Last days of scaffolding

I have almost forgotten when the scaffolding first went up: but apparently it will be coming down this weekend at the front - the back still has it since the new windows at No. 8 need painting, which can only happen after the Christmas break.  The picture above shows it at its most picturesque: but for the past couple of days it has been like living behind Niagara Falls, due to the amount of rain.  In fact, we woke this morning to find that the well in the basement of both houses seemed to be filling up, rather alarmingly.  An emergency drain-clearing company was called out, and a certain amount of prodding and pumping took place.  The water is slowly subsiding.  Our new friend Steve the Drainage Man is to come back for a more detailed inspection when it has drained away.

Living with builders has been more than wearing.  There have been times when the only place to escape has been the basement kitchen of No. 8, due to painters at windows and joiners wherever the painters aren't - if you see what I mean.  No. 7 has had the second coat of lime plaster drying throughout, but today the final coat has gone on and I am actually organising a painter to come in and redecorate at the beginning of January.  Phew.  I am hoping we shall be able to move back there at the beginning of February - there are just the small matters of a new bathroom to be installed, bookshelves in the study, redecoration throughout, and something done to the battered floorboards. 

Boundaries are a concept foreign to builders: they display great curiosity about us and our lives, and somehow expect us to be interested in theirs.  The idea that they are simply there to perform a service for us without necessarily becoming our nearest and dearest is entirely alien.  One of the joiners came into the kitchen one day and asked what I was preparing for dinner.  He then told me what he would be cooking that evening.  It's difficult at this point not to say "shouldn't you be getting back to that window?"

Roll on February!

Antony Mair

 

Meanwhile, Santa's on his way...at the Dolphin, at any rate!