I've been out of action for the last month, my back started getting really stiff then I developed sciatica which has made walking very painful. I don't think all the lifting we've done over the past couple of months has helped. I've just had to accept it and rest although it's difficult because I know that it puts more work on Rich.
Things have moved on since my last blog, just much more slowly than we'd hoped.
We finished screeding the floor downstairs and Rich made a plinth for the fireplace. We then had to fit the chimney liner!! I should never have voiced that it couldn't possibly be as difficult as the one we fitted for the Rayburn. I think the Gods took it as a personal challenge! It took nearly all day. We gave up trying to get it down the chimney after about 3 hours and decided to try pushing it up from the bottom. We were very close to giving up, so much effort to move it a couple of centimeters at a time. Eventually it did reach the top of the chimney but then Rich had to balance on the top of the roof to secure it.
I don't think we've ever been as close to being defeated. Rich and daughter then started putting the wooden floor down, which like the one upstairs proved quite difficult and progress was painstakingly slow.
I was then finally able to start on my mosaic. It wasn't quite the tranquil creative experience I'd hoped for, my back was really stiff and painful and I had to rush it as I needed to be out the way so the floor could be fitted and it had got to be grouted and have time to dry so the log burner could be placed on it. We wanted to manoeuvre the very heavy log burner across the floor where the wood hadn't yet been laid. We managed it without too much bother and Rich then fitted it and I lit it.
Rich has bought himself a digger which came all the way from China (there's a song in there somewhere) It'll be really useful (so I'm told) for digging ditches, ponds and other things. We need all the help we can get.
Because we've been concentrating on the house I've got very behind with the garden. I've still not cleared the polytunnel, there are sweet peas still flowering, dead tomato plants and a nasturtium that's trying to take over. I did manage to walk down there today so hopefully I'll be able to sort it soon. The veg patch also needs some attention.
We only returned yesterday from 10 days away visiting family in the Midlands. We wanted to see my boys before Christmas. It didn't all go to plan, the gears on the car started acting up so we had to get it into a garage which took ages and when we got it back it still wasn't right so had to then go to another garage. We had trouble with the car this time last year when we went down. I'm thinking perhaps we don't go out during the winter months, hibernation is appealing. The longer we're here the harder I seem to find it in busy brightly lit cities. It's too much of a contrast. I ache for the quiet natural surroundings of Scoraig. We came back over the Loch in the postboat as it was too rough for ours. I think it's the roughest sea I've crossed in.
But we are now home which is wonderful and can start to get ready for Christmas in the cabin before hopefully moving to the house in spring next year. Rich has come back with a stinking cold and I'm still struggling to walk so we're taking it easy for a few days in the hope that normal service will soon resume. I'm determined to get the Christmas decorations out soon even if I have to crawl into the cupboard and drag them out.
❤️🙏
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