And now for the garage

We've only been back a couple of days and we're already working on the next project!  I don't think we'd really planned to get stuck into another big project quite so quickly but a visit from our builder just a few minutes after we arrived back this week changed that.  He has some free time next week so we will be converting the garage into a bedroom.  Materials have been ordered, an electrician has been around to look at fitting some sockets, and N and I have once again shifted furniture, boxes and all manner of bits and pieces out of the garage and into a 'spare' room.  

Every time we do this we decide that a few more things can be done without (really we are getting a bit fed up with constantly moving things around the house trying to find a permanent home for them) and we had another trip to the tip.  We're also becoming quite expert at finding an alternative use for something - an unwanted bathroom cabinet is now destined to be used to box in the gas meter in the garage/guest bedroom, and the wooden single-bed frame, which will now be replaced with a double-bed frame, could be useful for shelving in the hall cupboard - that's another little project for the winter.  This list is growing =:o

Tempted by a forecast for dry, even sunny weather today, I did 2 loads of washing (the worst bit of returning from holiday).  And it was quite nice so a good excuse to be in the garden.  Things are growing . . .

A pathway of weeds in-between onions to the left and garlic to the right

. . . and not just veggies.  Where do all these weeds come from?  It seems to be a never-ending battle we're not winning.  We have simply got to keep on top of them through the winter; we just weren't able to give enough time to the task during the summer months.  

We've given the new heating system a bit of a trial run since our return.  It's a bit of a balancing act, finding the right temperature to set the thermostat on, and the radiators, all of which can be individually adjusted.  It's a bigger property than our old place, so we know it will cost more to heat, but we will still try to make it as efficient and economic as we can.  As we record the gas usage weekly, we will be able to see easily how much gas the heating uses and N has already done the calculations for the amount of units we can use and still keep within our monthly budgeted figures.  I've actually found monitoring our energy consumption quite interesting; it's certainly made me more conscious of how we use gas, electricity and water.  

Clocks go back tonight - an extra hour in bed - but it also means darker evenings and shorter days.  Time to start quilting, I think.