Floor and more... a story of exasperation and hope

Forgive the stream of consciousness writing - markedly visible here! It's been a bit of a stressful week... the floor laying problems are a bit clearer now...and doh!!! The person who was brought in by my guys (let's not shame him publicly, but his name is the same as an actor with the surname of Redford), did everything wrong that could be done wrong, I think. Most importantly, not only did he use completely the wrong screws (too short, too thin!!!), but yes, oh yes, he screwed into the wrong part of the wood... the floors are (or should be) beautiful, solid wood (pine, admittedly but high quality pine, with very few knots, and taken from the middle of the tree where it's older and lovelier, and more expensive - Maerkische Kiefer for those of you in Germany!). The boards are fitted together with a kind of tongue and groove, and you SHOULD screw the CORRECT screws into the tongue and not the groove...because it's much thicker and gives the proper fixing. Anyway, if any of you are still awake... the beautiful floor now has had to be screwed from the top in order to fix it properly, and then the screw holes will be filled with wooden pieces, sanded and then waxed with some waxy kind of oil. With all these extra marks on top, it ain't gonna look anywhere near as nice as it should have done. Grrrrrrrr.

The floor in the other room, where there's a big step (well, c 3cm) between the kitchen and the living room exactly where my breakfast bar stool should go, will have to be completely taken up and done again properly!!! Oje (pron: oh-yay) as they say here when things are going wrong and one is exasperated. This time they should use the right screws and screw from the correct side!!!

Stupid step between kitchen and living room which shouldn't be there

So...what came to test me and my patience next? Arrived yesterday to wait in for the kitchen and oven to be delivered, because the workmen were snowed in, in Brandenburg (I thought they might never come back, but they did today!). Well, the electrician had been there on Monday and put in the sockets...but not the right ones! In fact I didn't and don't care. Contacted his boss yesterday afternoon, and he'd forgotten to tell the electrician that I'd ordered different ones (very rashly...I can't get worked up over them, as I'm anyone that's still awake and reading can fully understand). I told him that these were absolutely fine, and could stay...but I don't think he got my message, as when I got there today, the electrician had started to take all these out (although I was quite happy with them) and put in the ones I'd originally, rashly, ordered....anyway. Life's. Too. Short!

The wrong sockets, and they're not straight, I just realised - but life is too short and I really don't care any more

Oh, and then what did I notice.... the wrong plasterboard had been used in the bathroom

This should all be the green plasterboard for use in wet spaces

Wet spaces should use this green plasterboard...but EU regulations say it has to be much thicker....long and short of another boring building story.... Will let this go, and use water-resistant paint before I put my own coloured paint on. On the verge of giving up the fight / throwing in the towel, whatever....but no, I am made of sterner stuff. And. I. Don't. Care. That. Much. It. Will. Do.

Still, other things are happening, so back to a bit more upbeat... the oven and hob have arrived

To you they look like boxes, right? To me, they symbolise hope! Hope that there will be a kitchen one day and I might even be able to cook in it!

Yes, a smeg oven, hob and cooker hood. It's amazing how cheaply you can buy things on the internet....this little lot was definitely cheaper than Ikea...and I like a wee bit of 'designer' in my life...not too much, but just a tad in my mini-kitchen. I can't wait to have a gas cooker again. Not common here in Germany, but I love gas. Cook, cook, cookability, that's the beauty of gas!, as the old advert used to say! Does anyone remember the British Gas advert? Or did it say something else? (Thanks Tim...got it right now!)

Later, the kitchen itself arrived.

More boxes. More symbols of hope!

The workmen continue to be lovely, and were a little embarrassed about the whole floor situation...as well they should be!!!

They promise me everything will be ready for the lovely Markus to install the kitchen at the weekend...so I hope there won't be more snow, and any more ***k-ups! We live in hope!

More soon.... and hopefully one day soon I can get down to nicer things like interiors, and not building works.

Bye for now!