Sorry about the gap there. Had no broadband for a few days until we moved in and got set up. So bumper update tonight.

And so to the culmination of a plan we made 15 months ago to make an offer on a crazy wreck of a house in Sheen, sell my flat, move in together in S’s, do a complete renovation on the place and finally move in to our beautiful house.

The builders are still with us – every day pushing us that bit closer to living here on our own – but we are, to all intents and purposes installed in the finished article.

Who would have thought a 20 minute viewing of a dirty, infested, unloved property would be enough to inspire us both to take on this massive project which has changed us and our lives forever? Now we have a base, a foundation, a community of great neighbours and a place we can genuinely call our own – to our design – in this world.

And so I turn to unpacking the many boxes – most of which I’ve been without for 9 months. I have had a sort of allergic reaction to my own possessions. Some are nice to get back – and remember fondly. Others seem so out of place – from another time and no longer appropriate, I throw them out with disgust. Perspective changed. Yet more bring a tinge of sadness from a life forgotten, dim and distant already despite my (relative) youth – glimpses of the odd past dream. New ones replace them. And a new future beckons.

And to more pressing concerns, like the various new snags we’ve uncovered as we’ve actually lived in the place – rather than just walked around it, looking.

Anyway, some photos:

The patio doors finally arrive, 4 weeks late:

Bringing them in:

Boys get to work:

Pretty happy?

Finishing touches:

And the moment S pulls a proper “you’ve missed a bit” moment – when she points out that the stickers on the K-glass which say “Sticker must be on the interior” are actually on the outside…

Cue much head scratching:

Until it is finally understood that the K-glass is on both sides and the stickers were wrong… how can you tell? Will we have a permanently cold or hot kitchen?

And the garden, clear at last: