Earlier on in the year we upgraded our kitchen. For a few days it was out of action with no water, hob or dishwasher. Fortunately it was summer and the weather had behaved! I sat outside and washed dishes after using the oven and microwave to cook our meals. It was different but I could close the kitchen door and the rest of the house was fine.
Not this time! We’re having a new fireplace and wood burning stove fitted in the sitting room. We’ve had to take everything out and put its contents into the conservatory, dining room, office and two bedrooms! I was amazed how much ‘stuff’ we had collected over the years! And how many bottles of whisky, brandy, gin, Sherry and liqueurs my husband had managed to fit into the dresser! And all the glasses! I felt embarrassed looking at everything stacked up and covering the dining room table in the conservatory! A lot hadn’t even been opened!
This reminded me of my father in law. When my husband’s parents downsized, the amount of whisky bottles that had been stored in their cellar was mind-boggling! My husband and his two brothers rubbed their hands in glee, presuming they’d get to sample them. Over the years very little was forthcoming! When he died all three men went into the room where the bottles had been stored, hoping to get a large supply to share between them. There was nothing left! The old man had rationed himself and enjoyed nightly tipples for years! Good on him! His sons were disgusted!
The two workmen are currently removing the old fireplace and knocking down the brick wall surround. Doors are closed and dust sheets cover floors and form a curtain separating the sitting room from the dining room. The noise is periodically deafening! The windows and doors downstairs are open to alleviate the clouds of dust and allow easy access to remove the rubble.
To get out of the house this afternoon I’m going to visit a friend who owns a small boutique not far from here. She has advertised her new winter collection so maybe some retail therapy could ease my home discomfort! I dislike shopping intensely but it beats staying here! I try to keep to the mantra, it will be worth it in the end, but sometimes forget! This is my husband’s project so will make a concerted effort to be understanding but stay out of the way! COVID is not helping! I’m still loath to go out so will just have to take long walks, weather permitting!
I know this sounds churlish and pathetic but I do have a very real problem with chaos! Perhaps it’s a control issue but, whatever the reason, it’s not easy to live with! I can ignore a bit of dust but can’t ignore things out of place, cupboard doors and drawers not closed properly and clothes lying on floors or draped over chairs. I struggled as a child and this problem has never ‘gone away’! That’s my excuse and my apology!
So, it’s not not so much the noise but the mess and being restricted to the kitchen that is causing me the most anxiety. I’m also claustrophobic so don’t have much going for me! But, none of us are perfect, although my husband feels that he is pretty close ……… 😂👠
Jenny Burrell 