PROJECTS 22

PROJECT H: THIS & THAT 3

THIS area needs attention! It has yet to be attended to in a satisfactory complete way - but the plans began:

1. remove cobwebs and old dead plant.

2. replace plant with plastic container and fresh plant - probably a coriander.

Well, I did remove the old dead plant and pop in a fresh alive coriander.... but forgot about dusting away the cobwebs!

Unfortunately, until the warmer spring season arrives properly, I do not think my idea will work very well - within 2 days of both attempts so far, the coriander has wilted and died. I have saved the tubs to grow beans on my windowsill in, but.... alas, the kitchen looks little better than it did before. Sigh.....

But, at least the dead stuff is green and not brown!

PROJECTS 21

PROJECT H: THIS & THAT 2

This was not acceptable. Noone in the household takes a bath these days, and the plug-chain has no plug on the end anyways. There is a rubber plug if I have a once in a blue moon desire to soak in a bath tub or my father ever manages to climb the stairs again, or we have a guest crash amongst the junk in the storage room.... so this was needing a change.

Alas, not much could be done.... However, I managed to use a pair of pliers and remove the chain itself, re-glue the socket metal in place and then scrub some of the iron rust stains from the bath tub - a tad more bicarbonate of soda and elbow grease was required to remove the rest, but this shot shows the minor improvement.

PROJECT B: PANTRY 3

 

Again, the pantry had a minor turn out and rearrangement - one of my lazy-happy chores. It makes me feel I have done something of value, when I basically have merely moved things around into a more organized fashion and had fun planning menus whilst at it!

PROJECTS 20

PROJECT H: THIS & THAT 1

Towards the close of 2012, I began a few minor projects - not really worthy of their own titled appearance in my blog. Firstly, I was fed up of having damp clothes hanging over a towel rail in my bedroom. I wanted space to lay out my 'bar'...

I therefore decided that as I am the only dweller to dwell on the upper layer of the house, I would shove my towel rail into the upper hallway and free up some space in my room. I can now safely dry clothing that is not quite dry over the towel rail during wet weather without it making my room damp. 

This allowed me to have more room in my bedroom and to lay things out a little neater. My 'bedroom bar' - aka beer and wine stash - now fits neatly alongside my tub of bird seed!

I have yet to remove the large box to the right of the photo, but.....

PROJECTS.... 19

PROJECT F: THE LOFT 15

Peter and Danny were the two bears to the left. I forget what I called the white fluffy toy or yellow rabbit. The rabbit was purchased in France. The little pale yellow chick at the back might once have had a name, too. I do not recall the names of the fat bear or large 'pyjama case' dog. I think the straw hat belonged on one of the dolls.

Yes, even more soft toys were crammed into that trunk! Among these goodies I recall my panda with jangly bell encrusted ears. I recall some more of these toys too, but alas, their names escape me. Oh no, ANOTHER of those homemade rabbit toys from my mother - this one in fluro?

Yes, almost at the bottom of the trunk - just a few puzzle and game books left!

Well, now I have to repack all those toys that I will keep til I sell, trash-bag up the rest of the mess - and tidy up what was once a bedroom! This brings us to the close of the loft project - everything covered and about to be sold.

PROJECTS.... 18

PROJECT F: THE LOFT 14

As promised, the contents of the trunk are revealed.... Yes, I am afraid it is even more dolls! Allow me to unpack these soft toys for you to view....

 

A tall rubber cat toy and an ancient cloth dog - the latter of which I recall used to occupy me at my grandparents house. A pink teddy bear, cloth dog, plush owl and....another bloody doll! This humungous creation was made by my mother for me one Christmas and I called it Sally. My mother was worried that it had thin hair, but I added it to my collection of dolls and bears to rescue from the waves when I played at being a lifesaver and fire when I pretended to be Gerry from the Skippy TV show....Both water and fire were created by a satin sheet!

Left to right, we start with a strange blue toy I do not recall. I think it is some type of homemade teddy bear. My old wig is in front! I recall wearing it to class one April fools day.... The next bear along I think I called Sandy.

Next is a green thing - supposedly a rabbit - my mother made. I think when she made Humphrey for me to unpack when on vacation in France, she made another one.... A very old - & alas motheaten - doll follows. I think this would have been either my mothers' or one of my two aunts' dolls. It seems to be from the 1920's or 30's... A plush dog finishes this group - but there is more!

PROJECTS.... 17

PROJECT F: THE LOFT 13

Continuing to explore the loft exports, we come across a pile of junk in plastic bags - to be thrown out. Let's face it, a few items may be sellable, but I honestly do not want to keep any of these things and what cannot be sold, will be dumped as it is not in good enough condition to give away.

A box-load of Enid Blyton paperbacks. I read a lot as a kid and filled my bookshelf so well that I had to have 2 in my room.

Well, we are almost to the end of the stuff rescued from the loft.... Here is the last trunk to open and explore.... What could be inside? Check my next post to find out!

PROJECTS.... 16

PROJECT F: THE LOFT 12

You may very well be wondering if I will ever get to the end of this subject! Here we have an indoor washing line, an old Dutch windmill clock, another shot of the two ceramic jug-thingies, an old slate, and a printing set. The latter occupied me at my grandparents as a kid - you slipped little rubber letters in a frame and pressed on an ink soaked pad then printed a phrase or sentence. Great fun for a young child to play with and useful as a spelling aid.

More dolls - sorry! I do not know how I amassed so many.... The ginger-haired one is very old. I believe my aunt or mother owned it when they were a child - so it would date circa the 1930's. I have no idea why there is a large ink-like smudge on its forehead, though. An everyday plastic doll with half its clothing missing follows. The two large dolls at the back are from my childhood in the 1970's. The princess styled doll with long braids was a 1970's fad doll - a bit like a Barbie in the US, but not as long running. The final doll in this shot is another old one. I think it came from the 1960's or possibly earlier. I am not altogether sure.

More wooden blocks my grandfather made, this time in a cart with cotton reel wheels - which I assume he also made. The little red and black plastic things are toy soldiers. Alas, a tomboy was I! Wooden furniture and other blocks in a bag also made by my carpenter grandpa completes the picture.