It’s go, go, go!

The last time I wrote about paintings because I had nothing else to say as we hadn’t been visiting and (yawn) we still hadn’t taken delivery of the teal sofa. Well, now things have taken a massive turn because the sofa has arrived (hurrah and it’s not just teal it’s TEAL!) and we thought we were good to go!

Well, you know what thought did….with all this horrible weather we’ve been having, it turns out water has seeped into the roof and has been running down the chimney breast causing a damp spot to appear. Therefore, we now need a roofer and some scaffolding. Arghh. Apparently, whoever repaired it before, threw porridge at the flashings. Don’t ask, I’ve just heard it being said.

On top of this we also had an electrician visit to give us a quote for all the essential electrical stuff we need doing like upgrading the fuse box and fitting hard wired smoke detectors etc. Not one to miss an opportunity to visit the flat, I went round taking pics and registering an account with Airbnb.

After much discussion about Covid, people wanting to holiday in Scotland and wishing to book something sooner rather than later, we decided to advertise but block off the calendar until April 1st so we could get all the work done. So with much excitement, I pressed the button that made the listing public. Then it was time to sit back and wait. Well, the wait wasn’t long at all because we’ve already had someone wanting to book the flat – for 2 whole months!! It’s still up in the air as they want to visit the flat before they decide but oh my gosh! I wasn’t expecting that. The good news is, if it does happen, it means all the repairs will be paid for, which is something to raise a glass to.

HNY Fae The Fife Flat

We spent Hogmanay in the flat, obviously just the two of us. I had packed a power of drink and enough food to do us well into the next year. However, when we arrived, I realised I had left the pastry in the house so bang went the New Year’s Day steak pie I had planned. Not to worry though, as I feel it’s time for a new stew tradition…plus I think I left some Yorkshire puddings in the freezer from our last visit.

At midnight we cracked open the champagne and went out on to the balcony to toast the new year. Next door a solo guitar player was strumming through Auld Lang Syne and a few lonely fireworks were being set off across the water in Edinburgh but the normal lavish pyrotechnic display had been cancelled and replaced with online drones, which did look amazing. If you haven’t already seen them here is a link to part 1 https://youtu.be/nV4jNWZlmEU

Earlier, when we had been out for a walk with the dog, we met some locals who said normally they go to the community pub because they have singers in. Then, at midnight, they follow a piper down to the coastal path where they stand and watch the firework display across the water in Edinburgh accompanied by the bagpipes. Hopefully next year we can be part of the parade.

On New Year’s Day we went for a walk all the way along the coast to where there are some Pictish drawings inside caves. On the way we saw one mad loony dooker who had decided to strip naked and plunge himself into the Forth. Rather him than me because although the sun was out, the puddles were all frozen over.

12,000 steps later and we were back at the flat enjoying a well earned gin and tonic on the balcony watching the sunset.

• 

• 

I really must have a word with that shed owner – it’s roof doesn’t have spoil my photos 😉

Then it was time for the traditional New Year’s day stew.

Bespoke Upcycling

Before we even got the keys to the flat I had spotted a hall stand in Vintage Bespoke Designs, which is a lovely place in Auchtermuchty that upcycles furniture in a shabby chic way. Basically, if you see a piece of second hand furniture that you like you can ask for it to be upcycled however you want. It’s a great idea and stops old furniture going to landfill. Plus, doing it this way was more fun than Ikea could ever be and I now own a bespoke piece of furniture! If you drag the arrows below you can see the before and after.

Before and after

The only down side of the whole experience was that when it was delivered OH had made himself scarce so I had to help carry it up to the flat. Good job I’d had my porridge that day.

In other exciting news, we might have our very first booking. A women in a writing group I belong to was looking for an escape to help her finish the book she is working so I offered up the flat. A couple of DMs later (direct messages, Mum) and it looks like she is going to spend a long weekend in it, covid allowing, next year. I suspect she will write a best seller and the flat will get a dedication as a major contributing factor.

Of course, it’s made us realise that as well targeting the walking market we should advertise it as a writer’s retreat. You never know, soon we could have the likes of Neil Gaiman or Jo Nesbø in the flat admiring my bespoke hallstand as they type ‘The End’ on their manuscript.

So now it’s all getting a bit real and someone else is going to get to stay in the flat. Will they love it, like I do? Will they look after it as if it were their own? Yes, I’m imaging it’s going to feel a bit like when you let someone else babysit your new-born for the first time…

Weathering the Storm

I have been holidaying staying in the flat all this week, often on my own. My excuse was that we were getting a washing machine delivered on Wednesday so what was the point in going home? The upside of this was the only thing I had to buy (that we didn’t already have) was a clothes airer (because obviously I had to test the washing machine) so apart from still not having the teal couch we are good to go – if I ever let anyone else stay. Three times this week I’ve been asked when I’m selling my house…

It’s been great chilling in the flat but it feels like ever since I blogged about it being so quiet down here I have been woken every night since. One night it was a security alarm and I had to get up and check my car wasn’t the culprit. The last thing I need, as an incomer, is to wake the entire village at 4am. Funnily enough, the next day I was speaking to another incomer (and Airbnb owner) and they had the exact same thought – they too had checked their car so they could rule themselves out of the forthcoming witch-hunt (their words not mine) but it didn’t surprise me.

The alarm was one night but it has been the weather that has seen my lying awake this week. Like everyone else in Fife and Edinburgh, we experienced thundersnow(!), which I feel should always have an exclamation mark after it as if He-man himself was summoning it. As the name suggests it was very dramatic. Loud bangs echoed up and down the Forth and the bedroom lit up as the lightning cracked. When I crept out of bed to peer through the window the gardens had a smattering of snow, which being so close to the coast is pretty unusual. OH, who was 7 miles more inland, had around 3 inches (make your own jokes).

Unfortunately, the giant rabbit hutch next door took a hit and my neighbour was out first thing with bin liners and a staple gun to cover up the window that had been blown in. Of course, emergency repairs requires emergency clothes and she was out in the snow with lilac crocs, no socks, jammie bottoms and her hood up in what could easily have been her husbands anorak but I tell you, she wasn’t shy using that staple gun – those bin liners are going nowhere.

The giant rabbits’ giant rabbit hutch

Although I was woken again last night I didn’t look outside because what I was picturing were men throwing buckets of water at the flat. It was blowing an absolute hooley and the rain was stotting off the windows. Thank goodness for winter duvets and long lies.

Rabbit, rabbit

I stayed on my own in the flat last night. OH was doing outdoorsy stuff today so had to be up and away early, which meant I had the flat all to myself. It’s been great. I met two of our neighbours. Well, I should say I saw and quickly took a pic. The first pic is as I saw them. The second is the same pic zoomed in.

The opposite of Father Ted’s cows. Those ones are far away but this one is huge. Huge and faraway!

The blue house is their hutch. Yes there are two, there’s a dark grey one as well if you look at the before shot closely. They bound around the garden but suddenly become camera shy as soon as I try to capture them.

Anyway, that was yesterday. This morning I woke up naturally. I had to as there was no noise whatsoever. You don’t really notice the sounds of traffic until it’s gone. Over the years I’ve become accustomed to the clamour of an urban street. Reversing bin lorries, coughing diesel engines, car doors being slammed shut but this morning there was only silence. Maybe the odd seagull but even they waited until my eyes had opened before they started calling to one another. It was bliss. I slipped out of bed, pulled up the blind and climbed back under the covers. I then just lay and looked out the window, making sure Largo Law hadn’t been stolen during the night.

After trying out the shower, I headed into town. I had found another second hand store I could explore. Isn’t Google great? This time it was a warehouse full of too many 3 piece suites, wardrobes and tv cabinets. I wandered around and spotted a dressing table that OH might want to upcycle but nothing else really stood out. As I was leaving I noticed a table that had been set up for Christmas dinner except instead of one of each thing there was a whole dinner set in front of each chair, which I thought was a great way of displaying crockery. There were also lots of white dishes ideal for nibbles, something the flat is was missing. I picked up one of each and balancing them precariously made my way to the till, where I saw a casserole dish. It reminded me that when I had asked OH what he wanted for dinner he had initially said stew until I pointed out we only had pots and pans so I picked that up too.

Sorry Auntie Anne, I know you hate second hand stuff but I did get all of this for £3.70(!) and what’s not to like about that?

The Pier Walk

There’s a bric-a-brac store just along the road from the new flat. It has odd opening times and I have never managed to catch it open, well, until today that is, and I’ve been trying for an age. Their FB page sited their hours as 12 – 3pm. When I got there it was around half 12 and I kid you not, there was a queue outside with at least 6 people in it. They all looked freezing as they tried to hide in their coats and scarfs as the wind counted down. One woman had come prepared and had one of those large Morrison’s bags that others use for laundry, it flapped like a sail and whipped at her legs. The cars crowded the street as I inched past looking for a place to do a 3 point turn. I didn’t (couldn’t) stop because as much as I love a bargain, I wasn’t queuing in those elements . However, on my return journey 2 hours later, there were no desperate housewives and I manged to (parallel!) park outside.

The door was opened for me and I was invited into the Aladdin’s cave. It was floor to ceiling with crap but as the saying goes, “one man’s rubbish may be another’s treasure” so it’s no surprise I left with a massive, pre-loved but not enough to keep, mirror for £25, which I adore.

When I got back to the flat, OH had painted the front door post box red and it looks amazing.

After putting up the mirror, he took me on his Pier Walk, which is the regular trip he has started making with Biddy, his springer spaniel (I say his because I never walk it – I like shopping). It was a breezy late afternoon so I had my woolly hat pulled down over my ears but I couldn’t miss taking some pics on our journey. This first one was taken from the end of the pier looking west.

This was the view when I turned round.

and this one was on the walk back to the flat heading east.

And all of these pics were taken within a 5 minute walk from the flat! Yes, I do know how fortunate I am.

And yes, I think I’m falling in love…

Utter rubbish

I’ve been continuing my spending spree but instead of antiques, I’ve been buying all those objects that you completely forget are essential items until you realise you need them (a bit like underpaid key workers during a pandemic). Therefore, sieves, graters and trivets have now found a place in the flat as well as rugs, runners and doormats. And I only realised I needed them after a muddy walk around the harbour. I wasn’t complaining about the mud though – not when there are views like this en route. Honestly, I could have been in Prague…

My most recent search though has been for the humble waste paper bin. The livingroom and bedroom both need them, well I say need, what I really mean is I’m getting annoyed at having to walk to the kitchen with labels I have cut off doormats.

Now, you’d have thought that buying a bin would be an easy affair but I’ve found it particularly challenging. There are loads of little tin things with unicorns or robots that would be perfect for a child’s room. Or there are cheap uneco friendly white/black/grey moulded plastic ones – hundreds of daisies all coming together to form a rubbish bin. It’s rubbish because it’s full of holes. I could already see it with a Next sale carrier bag lining it’s innards. Then there were leather clad bins so posh you’d be scared to tarnish it with a sticky sweet wrapper and anyway, who is spending £30 on a paper bin? I was about to give up and head home when OH text me. He was needing more white silicone so I did a U-turn and headed to Homebase. Obviously, I couldn’t just go to the silicone aisle (and not just because there was a one way system in place) so there I was wandering around looking at cushions and throws when a willow waste paper bin called my name. It quite calmly pointed out it was only £2.53 in the sale. Bargain of the year! Of course I bought two immediately and then started filling them with candles that were also in the sale. Joyously, I also found reduced silicone so everyone was a winner.

It was then time to head back to spend the first night in the flat. I genuinely felt like I was on my holidays. We had wine and nibbles and cooried* up on the one couch (still waiting for the sofa bed) and watched Prime video because we couldn’t get any other channels (an aerial is now top of my shopping list) and woke up to this view from the balcony. Do we really need to make it an Airbnb and share it with others?

*tucked

A real meal deal

Sunday morning and with no packages being delivered, OH managed to have a bit of a long lie before heading out to the flat armed with some Polyfilla and a tin of paint. He’s such a handy man. Within hours of being in the flat he had fixed a kitchen cupboard and a wonky shelf that the previous occupants had probably being putting up with for years.

I spent my Sunday buying bits and bobs and wandering around charity and second hand shops taking photos of possible purchases, which is far more enjoyable than filing holes and putting up curtain poles.

As the flat is on the coast and to get to it you have to walk through an arched vennel*, the wind hurtles down it causing scarves to cover your face and glasses to be blown clean off. It’s like running a gauntlet with invisible gladiators and when you’re laden like Buckaroo, balancing various kitchen equipment whilst trying to remain fully clothed, it’s a challenge The Cube would be proud of.

When I eventually arrived at the flat, the bed had been built, the mattress had quadrupled in size and all my previous purchases were in their proper place. OH had been busy.

Knowing he’d be hungry and the kitchen resembled Mother Hubbard’s, for easiness I had bought a M&S dine in meal deal. Time to try out the cooker! I am used to a gas fan oven and hob so the shift to an all electric set up really tested my patience especially when it came to boiling the veg. The “Gastropub creamy chicken, leek and smoked bacon pie” and potato rosti cakes had been in the oven for 30 minutes and the cabbage still looked as perky as it had when I had chopped it up. It took me a while to realise that the knobs turned anti-clockwise and because, through time, the numbers had worn off, I had the water on at 1 instead of 6. Oops.

Every day is a school day, and this one felt even longer by the time the cabbage had cooked.

So our first meal in the house wasn’t just any meal but because we had both driven there, the accompanying Rioja, which comes as part of the meal deal, unfortunately had to stay in the car until we got home.

When I left I couldn’t resist taking a pic of the town clock from the balcony, all lit up and looking splendid.

p.s. Just in case you are interested the dessert was sticky toffee pudding and the deal costs £12 – the 80p cabbage was extra

*a narrow lane or passage between buildings

Shopping for fun

Yesterday morning I woke to an Amazon alert saying my packages were going to be delivered between 8 and 10.30. I read it at 7.55am. Normally this wouldn’t be a problem and I would roll down the stairs whenever the doorbell rang but because it was a bed and mattress and they were being delivered to the new house it suddenly became an issue. OH, who had got up earlier to walk the dog, poured his recently made coffee into a travel mug and headed off with a cheery wave (that last bit is a total lie – I just heard the door bang as he left).

Whilst OH sped off into the dawning day, I sat in my pjs, surfing the net and doing the fun stuff that furnishing a flat entails – shopping. I was gleefully searching for curtains, curtain poles, lampshades and lamps but the more I searched the more disheartened I got. Nothing was jumping out at me and although I was filling my basket it was half heartedly. Then the worry started to set in. Would the duck egg curtains online be more blue than green? Would a delicate lampshade survive a Hermes delivery? (other courier firms are available and advisable) Do I really need diamante finials in my life? Then the warning words for addicts started to flow through my head – when the fun stops stop.

I put down the laptop and walked away.

But then, like other addicts, I needed to take greater risks. I had to mask up and brave real shops! Within an hour I had a car full of plunder. Curtain poles, lamp shades and lamps hugged together in the boot. A bag of picnic food was on the seat next to me and there was a great big smile on my junkie face. Retail therapy for the win!

When I arrived at the new house, around 1.30pm, OH was in the bedroom surrounded by bits of wood. The bed had only just arrived. Pillows! 2 pillows had been delivered before 10am. OH didn’t look too happy but perked up a bit when I said I had brought food. And it was as we ate, the mattress arrived. It was compressed into a tightly wrapped pancake and as I read the instructions I discovered it needed a good 72 hours to plump up or at least a minimum of 24. Hmmm. I looked from the bed jigsaw to the crepe and decided in a moment of clarity that I wasn’t staying the night.

So, instead of a night with no TV, no internet, no bed and no view of the Forth, I sat at home on a comfy chair with a glass of wine and watched Strictly safe in the knowledge there would be other nights to sleepover.