Making something beautiful

Well, Andy has been working like a demon for the past few days. We decided that with mum and my brother arriving tomorrow for a couple of days at Pissou, it was important to have a) a functioning but not necessarily completed kitchen and b) the living area finished. So yesterday, he plaster-skimmed the living area which I then sized and painted today. After a considerable amount of cleaning up and moving around of furniture, we were able to put the bed-settee and the armchairs into their new positions and with the addition of a couple of lamps the new look is taking shape. I still need to find suitable pictures or a mirror for the wall and Andy will be making a couple of occasional tables, but already, it feels like a warm, clean, cosy space in which we will be spending a not inconsiderable amount of time this winter!

The kitchen is also progressing, with the sink now firmly affixed (no more washing up in the bathroom washbasin - hurrah!), the oven in situ, two beech worktops expertly and (almost) seamlessly joined using a masons' mitre joint and masons' mitre bolts to clamp them together. Tomorrow, Andy will be building the final cupboard with drawer unit that will sit next to the washing machine and then the whole of the right hand side of the kitchen will be in place, the doors can be attached and I can start stashing kitchen clobber away and out of sight!