Decorating! The downside of coming from a long line of wall paper makers is that Mike has to decorate to perfection. So , having done all the plastering last Spring we have at last got round to the final filling and rubbing down. An awful job, hence the dust sheets and the murky figure in the back ground. But soon time to chose the paint. My little effort is filling all the nail holes and then rubbing them down. I usually drift off half way through and forget to put the lid on the pot or clean the chisel.

Problem is that Mike was given carte blanche when he did up the bathroom (which is why it's all white) , so he insists I can have a free hand on this place; except every suggestion I make is greeted with cynical looks and grunts of disapproval. Thoughts of dramatic wallpaper were quickly de-bunked, but I am insisting on having one really dark wall as otherwise the place is going to look like the inside of a light box.

I am much more excited about the new picture I've commissioned from Rob Walker - we have already got the pizza one he did just waiting to be hung, and the next one is on the way.

Soon, soon.

And Howard comes down next week-end to survey the banisters which will be his contribution.

Well, who would have thought that banisters could be exciting! Since Christmas Mike has been working away with the intricacies of installing the banisters. Of course as the room is based on an old squint house, nothing is quite straight which makes fitting banisters VERY DIFFICULT But apart from the ones up the stair which we still hope Howard will turn for us, all are now in place with fancy tops to the posts and it's all looking excellent.
With a dry spell at last, the morning sun pours in the big doors and the room looks spectacular. Hopefully we can soon get decorating , but there always seems to be some last minute fiddley thing to be done. Perhaps Mike doesn't actually want to finish it! We'll see.