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Archive for the ‘Vicarage’ Category

Vicarage Views

Posted in Vicarage, tagged , , , , , , , , on 6 October, 2016| 1 Comment »

The lovely sunny autumn days have inspired me to get out and about around the Vicarage with the camera on my mobile phone. I’m enjoying finding beauty in the detail. Victorian brickwork seems particularly good for this.

 

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Doing the Next Thing: the February Declutter Game

Posted in Church, Vicarage, tagged , , , , , , , , on 1 February, 2016| 7 Comments »

I am terrible at throwing stuff away. I can always see a use for it (the curse of creativity) and so the clutter slowly covers all surfaces and occupies all cupboards. So when a vicar’s wife friend started a declutter “game” on Facebook last February I joined it. The idea is to declutter on each day of February, starting with chucking one thing on 1st February, two on 2nd February and working up to 28 (29 this year!) things on the last day of the month. In a non leap year, that gives you a grand total of 406 items disposed of, and 435 this year, if you keep going to the end.

There are no formal rules, so today I chucked a load of out-of-date pulses out, and I’m counting that as one item. Later in the month I might have counted each individual extra wizened chick pea to make the total for the day (sometimes I found myself needing to stretch the numbers last year).

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No counting rules!

Last year I managed about half the month, and it was definitely worthwhile. Obviously you get most done in the second half of the month, but I still managed some fairly effective clearing out. I found the focus of getting rid of something every day very helpful. Counting is a good way to Do the Next Thing. This February I’m giving it another shot, and if you’d like to join me, I shall be posting progress on here.

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Flying in February

Posted in Vicarage, tagged , , , , , , on 5 February, 2015| 1 Comment »

We’ve had some builders doing some work on the Vicarage this week. Because they couldn’t actually fly, they had scaffolding put up the side of the house so they could access our roof. There’s been a damp wall in the attic since we moved in six years ago and they’ve at last got round to having a look from the outside. They found the problem – missing flashing and some poor tiling work. So they’ve been up and sealed it all up. We’re pleased it’s been sorted. And I’m even more pleased that I didn’t have to go up there myself – three storeys of Victorian ceilings make for a bit of a skycraper. Especially not in the bitter cold and sleet that came a little later on.

Heading for the sky

Heading for the sky

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Windows Win

Posted in Vicarage, tagged , , , , , , on 21 November, 2013| 5 Comments »

The window men have been to the Vicarage today. And not just for measuring up (as has been the case over the last four years). They haven’t given us double glazing everywhere, alas, but there are now cosy new windows in the attic. Our ministry trainees no longer have broken panes and drafty sashes, and 170 yearsworth of dust has been dislodged over the upstairs rooms, into the garden and over the window men. There are still a couple of windows to go upstairs, and another contract for the remaining ones in the rest of the house, but for now we (and especially the attic dwellers) are extremely happy to have some added insulation in the Baltic top floor.

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Tree Surgery in the Vicarage Garden

Posted in Garden, Vicarage, tagged , , , , , on 16 May, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Today the tree surgeons came and took down a tree at the end of our garden that had started to lean rather precariously.

Here it is before they did their stuff:

And here is a short video of the tree coming down ending with a lovely clip of the tree surgeon’s local accent.

We’re glad the tree’s now safe. And particularly pleased at the fuel it’s supplied for next winter…

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Attic Progress: Sort Of (Progress, but not really Attic)

Posted in Vicarage, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on 8 May, 2012| 7 Comments »

Today I’m posting some pics of our hallway, where we had to change all the doors as part of the attic renovations. Alas. Mostly lovely Victorian ones – we’ve had to replace 12 in total. We need to have pukka firedoors to comply with building regs because we are making our top storey habitable. I’m sure it’s supersafe and everything. But the building has stood since 1844 with open fires blazing and not burnt down. But there we go.

So I’m a bit sad about the lovely original doors. But also quite pleased about the nasty 70s one with the frosted glass that opened into the kitchen. Now replaced by clear glass which makes the hall and kitchen seem larger, and has the added bonus of enabling us to spot if children on the naughty step are staying there.

Whilst we were having everything done, including carpetting the attic, we decided to change our hall, stairs and landing carpets which were very tatty. So, for one night only, I give you our hall floorboards. But the Vicar has said “No” to sealed and sanded floorboards. Too cold, draughty and echoey. Sadly, he’s right. They do look lovely tho’, so I’ll just look up this post when I think about them instead. And enjoy the warmth.

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Attic Progress: Almost There

Posted in Vicarage, tagged , , , , , , , , , on 26 April, 2012| 6 Comments »

Took a few shots of the happy team who’ve been renovating the attic today. The fire doors are all installed and now the decorators are doing their stuff. The bedroom looks a lot larger without the mad youth group painting scheme.

Now we need to get some carpets down and assess where we are with furniture and curtains and keep everyone supplied with Vicarage baking.

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Attic Progress: Emerging Kitchen and Shower Room

Posted in Vicarage, tagged , , , , , , , on 18 April, 2012| 4 Comments »

Upupstairs (as it’s called) is beginning to take proper shape now. Our recent days have been filled with carpet quoters and a succession of tradesmen hefting new firedoors in and about. It’s looking lovely. The kitchen has almost more work surface than mine. The Vicar and I have been talking about moving up there and leaving the MTs to it with the kids on the lower floors. Rocky mentioned that he’d then have the woodburning stoves on the ground floor, which I must admit is still a bit of a draw for living in our allocated space rather than heading skywards.

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Attic Progress: No Ceiling and Missing Floorboards

Posted in Vicarage, tagged , , , , , on 4 April, 2012| 2 Comments »

It has been a crazy day in the Vicarage. The lads upstairs have made some impressive progress on the attic. The Queen had a friend come over. A lovely friend came over to help me with the Passover meal and we made a selection of eclectic purchases at Morrisons. (Matzohs, strawberries, creme fraiche, spring greens, plain yoghurt etc – all in bulk). Our old MT from Wolverhampton days, Gambit, was here on a visit. The Vicar had a wedding rehearsal. Oh, and the Vicar and I had a lovely evening out at a comedy club, The Laughing Sole, that has just launched at The Public. A local monthly laugh night – we’re very pleased.

Anyway, here’s some pics of the upstairs at the end of today. It’s looking quite neat and organised, I think.

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The Attic – Before

Posted in Vicarage, tagged , , , , , on 3 April, 2012| 3 Comments »

This morning work officially began on our attic. Rocky has moved all his stuff downstairs to the spare bedroom and the space is clear for renovations. Thanks to a local trust, we are able to convert the four rooms into a much more usable Ministry Trainee space – two bedrooms, a living room/dining room/kitchenette and a shower room.

So the house was rather full today – four workmen in the attic, four kids (mine plus a bonus one) and then the Vicar, Rocky and me. Thankfully we were able to spread out on three floors. And after taking a few snaps so we can remember how it looked ‘Before’, I escaped out to fetch the lamb for Thursday’s Passover meal. The workers will be back at 8am tomorrow. Hopefully they won’t be drilling immediately…

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