No matter how right something feels, somehow there is nothing quite like a parental thumbs up to reassure you that it wasn’t such a mad idea and that it will all turn out ok.
It was therefore especially lovely to have a visit from two very experienced renovators of old houses (four is it now, or five?) and to hear them enthusing about our house and its potential (with perhaps a twinkle of nostalgie?), imparting gems of wisdom as they went. You may not have noticed, but we were beaming with pride.
Notes to self:
1. Elder wood is good for nothing. Too green for burning, too stiff and hollow for weaving into little rustic fences or frames for sweet peas. And those branches will never turn into compost without the assistance of an industrial shredder. So all those branches will have to be bundled off to the Point Vert.
2. Don’t put your washing machine two floors below your bedroom. Much as a large laundry in the basement has its appeals (and believe me it does – I have visions of a place where freshly laundered sheets are free to waft their Ecovery loveliness, being scrunched over the back of doorsa thing of the past. And an airing cupboard!) don’t forget that you are the washerwoman who will be forever heaving things laundry up and down stairs. Hmm… hard decisions.
3. The more time spent thinking about electric sockets – where? how many? - the better.
4. Be careful with that pickaxe.
Wise words. And we hope there’s more where they came from.
