Tuesday 17 December 2013

And now...

Finally, I pinged off the new book to the editor yesterday. I am de-mob happy. There is still work on the go, but nothing I need to get into a whatnot about. I have started putting lights on windowsills and tinsel round the banister. The tree is in the conservatory. But we're not decorating the sitting room yet because in the morning the men are coming to knock a wall down.

Exciting! Ideally it would have been done long ago, but there seems to be a run on fireplaces. Instead of a grim grey modern fire set into the wall we are going to have a proper fireplace, the sort of thing this house would have had when it was built in the 1930s. The old fireplace will need to be opened up again, the chimney swept, and new pipes put under the floor. Hamilton thinks it's really funny, one lot of occupants ripping fireplaces out and another putting them in again. I think it's a nuisance. I confess that our fire will be gas, but it will look like the real thing. The real thing, but without the coal dust and graft.

If all goes well and smoothly we will have a lovely fireplace by the weekend, and a hearth and a mantelpiece and everything! If not, we will spend Christmas in a building site. I will keep you informed. The bears have been evacuated to our bedroom and it sounds like a good idea for me too.

2 comments:

Clara said...

There is nothing better than a cozy fireplace! Merry Christmas!

margaret mcallister said...

And to you, too! The fireplace is complete and all I want to do is curl up in front of it with chocolate and 'The Dean's Watch'.