Sunday 27 September 2009

It's Been A While

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I had not realised how long it has been since I have made an entry. The days just seem to fly by.

So, what have we been up to? Well, we have planted masses of Pansies and Violas in tubs both in the back and front gardens. I have planted up three hanging baskets to go out at the front of the property. Filled with evergreen plants that should withstand the winter, Ivy, Curry plant, some creepers and more pansies.

Then we have had two visits about our boiler. Like our friend Joan of Joan's Musings, the boiler has to go. It is over thirty years old we have been told. Actually there is little to go wrong with the type of boiler we have, but they are the most expensive and inefficient to run. With the ever increasing gas prices, something had to be done. So, one afternoon was spent discussing with an expert, the best type of boiler for us. Then, last Friday the surveyor came to work out all the details, how much pipe work etc. Straight away there was a problem. The first chap had measured up wrongly and the new boiler is one inch too wide to go where it was intended to go so a new place had to be found and all the figures re-worked.

Eventually all was settled. The parts will all be delivered on the 19th October and work will commence at 8 a.m. the next day. I am certainly not looking forward to it. All the noise, the dust, being without hot water and heating overnight (you can bet your sweet bippy that night Mother Nature will decide to give us a frost)! The immersion tank in the airing cupboard will go (be nice to have the extra space), the old boiler ripped out, the flue dismantled and the hole in the ceiling made as good as they can. Thermostat controls off the wall which will leave a hole to be filled and that will mean re-decorating the kitchen. The water tank will go from the loft so there will be men all over this little bungalow and I am going to find it hard to find a reasonably quiet place.

It will be worth it all if we see the bills drop and will also be nice to turn on the taps and get instant hot water instead of switching on the immersion heater and having to wait an hour.

The boys are doing very well. Daniel has taken to school quickly and enjoys it. Nathan starts football club on Monday after school, so he now has a track suit and trainers. None of the family are really into sports but the boys love kicking a ball about. If Nathan does well, we could find ourselves being forced into watching football on t.v. at some point!

Yesterday the family were over. Dean worked hard trimming our trees at the bottom of the garden. He took at least six feet off each one. They grow so very fast but without them we have no privacy and all the houses at the back look straight into our lounge, which we hate.

Daniel was out there most of the time helping "Grand-dat" picked up and bag the felled branches. Nathan was in and out. Daniel, as I have mentioned before, is totally fearless. He wanted to climb the ladder and see from the top. Nathan went first but decided halfway, that he would prefer his feet firmly on the ground.


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You can tell the height because that is a house at the back and the window is the bedroom one. Please do not worry. The ladder was firmly secured and also Daddy was right behind him so he could not have fallen.

No half measures for Dan though. He climbed right to the top:-

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He was thrilled because he also found two birds' nests in different trees. He came running to show me. Old nests, one was a blackbird's by the look of it and the other was a wren's, so tiny and perfect.

Here he is with the blackbird one:-


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I have a few more photos of the boys to show you now, taken over the last few weeks. The toy Rhino is Daniel's class mascot. Each child in the class takes it home for a weekend and has to take it on "adventures". Then afterwards the adventures have to be written about with accompanying photos. By the end of the school year "Reg The Rhino" will certainly have got around.

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The weather continues very mild and sunny and that is the forecast for the next few days. Having to water the tubs every day is a bit of a chore but will be worth it for winter colour.

Well, that is about all from me. I hope life is treating you well, dear friends and readers. Until the next time.....


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24 comments:

  1. good luck with the boiler jeannette,hope all goes smoothly.great pics,,take care,love mort xxx

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  2. As always great to hear from you...the pics of the boys...they are growing so much...sending warm wishes!!!
    xoxoxox

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  3. I bet all those tubs and baskets of flowers and greenery are beautiful. Glad that you are getting a new system and can have hot water whenever you want it. Those pictures of the boys are great. Seems like Dan is very brave. I wouldn't want to go that high even if I were physically able LOL. Hugs, Helen

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  4. ALWAYS NICE TO HEAR FROM YOU JEANETTE..THOSE BOYS ARE SO PRECIOUS AND JUST GETTING SO BIG...NOT LONG TILL WE WILL BE SEEING PICS OF YOUR CHRISTMAS LIGHTS..CAN YOU BELIEVE IT??

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  5. What a pair of boys they are...great photo's thanks as always for sharing them with us. I am glad that you are having a new boiler before the winter gets to us...It will be a bit of an uphievil but will be so worth it. I opted to have a new boiler a few years ago ...to give me more room...and I have never regreted it although it does actually cost more than our old boiler which seemed to go on for ever without much attention this boiler needs serviced every year...at a cost!! but the bonus of having hot instant water is wonderful
    Much Love Sybil xx

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  6. Hopefully the benefits of a new boiler will far outweigh any inconvenience the change out causes you. Definately better to do it now than to be in the middle of winter and find the old one has died.

    How good of Dean to pitch in and help you like that! And those boys have grown so much! I can't get over it. Enjoy these golden times my friend.

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  7. I love seeing the boys and their smiles. Thanks for sharing the pictures of them today. I had just made an entry about pansys one day last week and how they make lovely fall color flowers. I see you love them too. I do not have any right now but really need to get some. Last week it was warm and threatened rain each day. Friday on my vacation day it was lovely too, but then it rained most of the rest of the weekend and I came home early today. I love being at the camper but not when it is constant rain. I can sit indoors much more comfortably at home.

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  8. Will be thinking of you next week Jeannette, we had a new boiler put in last May with all the ensuing work but instant hot water is wonderful! Before we never had enough in the tank for even a deep bath. Loved the pictures of the boys.........what an adventure for them climbing that ladder. I don;t have a head for heights so I am well impressed!
    Eileen x

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  9. Cute idea for the kids to take the rhino home for a week-end. Cute boys too. Good luck with your new boiler. We don't have a problem like that here in south texas.

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  10. Hello Jeannette,

    Its always nice coming to read your entries about your life and your family. My dad had to fight with a branch on one of the tree's in the front yard and he got on a ladder. I can't get on a ladder I am too afraid of heights. I like seeing pictures of the boys they are getting so big now. Thanks for allowing me to visit. Do take care.

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  11. your posts are always such a joy, mostly because they are about the boys. they are growing like weeds. i have a fear of heights so that ladder frightened me and i wasn't on it. lol. brave young lad he is.

    sorry about all the mess concerning the boiler. it will all be over soon. hopefully lol.

    be blessed, my friend.

    regina

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  12. Good luck with all the boiler replacement upheaval, Jeannette. It'll only be for a limit period of time, and then you'll have all the benefits :-)

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  13. I love the pictures!!! The boys are so adorable and getting so big!!!

    Good luck with your boiler work!

    be well...

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  14. I sure hope the new boiler is installed quickly and you can relax. The boys look so cute climbing the ladder and with their painted faces. Maybe you'll have a football star in the making. Yep ya better start watching football, lol.
    xoxoxoxo

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  15. Hi Jeannette, I`ve been enjoying the lovely weather too and of course I`ve spent most of it gardening too(what else!). The garden is almost ready for Winter but I`ve yet to plant some hanging baskets. I love the photos of the boys with their facea painted, children do love that don`t they? Isn`t Daniel a brave boy climbing that ladder to the top, he looks proud to have got there all by himself, even if Daddy was just behind him. You`ll love your new boiler, ours is the same type and it is so much more economical. How I remember the immersion heater and the bills that came with it.

    Love and Hugs

    Sandra xxxx

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  16. Looks like are going good for you and your family.

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  17. Hi Jeannette! I'm hoping this reaches you as it's very hit and miss with me posting comments I'm afraid! I saw your link from a remark you left on Jimmy's Journal and had to visit you and again and say 'hello'. It's lovely to see how big the boys are getting, I love seeing the photos of you all.
    Well ehre goes, I'll see if theis goes through! Pat (from the old Ramblings from Pat)

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  18. Awwww love the painted faces and so adventurous climbing up the ladder.... the boys here had a bear they brought home from school to write about it's adventures...
    Enjoy your flowers and lots of hot water soon.... :)

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  19. The boys are so big, and even more handsome!
    We had to replace our heating system last year, same issues as you. Fortuneately our nephew was able to install it, and a 1/4 of the price we were quoted. Good luck with yours

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  20. There must be something in the air about boilers lol mines due for an inspection soon. Glad you are all hail and hearty the grandsons look like they're having a grea time.

    Take care

    Yasmin
    xxx

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  21. Great pix of the little guys! I like the idea of Reg Rhino. Here they send live hamsters, etc.

    New heating systems are all the rage these days. I'm going to have a new, more efficient forced-air furnace/airconditioner system installed a week from Friday. They will redo the pipes and flues so that I can redesign the basement rooms (partition off the back as storage/bedroom/super-bath) if I want.

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  22. As always a joy to read your journal.

    Hope this finds you and Mike and family well.

    Blessings,

    ALBERTA Lori

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  23. (((Jeanette)))
    I had no idea you went through so much to get hot water. Just shows that I was taking a simple thing for granted, and I shouldn't do that :) I'm happy for you that you will be getting a new system.
    I haven't had the heart to take down the hummingbird nest---plus it's illegal to do so here in the US. I'm hoping they will come back in the spring, sometimes they do.
    The boys are so cute! Really growing up fast :)
    Take good care.

    Hugs, Gayla

    PS: Here is my updated, new blog address: http://unfussyliving.blogspot.com/

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  24. What a little daredevil...I can see he has no fear. Cute idea with taking the mascot on adventures. The photos of the boys are adorable.

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