Starting out in 2012

Well, January is already into the 20's and I have barely done a thing. This is primarily due to the fact that my father was sick for 1.5 weeks, so my efforts were needed in nursing care more than housework and DIY! Now that he is back on track, it is time to update you on what I have actually accomplished over the Christmas-New Year break - not a lot, but....

I have put another 10 items up for sale on my FB for sale list - simply leave a comment or message me if you are interested in purchasing anything from the page - http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150410358909141.365973.508649140&type=1&l=df58e6fa33 - I shall be putting up a few vinyls next month, so if you are a vinyl fan - bookmark the link!

The everlasting lino I purchased last year is still going strong. It must be bigger than the piece I actually ordered, as I have now cut off all the pieces I planned when I made a measuring diagram and still have yards over. It will not go to waste!!!! I now have a new mouse pad - for eg.

This morning, I began on my next major task - lino-laying the toilet floor. I did not finish, but I have chopped an appropriate sized piece of lino from the main chunk ready to lay later this week. I have also chopped it level - leaving a large enough piece for my father to use as a mat when washing and shaving at the kitchen sink. He often complains that his walking frame tangles up in the cloth bath mat he currently uses, so he will have a pleasant surprise tommorrow!

END OF YEAR CONTEMPLATIONS

To close my blog for 2011, I shall look ahead to 2012. Since arriving 2 years ago, I have 'housekeepered' quite a bit - but not as much as I would have liked. I aimed to get the place spotless for dad. However, since his hospitalization, I have been a FT carer and not had enough time over for spring cleaning as much as I would like. I also aimed to have my black ceiling repainted, since it was removed and turned gray, to my dislike...

I can sigh over what has not been done or I can smile at what has been accomplished. We have a brand new shed, the first shower this house has seen in its 60+ years of existence, new bathroom flooring, a floor-runner vac, and a neat pantry among other delights. Thanks to my son, we managed to move Dad's bed and some other large pieces of furniture around. This made it a three bedroom home instead of 2, as we have used the lounge as an extra bedroom and outhouse/diningroom/darts room as a storeroom/unused lounge.

Looking ahead, what would I like to accomplish in 2012? Well, I would like to get some painting done for a start - the bathroom, toilet, my room and kitchen, perhaps. The upper rooms are probably in my color choice, as nobody else lives upstairs now my son has left - but the kitchen will be dad's color choice.

I would also like to smash out the kitchen side-of-sink closet and install a new sturdy piece to house the plastic draining board, buy a new kitchen table, and get myself a computer desk so I don't bump my knees every time I type....

The latter will wait til I earn some cash though, so here are them latest items I am throwing out of my room into the hands of whoever wishes to buy them!

for sale link

Finally, I will leave you with a couple of photos of my efforts to save my father's knees - a sucess with which he is pleased.

UNDER THE SINK - EW, GROTTY!

Dad's knees necessitated a change of plan. I have not yet thrown out the pile of dramatic stories I wrote as a teenager or misc. junk from my dressing table, nor have I painted my ceiling black or laid the lino on the toilet floor - first things first - dad's knees!

Using the kitchen as a bathroom in the morning, I can easily whip the washing up drainer out of the way and place tooth cleaning and shaving articles on the plastic draining board. I can pull the towel rail into place, amass items required for use on the table, and lay a bathroom mat on the floor in front of the bathing chair for elderly people. What I cannot currently do is ensure dad's knees fit under the sink enabling him to sit face on rather than sideways.

Looking inside this grotty white cupboard, we see a rather nasty task ahead of me...

 

I cleaned the floor under the grotty compost tub that I admittedly do not empty as often as I perhaps should. I have a new tub ready.... It only remains for me to remove the closet door, clean the walls as well as floor, and replace the compost tub with the new one - and Dad's knees will be happier. The remainder of these tasks are on tommorrow's agenda!

THE COLLECTIBLE MUGS

The mug collection actually occurred first on my list, due to my son asking if he could have one as a souvenir to take back to Australia with him. Naturally I agreed, and consequently arranged to empty the garlic and Kalanchoe plants from my windowsill into the yard, wash the mugs I had used to house these plants, and present him with those he desired.

 

This done, my son was presented with the two required mugs to return to Aussie with (although as it turns out he didnt have room and left them behind) and I was left with 7 'unwanted pieces of clutter'. They are therefore next on my list of 'stuff to sell' after the white vacuum. If any reader is interested - please get in touch via comments below or my Facebook album for sales items -

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150410358909141.365973.508649140&type=1&l=df58e6fa33

- if not, it is over to Facebook, then Craigslist & Gumtree, and finally onto Ebay...

I have also listed the vacuum cleaner and a few books at my Facebook 'For Sale' album and intend to delete the pictures as these items are sold, and add a few more items monthly until my teenage bedroom is empty of the old me and livable in by the middle-aged me!

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER FIXATIONS

Looking ahead, several jobs are on the agenda. I want to lay linoleum on the toilet floor, turn out my dressing table and sell my mugs before the years ends.

I have already talked about the lino and what lies ahead of me before laying it in the toilet - the hardest area yet. It is probably better left to an expert, but as I am the only one that will be using the toilet apart from visitors, I shall tackle the job myself and live with the results!

The dressing table is currently covered in white paint with avocado green handles. At one point in its long history it was simply wood. That was a long time ago, when it belonged to my grandmother - long since dead. It was passed down to my parents and then to me. I do not value it as an antique, although it is probably 100 years old or more. I simply need something into which to stash my hairbrush, neti-pot, nail clippers, first aid kit and other such stuff.

 

My dressing table is currently filled with stuff and the stuff that is crammed on top - albeit in neat piles - needs to fit inside. I recall emptying the top drawer to fill with hair accessories, womens' items, nail-clippers, and the like and this is usable as is - but I have yet to tackle the bottom two drawers. More emptying and trashing to go...

One is seemingly filled with stories I typed/wrote out as a teenager and some art books filled with cartoon, hippie, crazy-techno designs along with philosophical and artsy drawings, water colors, and biro designs. The other drawer appears to contain a fruit bowl, penknife, and assorted bits and pieces of 'stuff' - all of which must be sorted out and either thrown out or sold.

 

Talking of selling items, my mug collection is far from useful to me as a middle-aged woman. As a teen, it was something to collect, but now I have use only for one mug in which to deposit my morning coffee! I had been recycling them as plant pots - but they were messy and untidy and cluttered up the sill - I would much rather have a single pot plant or vase on the sill and sell the mugs. Firstly, I took out the Kalanchoe and garlic plants and rinsed them clean - my son wanted one to take back to Australia with him today. The rest, I shall sell shortly....

THE PANTRY

From time to time I like to do a spot of spring cleaning - with more emphasis on spring than clean!! One of my favorite 'chores' is that of turning out the pantry. I really enjoy re-sorting all the items into logical order and seeing them neatly in place....

It is not MY pantry. It is father's. However, I am the only person that uses the pantry - seeing as I do all the shopping/cooking. My son keeps his supplies in his room and my dad is not able to locate ingredients, stand up while things are mixed AND boiled/baked/stirred/fried/etc, AND add finishing garnishes... though I am sure if I put the teabags and milk out he could manage the kettle and spoon to make himself a cuppa.

 

We start with a picture of how it was - then of in between - before how it actually ended up. I also included a photo of the fridge-freezer, in case anyone is worried about the lack of fresh produce in our household! 

 

FURTHER LINOLEUM USAGE

Having plenty of linoleum over after laying the new bathroom floor, I began to use it in pieces. First to benefit was the bathroom windowsill, closely followed by my father's bedside cabinet. Next up is to be the toilet floor - a nightmare!

 

Starting with a view of the remaining lino and continuing onto the windowsill before, during, and after linoleum being glued down....

 

The bathroom looks much more classy with a floor and windowsill to match - but there is much to be done, including fixing chipped wall plaster, a much needed coat of paint, and a few more little touches, before the room is pleasant.

The last two photos show me laying a piece of lino as a table mat to avoid the wood being spoiled by spilled cuppas on Dad's bedside cabinet.

I decided to postpone the toilet floor until after my son returned to Australia, as having us both out of the toilet for 3-4 hours is somewhat difficult considering the amount of ginger beer and cola - not to mention cider once fortnightly - that he consumes. Ahead, lies the task of removing dust-ridden carpet patches and old newspaper, cleaning and drying the wooden floorboards, laying the linoleum halfway and then cutting around the toilet itself. (I shudder, yes THAT can wait until late November or beyond...)