the new windows look very posh!

We decided to paint the front door a new colour and we decided on "Hot Mustard".  I was expecting a sort of dull colman's mustard kind of hue but this is what we got...

Not so much mustard.... more banana I'd say

I'm sorry but that is NOT mustard.  It's banana yellow! It's very bright and I have to confess that I don't really like it much at all.  To add insult to injury though, it just won't dry properly.  2 days later it's still sticky. Looks like we'll have to sand it down and start again.  Annoying, but also a bit of a relief as we can now pick another colour.

The never dry paint...

Next it was time to decorate big girl's bedroom.  To make life easier, she has moved into her sister's room.  Little girl has the biggest bedroom of all of us (she has the most stuff) so fortunately we've managed to squeeze everything in without too much effort really.

Room for two... spot the crochet blankies...there are 3.

Here's her room all stripped down.  The paper was a darkish red and it was very cosy in there but she wanted a change.  She has picked her own paper which has a bit of a contemporary take on 70s wallpaper but you will be able to see that for yourself when it's done.

The orangey/apricot colour above the picture rail is now a lovely lilac colour. Really pretty. I really like the picture rail but it is a bit of a dust catcher. Looks like N has been dusting with his head!

After 4 years the dust doesn't get any worse - Quentin Crisp

Now Nick needs to be left alone when undertaking mammoth decorating tasks so I took little girl shopping for big girl's birthday next week yesterday.  Today they were invited to go swimming with Little Friend M across the road for the afternoon so that left me twiddling my thumbs.  Got the goulash in the oven and decided to head out on my extra small Giant for a ride.

Puffed and panted up White Hill to see if I could do it.  I couldn't... well not in one go... had to keep stopping and catching my breath.  Whilst ascending I saw one of the mums from school.  You know the one I mean, there's one in every school year, perfectly organised, taller and thinner that you, children always starring roles/head girl or boy, never a hair out of place.  You really want to hate her but she's actually quite nice....grrr... well she was walking downhill with a friend. I was sooooooo glad I was actually pedalling at that point in time and not flaked out on the handlebars gasping for breath!!!

The carpark at the top of the hill.  Snow on the ground

Got to the top and stopped at the carpark to check out the view and congratulate myself for getting there.  Good News it's downhill all the way from now on!  Had a whale of a time on the way down.  And, very gratifyingly waved as I flew past perfect mum on my way back home.