Feeling frazzled

I haven't blogged for weeks. I think it's a combination of feeling exhausted and never finding the time to get out to the caravan - the blogging centre!
Last week we hired this van and drove to Edinburgh through snow, ice blizzards and fog.

We stayed here, in our own apartment just off the Royal Mile in the city centre; booked through lastminute. com and highly recommended. You get your own flat which is just like home (though not like our home because ours isn't finished) with a washing machine and probably ironing board if I'd hunted around more - a perfect weekend break!

Our first day in the big city we went to Ikea and produced three trolly loads of 'stuff'

On the second, we sat out side John Lewis waiting for them to open, and in the afternoon in our shopping frenzy returned to Ikea

and studied wardrobes

and thought about wardrobe doors we would really like if our house was taller and wider

and kept thinking about them even though we knew they were out of the question

We managed to produce three more trolly loads of 'stuff' and items in cardboard boxes with names we didn't recognise. Niels thought the bed side tables were names of danish towns. If you have ever shopped in Ikea you will know that the receipt bears very little resemblence to anything you have bought!

when it came to packing, we wished we hadn't bought with such enthusiasm

but finally as it was beginning to get dark the huge pile of unfamiliar anonymous boxes, mats, bags and trays transferred from the pavement to the van in regimental order, followed by our selves for the long drive back to Letters through snow, ice blizzards and fog.

Just before our Ikea trip, Helen came to stay. She did a time line with us. I think this involves listing all the things you need to do, cutting them out, and putting them in order of priority. It soon became apparent that the line was longer than the time we have. We have lots of little pieces of paper with tasks written on them, relating to the number of jobs that still need to be done in order to complete the house. Some of the tasks are part completed which means I'm not supposed to discard the bits of paper until they're finished. I've gone round with the vacuum cleaner once or twice and may just have 'tidied up' a little in an attempt to feel more in control!

Helen was brilliant, and did loads to help. She spent a lot of time on her hands and knees tiling the floor and kitchen walls.
On a sad note we have lost our plumber. We really hacked him off regarding a late large bill we couldn't pay. When the funds finally became available and we cleared the invoice he decided he'd had enough. I shall miss him, he was great at what he did, and generous with his time and help. I'm sorry he shan't be completing the work.
We now have a new plumber who has been to see what needs to be done to give us a loo, a dishwasher, a shower and all the essential watery requirements.
Ollie has been back up and fitted more sockets and plugs. He and the electrician have been working together.

On Thursday we shall be driving down to Manchester to pick up a hire truck, then on to Guildford in Surrey to pick up some of the furniture we have in store. We'll then drive back to Scotland, off load our furniture and return to Manchester with the van where we'll spend the weekend of the 13th Dec. celebrating Robin's 30th birthday.
The house still looks like building site, but now needs to be made cosy and comfortable for christmas with family and friends coming to stay. It won't be completed by then but I think it will be ok - if we just have a loo!