A (big) hole in the roof

I have come to realise I have a rather exceptional boyfriend (I know, I know - super cheesy!). I had a hunch already, but this entire post is dedicated to what he has achieved (with my minimal input) over the last 2 months, and it's pretty impressive.

Firstly, despite having a very busy and tiring full-time job, he has managed to plaster almost our entire house. Plastering is one of those things that people often think looks quite easy (I am not one of those people!), but that is all in the competency of the plasterer. I had no idea of the time and effort involved, and the special technique required, to get the surfaces perfectly straight. It's an amazing skill, but if it's done badly it's very obvious. Jon is not a plasterer by trade, he has had to learn and practice, and will point out to anyone who will listen all his 'mistakes', but he definitely has the skill. His finishes are actually super smooth!

And with things plastered, it's starting to feel like a house.

Another one of Jon's achievements this month was him installing his first Velux window in the attic. He spent hours reading up and watching tutorial videos on how to do this, and Velux also provided an online 'live' training session to help with the installation (little freebie to make up for their crazy prices!). But it still requires some nerve to saw through rafters, rip through roofing felt and remove tiles to make a big hole in our roof and expose the loft room to the elements!

Jon did it all himself, aside from one slightly hairy moment when he needed my help getting the metal connectors either side of the window locked into place. I was painting downstairs with my headphones on, so it took a moment to register he was yelling for me, then I had to run (Jon said I plodded) up the 2 flights of stairs, only to be greeted by the terrifying sight of Jon balanced on a ladder, holding the entire weight of the huge pane of glass through the roof hole. I had visions of it tipping over the edge and crashing down onto the ground below, taking Jon with it! Luckily that didn't happen.

It took Jon 5 hours to put this first window in. He said it should only have taken 2, but Velux had included old instructions with the upgraded design. So only 6 hours for the final 3 skylights then!

I have been doing more of the same...prepping the newly plastered walls and then painting. I'm going to be painting for the rest of 2020! My focus for the last few weeks has been the main bedroom. We (and I use that term rather loosely) decided on Dulux's 'Tranquil Dawn' on one wall and for the chimney breast, and 'Calm Clouds' for the remainder of the room and am actually really happy with the result. Unlike the spare bedroom, which I mentioned in my previous blog is painted with 'Just Walnut'. I described it then as being 'a subtle beige with a rose tint', but now that it's dried, and seen in various lights, we have unfortunately come to the conclusion that we have a 5-year old girl's bedroom...it's pink! We are going to have to live with it for now at least though, as there's too many other things to be doing.

Kitten Spam Alert!

Sorry wanted to include a few pictures of the ever-entertaining Maisie, before she turns into a proper cat...