Spoke too soon (not so happy now)
Why does life do that, one minute I am posting about how happy I am, that we are booked to go to Italy and then wham. We got a phone call on Saturday morning from our builder to say he wouldn't be starting work on Wednesday as planned and suggesting week commencing 02 May would be good, the day we planned to fly to Lazio for 2 weeks. It seemed the joiner had had all his tools stolen (heard that one before) and decided to go off on a golfing holiday, as you do, leaving us up the Swanee. We had arranged for fitters to come on Tuesday to take up and store the lounge carpet, the building inspector to come on Wednesday for a pre start inspection, to do a condition survey with the neighbours below us of their apartment to make sure we didn't cause any damage and for the window manufacturers to survey the newly formed opening on Friday. What a miserable situation, we didn't want to cancel our trip having booked the flights and hire car but we didn't want to wait until mid May to get the work done and then be hanging around here into June to give the installation a good work out and make sure there were no problems with operation or leaks.
After a day of torment and what ifs Mr FF stepped up and he is going to be the joiner. The joinery work is fairly crucial as we have to alter the dormer, but how difficult can it be, he is a structural engineer and will probably make a better if slightly slower job of it. To be honest having been let down by the joiner I wouldn't have welcomed him in the penthouse at any time. Our builder is fine with this change of plan, in fact delighted to be cracking on, he has sourced some equipment and Mr FF and I drove yesterday to my brother's to collect various saws, hammers, work bench etc that we had stored there.
And apropos nothing aren't these oranges lovely, I didn't buy flowers for the apartment this week because we need less not more while work is taking place, but these I couldn't resist and if necessary they can all be eaten by Wednesday.
Do let me know if you need any woodworking done, I may be recommend a bloke, who'd have thought Mr FF would have such a career change at 67.
What rotten luck, I don't hink I would have trusted that joiner after that. I hope things go smoothly for you from here on in.
ReplyDeleteYour still life with oranges is rather lovely.
think!
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like an adventure, to me.
ReplyDeleteWhat a pain, but I'll bet your husband makes a better job of it than the person you'd originally hired.
ReplyDeleteHow fortunate that Mr FF can turn his hand to a spot of joinery. I'm inclined to ask if he has a brother.......
ReplyDeleteOh do please send Mr FF our way, we have several woodworking jobs that need doing and Mr JK hasn't got a DIY bone in his body!! I can pay him in yarn if that's any good to you?!
ReplyDeleteI expect a lot of folk who read this will be able to identify with your problem. We have been waiting fot the decorator for months now.
ReplyDeleteMy reward when I finish a project long procrastinated is to sit (a rare luxury these days) and catch up on your blog. Sorry about the renovations snafu. I don't suppose Mr. FF is available for work in the US. Take good care. Barb
ReplyDeleteOh dear - I bet the air was blue!! Hope it all now goes to (the revised) plan!
ReplyDeleteYou and I are both lucky to have handymen at home. The Great Dane is an Electrical Engineer and a dab hand with just about anything. Right now it's a renovation of the basement playroom for our grandchildren's visit this summer. There's nothing better than a good workman who works for tea breaks and cookies.
ReplyDeleteHi my lovejoy has turned his hand to all sorts since we retired despite my misgivings at the tree felling he decided to undertake by himself I am slowly gaining confidence in his ability lol
ReplyDeleteHi I have been reading your blog for some time now, but I'm not a great commenter. I have been following your trips to Lazio as I have fallen in love with Italy. I made my first trip last summer. We were lucky enough to spend five weeks there. I am getting ready to make a second trip, but this time we are flying in and out of Milan. Some comments I have read on Ravelry said Italian security will not allow knitting needles in carry-on bags. In your experience is this true? I was planning some sock knitting on bamboo DPNs. Please let me know if I should risk my needles or not. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteApril
Hi I have been reading your blog for some time now, but I'm not a great commenter. I have been following your trips to Lazio as I have fallen in love with Italy. I made my first trip last summer. We were lucky enough to spend five weeks there. I am getting ready to make a second trip, but this time we are flying in and out of Milan. Some comments I have read on Ravelry said Italian security will not allow knitting needles in carry-on bags. In your experience is this true? I was planning some sock knitting on bamboo DPNs. Please let me know if I should risk my needles or not. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteApril
P.S. Sorry for the double post. I forgot to click the notify me field.
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Hello, nice to hear from you. I've flown to and from Rome several times taking my bamboo needles, with knitting on them in case they asked for a demo. First time I downloaded information from some flight authority that said knitting needles were OK and took a print out in case I was challenged, but I had no problem. I'm sure a net search would bring this up if you want it. Have a lovely time in Italy with plenty of knitting if it's not too hot.
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