Monday 9 March 2009

and then the sun shone...........briefly

Our yearly race going guests arrived today which means five days of cooking breakfasts for five people every morning, by the end of the week I'll be happy never to see another sausage. It also meant we had to do the BIG clean up over the weekend. This generally only happens if we have visitors and normally can be confined to only a couple of the rooms, however having the entire house full of people means that we have to clean the whole lot, no mean feat when it's usually only treated to the odd blowing away of dust and half hearted hoovering. Possessing a crap hoover which will only work with a hand held attachment means that I do most of my cleaning on my knees, and yesterday, whilst the sun was shining, this gave me a whole new perspective on my clean and shiny(ish) rooms. I rushed off to grab the camera to catch the moment and to remind me that sometimes the house can look pretty nice, even the horrible bathroom............


..............what you can't see is the completely foul, cracked toilet with duck tape trying, and failing, to stop the drip, or the mouldy old shower cabinet. This picture makes me love my grubby old bathroom a little bit more, I've no choice really, it'll be another year before we can update it.

Now this room, our bedroom, I do love, especially when it's cleared of all the usual family stuff. It never looks like this, there's always a pile of washing to be put away, numerous children's books and toys lying around, and all the other detritus we can't find a home for seems to gravitate towards here and stay for months. Now it's calm and peaceful, but for how long?...........

A peek into Kit's room. I like this "through the door" view, it means I can hide the mess behind said door, isn't blogland a wonderful, make believe place, you can pretend to have a lovely tidy home because nobody can see round the corners!

Finally a glimpse of our sitting room. The console table was dragged up from the basement sewing room single handedly by me which involved lots of muttering, bad language and mild panic as I realised how heavy it was. It used to be a dark brown but looks so much better in the pale pistachio colour. Notice yet more hyacinths waiting to burst forth............

So there you go, another post about not very much at all. I'm just pleased to have a tidy house, enjoying that clear brain feeling and kidding myself it'll last - hah! I give it three days at the most!
See you all soon...............x









40 comments:

Tinyholder said...

I love that bathroom!!! I love the floor, the roll top bath and the wood panneling. :-)

Nicola said...

I think your house looks lovely. Especially the bathroom. You could not swing a guinea pig in my bathroom. I would love a bath like that to lounge in. We are stuck in the middle of renovating and have no bath at the moment.

Frances said...

Anyone who has seen these photos will take a pledge that your home is spotless, interesting in its decor, and definitely a home sweet home.

I am sure that your guests felt just the same.

xo

Ali said...

Beautiful! A clean house is such a joy, but in spite of spending all yesterday cleaning, mine still hasn't got there. Why oh why am I such a slob?

tam said...

Your house looks terrific! And I know what you mean about the feeling one has when our home is freshly cleaned-I love that! I grew up until I was 13 using a eagle claw tub like that one you have. These days that deep wonderful tub would be a luxury! Lucky duck! have a great week-Tam!:D

Hen said...

It all looks lovely. That's what I hate about cleaning, you do it all but about half an hour later, it already starts looking messy again, so completely futile!

jessica daisy said...

beautiful, I'm glad you say your house isn't as tidy/clean as this all the time, as it makes me feel a lot better! I can never manage to keep on top of housework, it's just not me. I long for a cleaner to come once a week to sort me out.
Anyhoo....your guests will be delighted, enjoy the feeling of virtue while it lasts. Jessx

MelMel said...

I think your house is utterly charming!

The bathroom is a dream!xxxx

Flossie and Tom said...

It all looks wonderful - love the pistachio colour and your bathroom looks beautiful

Sara

Claire said...

Oh your bathroom is gorgeous, I've always wanted to have a bath in the middle of the room but never had a bathroom big enough!! Your guests must love coming to stay with you as I imagine your home has a warm cosy feeling. you have such a great collection of lamps and shades!! Thanks for sharing your pics....Claire xx

Bobo Bun said...

Not a post about nothing at all, it was lovely like peeking itno my favourite magazine. Each room is gorgeous and like you say blog land makes it perfect.

Made me laugh you dragging the console. You want it done there and then even if you kill yourself, scratch teh floors and break teh furniture. I've done the last two, but am still breathing.

Lisa

Anonymous said...

Gorgeous home!

...Nina Nixon... said...

You've done yourself proud - it looks lovely, gorgeous home by the way.

Mine only gets a proper clean when my mum comes to stay and that's because she does it!!

Nina x

Lesley (Notesfrommydays) said...

oh it all looks lovely and welcoming i may invite myself along for a sausage sandwich :-)
it is such a nice feeling when everything is clean and tidy although it doesnt last in my house :-( i can see dust on the wooden blinds as i sit here which someone should have warned me about!!! also love "blogland pictures" as you only see the good bits LOL
ps - yes, dunelm is an addiction and i do not want to fight it ;-)

Bobo Bun said...

Just thought you might like to know there's a great camp site in Southwold right on the beach with the estuary beside you. Walberswick one side and Southwold the other. Lots of lovely shops too.

Lisa

julie said...

what a lovely home you have. Am having bath envy - I would love a bath like that. Thanks for sharing theviews of your home. xx

Woozle1967 said...

Just perfect! We have finished our extension now and I love my new bathroom - the old one is a "guest" bathroom and fits the phrase bijou perfectly!

Kathy said...

Hi Julia, Love, love love your house, utterly gorgeous. More pics please (nosy cow I am!!) So pleased to see last month that you were a bad blogger, but now, 2 posts in as many days...puts me to shame!! How is the crochet doing? Kathyx

Knitty, Vintage and Rosy said...

Oh my gosh, you make me laugh! How many times have I dragged things up or down the stairs, only to stop halfway and wonder why the #$*& am I doing this by myself? I think I'm going to drop the bloody thing!

Your bathroom looks lovely, btw.

Lisa
Knitty, Vintage and Rosy

Carol said...

Blimey you sound just like me!
I push,shove and heave furniture about to!
Well I love your home too, mess an' all....I think most of us live with a bit of mess and bits that meed replacing, re-decorating and the like.
Your clever photography worked well.
I really love that bathroom...lol.
Will you be at the next fair? I really hope I can make it, but only as a buyer and not a seller, it is not for me.
Carol xx

French Knots said...

It looks very inviting and I'm sure your visitors feel right at home.
I can't move furniture at the moment and have to wait (grrr) till my husband can be persuaded to resuffle it for me!

Sam said...

You have my dream house!
xx

No one is you ...& that's your power said...

I think it all looks totally gorgeous x.
Good luck with he breakfasts
x Dom

prettyshabby said...

Hi Julia..ooh youve treated us to some glimpses of your utterly gorgeous house..my absolute favourite house in blogland whether the sun is shining or not. (I'm with gingerwine's comment on this one)I love that painted console table..how the hell did you get that up the stairs by yourself!
Our house permanently looks like a bombs hit it..unless I know we're having visitors, heaven help the unexpected guest, they may even find a stray chicken behind our doors!

ps thanks for your messages on my blog of doom!x

Curlew Country said...

I'm on the phone to 25 Beautiful Homes right now! Even if it were in a total mess it'd knock spots off our place Julia. I'd even take the manky toilet for a bathroom as fab as yours. Gorgeous home but I'm amazed you didn't kill yourself moving your console table. Lovley colour but crikey it's huge!

I loved this post, thanks for sharing your lovely home. Hope the marathon breakfast challenge is going well.
Stephx

Lucy Bloom said...

It looks just great - hope your guests appreciate your hard work. Great idea to hide the mess behind doors - I'm thinking I need more doors in my house!
Lucy x

Jacoline said...

What a great place. And I think a bit of a mess makes it a real HOME!!! I love your pictures.

Taryn Zerner said...

Oh my! You're home is simply gorgeous! Everything is just perfect.
Good job well done on everything!

Love,
Taryn

JacquiMcR said...

If you have any spare time, energy or inclination you can come over to me as the dust seems to be breeding. Things were looking okay until the sun shone through the french windows and "highlighted" the mess. Have a great weekend - jacqui x

Tilly Rose said...

I have to say Julia that one of the main things that I love about your blog is that to me it is very very real. I spend a stupid amount of hours, when I really should be iroing, looking at others daily bloglife and I wonder how these people have such tidy house and still find time to be creative.....well at least you are hnest enough to admit that, your beautiful house, if not always 'beautiful' but lived in ...well done you.... a real blogger not a staged blogger !!!!!

xxx thankyou, you make me feel not such a failiuar....not sure if thats how u spell that but u know what i mean....

Anonymous said...

i really like your house. I like it even more for not being perfect in every corner. Perfection is boring.

The Vintage Kitten said...

Your home is beautiful!

gayle said...

I know that lovely feeling of 'clear brain'. I tidied two cupboards in the last couple of days, and just a quick peek every now and again is so satisfying. I love your house!

Phillippa said...

Love your lounge, it proves to me you can be have nice storage without losing the charh of a room and I have just bought a dressing table like your bedroom one lucky me! its about the only piece of furniture I have-but I'd love my house to look like yours,when it grows up!

Garden Girl said...

Wow, it all looks fabulous! hope you survived Race Week, it always brings such a great atmosphere to the town, doesn't it?
Hopefully catch up soon x

onegoldensun said...

Great pictures, I love how you captured that elusive sunlight.

nikinpos said...

Wanna see my bathroom and then have a rethink? The decorators favoured dark olive green tiles, small pokey frosted window and narrowness (so that if someone tries to squeeze past as you wash your hands they sort of ricochet between you adn the wall.
Your house is a beauty!

Sheila said...

Oh my goodness what a beautiful home. I'm doing up my house at the moment (which is so much smaller than yours),but i am now aiming for a lovely, cosy, home like yours.
x

Tvert-om-tanten said...

Hello!

Your home looks so cosy! Don't understand how you can say your bathroom is horrible, I think it looks very beautiful!

Greetings from Norway

Flo said...

Wow, your house is gorgeous, I love the bathroom!