The Goblin Diaries (previously Quitting Smoking)

I'm thinking one of those pop up canvas tents and putting them on my bed. Unless they're doing both upstairs windows at once (which I'd doubt), in which case they might just have to stay in a carrier til it's done, but that's not ideal.
 
Luckily it shouldn’t take too long and hopefully the fitters can work round you and the Goblins
 
I am very grateful to live in a house with only 4 windows lol. Was just talking with next door today because the house on the other side is having its roof done, very weird timing to find I'm getting new windows a few hours later.
 
I'm glad your windows are getting sorted @Lorcan . It will be so good for you to live draft free. We are having a new roof and new windows and doors in the next few months having put it off for the last 11 years, not being able to decide if we were moving. Now we have decided to stay I can't wait to get rid of the many drafts and leaks!
 
If they'll do the windows I might see about doing the door myself, the front door's falling apart tbh. I feel like one good boot in the right place is all it'd need but it's not like I'm going to go out of my way to test it. Do front doors have to adhere to some sort of legal standard? Because I bet mine doesn't.
 
If a house is let out then yes there are standards and I've thought for a long time your house doesn't come up to standard, which is why the landlord wants to sell. It certainly doesn't meet the new standards which are coming in, your house will need the windows, door and boiler replaced at the very least. It may also need new/more insulation. I suspect replacing the windows as they were so bad is the start because they know they can't get away with them for much longer. I'm surprised they aren't doing the door at the same time as it will be cheaper than getting someone back to do it later.
 
Barry (my neighbour) was saying the discussion on the street (where nobody's met the homeowner except maybe one of 7? of us, but nobody likes him) was, he was trying to persuade the HA to buy but at over market value, because it's not close to worth the £110,000 he wanted for it. But it's the time of year rents go up, and a letter did arrive to say the rent was going up "at market rates", but I think he's tried to push the rent up and the HA have pushed back to say no chance, because it's not worth that money.
A surveyor was out last year to nothing, never heard anything back about it, but there was another one here a couple of weeks ago. Poor lad. His face when he saw the cellar (and that he'd need to take photos of it, so he'd need to go down there), well...I felt for him. And cackled a lot. Everything seems to be linked, though. Attempted rent increase, sudden surveyor visit, "Hi Anthony we'll need access to the house as all the windows are being replaced (which is good news)".

The boiler does still pass safety checks. It's nowhere near as efficient as a combi boiler, but it's passing without numbers being fudged. The HA and the LA both did their own checks on it last year and it passed for both, so I'm less fussy about the boiler. And it could probably do a better job heating the house if the windows weren't, well, the windows. If you were taking the property on new, the boiler would need to come out and replaced but as-is, it passes the checks it needs to.
 
That makes sense. The boiler is reaching saftey standards and with new windows the house may make the minimum EPC rating. The surveyor's report may have recommended the window replacement was the least expensive way to get the rating up. It will be interesting to see what happens as further new regulations come in to be completed by 2025.
 
Yeah, if it's a choice between ripping out the boiler or the windows, it'll be the windows. Finding somewhere to put a combi boiler would be fun in itself, you couldn't put it where the current one is, and then what do you do with this large open gap in the wall where it no longer sits in the fireplace? And you'd have to move one of the carbon monoxide alarms although that's not so much of an issue, really.
 
#390

DSC_1420.webp

Almost done. I could do with a nap, but I tried earlier and it wasn't happening. No big deal. I'm waiting on a card payment clearing so I can do an Asda/Tesco order before I get stuck because of Easter deliveries, since there's no going to Asda or Tesco on foot. Just gotta be patient.
 
#391

Finished that braid above. Moved on to the next, which is still using the same colours lol. Apparently I wasn't paying enough attention when I was cutting threads but oh well, no harm done.

Meanwhile, the next door is having their roof redone. This is fine. Sure it's noisy and scaffolding is also noisy but they don't start at the crack of dawn, they only work in the morning, and they've got some good tunes going on the radio. No harm no foul EXCEPT Cam's taken to screaming at me every time something clangs. Not out of fear, I can't tell if he's annoyed at it or if he's using it as an excuse to yell at me. Or both.

...probably both.
 
Well done on days 390 / 391 🌟🥰
The braiding looks lovely and very professional.
I just love Cam……any opportunity 😂
 
I mean, in his defence, he did stop sulking at only getting hay and was quite happy to get more hay as the morning progressed, lol. Bann probably ate all the seed heads on him again.

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Edit: I might try for a better image once it gets darker and I can get the overhead light on, hah.
 
Lorcan said:
I mean, in his defence, he did stop sulking at only getting hay and was quite happy to get more hay as the morning progressed, lol. Bann probably ate all the seed heads on him again.

View attachment 221976

Edit: I might try for a better image once it gets darker and I can get the overhead light on, hah.
Click to expand...
Love the colours, they look fabulous.x
 
#392

Bought a takeaway last night, left the chicken fried rice and ...whatever satay it was in the fridge.
Went to feed goblins.
Realise I should move the takeaway into the freezer because Asda's coming.
Realise there's no room in the freezer.
Realise I should probably dump most of what's in there because aside from the chips the rest of it is frozen meat/meat analogues/etc and I didn't label any of it.
Safety first. Clean packages out of freezer.
They should go in the bin. I don't want to take numerous packages to the bin, it'd take forever.
Dumped out Co-Op plastic bag, open packages, dump frozen stuff into bag.
Camowen's screaming at me from upstairs. I call back to "wind your neck in, I'll be two minutes."
I won't be two minutes.
Take very heavy bag outside. Also take some cardboard recycling out.
Dump from Co-Op bag into brown bin. Realise there was an empty green beans wrapper in there and I can't get it back out.
Shrug, close bin. Put stuff in freezer. Close freezer door.
Realise that actually I should take the cans and the empty Coke boxes out too.
Cam's really screaming at this point.
Get myself Coke. Get goblins lettuce.
Go upstairs.
Cam's shut up because apparently, hay > human.

That's how you turn a 5 minute trip to the fridge into a 20 minute screaming match, according to the goblins.

Then I got back upstairs and realised I'd forgotten to put the empty packages in the bin. Sigh.
 
Another day 392🎉🌟

That’s one busy day already !
I love how Cam gets your attention 🤗
 
It gets better - the guy turned up to measure for the new windows and was like "Yeah I need to measure them internally." ahahahaha. So I showed him the problem - the cage in his way - and right on cue Cam decided "oooh food time!" and was trying to leap over the bars for non-existent food while the guy's standing there with a look of "....maybe not" on his face.
 
#393

So, I've sort-of worked out Ser Spider's schedule. I have no idea where they hide during the day but come the evening, they're in their spot between the stairs and fireplace. Knowing this, I always make sure to be wearing boots in the evening. No point in risking it, right?

This works. Unless I've been in the shower in the evening. Then I leave the bathroom and the indignant goblins in the next room can't possibly let me back into my own room to get my shoes before I have to go downstairs and get their supper.

Well, at least Ser Spider behaved themselves.
 
Well done day 393 🌟
I’m glad you have some idea of Ser spider’s routine !
Mmmm shoes / slippers are essential 😂
 
Aye, but it's a wee bit unfortunate because the evening is when I usually go downstairs to top up the hay tub and now I have to do that knowing this ogre of a spider is....right there. I think I caught them on the move, too, they weren't as deep into their corner as they normally would be. Next time sod the goblins, I'm getting my boots on first.
 
Nope. I refuse to get near enough to Ser Spider to try. Even I have my spider limits.
 
Oh, it absolutely is. There's a bit of an uneasy truce going on because although large and not very good at hiding itself in the evenings, it has been quite happy to leave me alone (aside from when I almost stood on it, and I think Ser Spider was as freaked out as I was - I'm not downstairs very often). I've known some spiders get aggressive just from you being that close, so that this one lets it go, I might just do the same.

I just kind of wish I knew where they hide when not in that corner. That would be useful information, lol.
 
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