Tuesday, December 30, 2014

Goodbye 2014, hello 2015

Bedroom
I remember Mum saying more than once that the years go faster as you get older (they must truly fly by for her now!) and I think she's right.  This year has just ripped by and while we've been busy it seems that "the list" hasn't shortened by much.

But thankfully, our 2014 photos show some encouraging progress.  For example; the plastering upstairs is well underway.   The 110,000 litre tank is in, plumbed and full.  The pressed tin ceiling is up.  The bathroom cupboard is restored and ready to install.  The linen press doors are hung, and I've even started assembling their knobs.  
 
The knobs have been an interesting exercise.  A raid of our useful box resulted in 12 matching door plates and 3 other pairs with different designs - a harlequin set perhaps?.  We were staggered, as this is exactly the number we need for the upstairs landing!  We're still 10 knobs short, but hey, you can't have everything.
 
Brass knobs with copper plates
Heaven forbid that fitting the knobs would be a simple exercise though.  They had come from a very dirty shed and none of them showed a glimmer of brass or copper through their 30+ years of grime.  Further, as the doors don't have locks the knobs don't pass through the door or turn.  So, after hours of cleaning and polishing I opted to attach the knobs to the plates by tapping a thread into the knob and securing it with a short M10 bolt from behind.  Installation will be simple (famous last words), I'll just screw the plate, complete with attached knob, to the door.
 
The aim is to have matching door knobs and plates on the landing side, while each of the three bedroom doors will have a unique set (like the middle "pair") on the inside.  That's a 2015 job, along with some biggies, like:
  • finding 10 more "matching" knobs,
  • installing a hot water system (no more bucket shower!),
  • fitting a downstairs smoke alarm (an oversight on my part),
  • adding stair rails, and
  • more plastering.
I wonder how much of that list I'll be able to tick off on December 31 2015?


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