Home Improvements

I frightened the Hell out of myself this week - I finally stirred from my regular state of torpor to actually start that clear out of the junk afflicting my house.  It was a modest start - I finally cut up that old bed base that's been stored in the spare room for years - but a start nonetheless.  (If you are wondering why I was cutting it up, well, it's easier than trying to get the local council to do a roadside collection, plus, I can re-use the wood from the frame).  If nothing else, it gave me an excuse to get out my jigsaw, (which I haven't used in years), which meant that it actually didn't take that long to cut to pieces.  But what has prompted this sudden burst of activity, (coming less than a month since I finally got rid of a load of stuff from the front room by sticking it all in the recycling bin)?  Perhaps it is the change of season - this cold snap has reminded me that I really need to get something done about my old sash windows and I really can't expect anyone to work at refurbishing or replacing them amidst all the junk I've got stored here.  I say 'stored', but it is supposedly waiting for me to actually take it down to the local dump, (for which I have to make an appointment), but I've just been too indolent.

So why start with that old bed?  Well, the motivating factor there is that now that's out of the way, I can start clearing up the rest of the spare room, with a view to finally starting on that much vaunted expansion of my model railway.  I've been talking about doing it for years and thanks to my visits to the local toy and model train fair, I now have far more rolling stock than can be accommodated on the current layout.  Not to mention the various buildings and other accessories that I've accumulated.  (The wood from the cut up bed base will, of course, be used to construct frames and supports for the new base boards).  In fact, I even started clearing up some of the other junk in the spare room today - another shock to my system!  Anyway, I'm hopeful that I can keep this momentum up and finally start sorting this place out properly: replacement/refurbished windows followed by a revamped bathroom and kitchen.  I mean, it isn't as if I haven't got the time to do this now that I've dropped out of the world of work.  (Although I might yet return to something part time at some point - I seem to have a constant stream of teaching agencies trying to interest me in various temporary positions).  So, watch this space for further developments.