I have been working like a crazy mad woman since being in the UK.  During the past week, I have worked six 14-18 hour days – but at least I gave myself Saturday off.  Wuh hoo. With all this work going on, I haven’t been able to get out and about much, which means no nice, interesting posts of my sightseeing exploits for my blog readers. Boo.

So, I thought I’d throw you a bone and post a little eye candy to tide you over.  No, it’s not George Clooney nekked.  I did have a rather interesting dream about Brad Pitt last night… but that’s another story.  Move aside RPattz, there’s a new boy in town.

Meet Indy. He’s my new squeeze here in ol’ blighty. Well, technically he’s not mine at all – he belongs to my brother’s family.  But who can resist his cute puppy face?  This dog is so goofy that you can’t help but smile when you see him. His tongue lolls to the side of his mouth as he bounces up to greet you. And he has limitless amounts of energy.  He runs all over my brother’s farm (attracting dirt and grime as he goes), catches all the rabbits and brings them back home as presents for his owners.

Indy is not the only cutie-pie in the family.  Meet Buckley.

Buckley is Indy’s “brother from another mother”. He is the complete opposite of Indy.  Cool. Calm.  Collected.  CLEAN. He is the perfect snuggle-up-and-cuddle type dog. And will give you as many kisses as you desire.  Even ones you don’t.

Meet Freddy, my grandparents’ dual-personality canine. This Jack Russell is the most loving dog INSIDE the house.  But when my Gramps takes him out on walkies, he’ll try to bite anything that moves.  Seriously.  Not just stray legs or hands – I’m talking moving vehicles.

So this poor little fella has to wear a muzzle when he’s out and about on the town. He couldn’t be any more different in his home environment – even when strangers come in the house, he is happy to to cuddle, have the prerequisite sniff and then hunker back down in his bed. He even has his own blanket that he covers himself with.

It’s not all boys around here.  Meet Mollie, my mum’s partially-deaf (and totally daft) dog.

Mollie is the grandmother of our UK canine family.  She is getting on in years, so it is not surprising that she is partially deaf, sleeps like a rock and snores like a freight train. Kinda like me – except the getting old part.

At least I have these bow wows to keep me company while I’m away from my own canine family.  Oh, and Rick. He’s my dawg.

Before I left the colonies USA, people asked me whether I would be able to post some photos of the places where I’m staying, so they can get an idea of what a typical English abode looks like. So, as promised to my readers out there in blogland, here is a view of the little piece of the UK in which I am currently inhabiting.  Follow me as I house crash my mum and her husband’s abode in Chepstow.

Chepstow is a town in Monmouthshire, Wales, adjoining the border with Gloucestershire, England. It is most notable for its castle, the oldest surviving stone castle in Britain (dating from 1067), and for Chepstow Racecourse which hosts the Welsh Grand National. The town is located on the west bank of the River Wye.  Adjoining villages on the eastern bank of the Wye, such as Tutshill and Sedbury, are located in England (Tutshill is where Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling grew up).

Nestled in the Chepstow countryside sits my mum’s detached 1930′s Art-Deco style home. Hidden from the main road by a leafy driveway, the home is secluded from the hustle and bustle, yet is only minutes away from the center of town.

By the front door is this cute little porch area, perfect for enjoying the front garden when the weather is fine.  The first Saturday I arrived here, my brother and sister-in-law brought my niece, Grace over to visit and all of us had a lovely brunch on the porch in the (atypically) good weather.

As you enter the house, you are immediately struck by the gorgeous stained glass window in the entry way. The afternoon sunlight really makes the colors dazzle and gives the the whole house a warm, inviting feel.

Walking through the entry way, you come to the large kitchen.  The terracotta colored floor tiles set off the modern white cabinetry. The stainless steel stove is the main appliance on display – the smaller fridge and dishwasher are hidden beneath the cabinet doors.

To the left of the kitchen  leads to the conservatory (or the “sun room” as it is known in the States). The door leading off of the conservatory is the utility area and a small half-bath. This space enjoys an abundance of natural light. Although it is a warm and welcoming area when the sun is out, I enjoy sitting out there when it is raining – nothing can beat the hypnotic drum of rain drops on the roof!

As you exit the house from the conservatory, you are greeted with this quaint patio area, that leads to the detached garage. 

Back in the house, the first door on the right of the entry way, just before the kitchen, is the spacious living room. I am not sure which feature I like the most – the fireplace or the bay window with stained glass insets.

The curved stairs lead to three bedrooms, a full bathroom and yet another stunning stained glass window. To respect privacy, I will not post any photos of the bedrooms, but rest assured that the upstairs is just as lovely as the downstairs.

So, this is where I am spending the majority of my time in the UK.  Gorgeous, I am sure you will agree.

house crashing

house crashing

The dining room light has finally arrived! Almost three months after we ordered it. I won’t post the retailer we bought it from – although the price was great, the customer service has been terrible.  There was really no good reason for why it took 12 weeks to send a light we were told would arrive in only a few weeks. But let’s not focus on the negative.  The chandelier is here and has been put up in the dining room. 

I haven’t been able to use the light yet as I still need to get some special light bulbs (the smaller kind you push in and twist a half a turn). I’m also thinking that I may have to find a way to lower the light from the ceiling. The down rods were provided with the light and are suitable for standard height ceilings.  But our 10ft ceilings make the chandelier float way above the table.  When Amy gets back from visiting the UK, I’ll see what she thinks about  lowering the chandlier over the dining room table. She’ll also be able to take more detailed pictures with our better digital camera!

Work and meetings have prevailed since landing in Blighty a week ago.  Yesterday, I decided to take a half a day off from work and spend some much needed time with my adorable 4-year-old niece, Grace. After picking her up from nursery school in Usk, I took her for a hot chocolate and a sandwich while her dad (my older brother, Sam) had his haircut.

Afterwards, we all headed over to Techniquest – a hands-on science center for children in Cardiff Bay.

Voted best science center in Europe in a recent industry survey, children (and adults!) can have loads of fun interacting with the numerous puzzles, gadgets and structures in the two-story exhibition hall.

Although the science aspect was a little beyond my 4 year old niece, Grace had a great time running around the displays, pressing all the buttons and twiddling all the gadgets. She needed help interacting with some of the displays: here, Sam was helping Grace to find her balance on the see-saw.

Sam also showed Grace how to hear her own echo by shouting into a long tube.  The museum had a number of themed zones, e.g. a “low-light” zone where the kids could play with lighting effects, and a “water” zone, where Grace had a lot of fun splashing around.  Sam showed Grace how to make the bowl sing by wetting your hands and then rubbing the bowl to make it vibrate.  I just love her look of concentration!

 

 

The second level of the center was dedicated “music” zone. Grace had fun playing on the child’s version of Dance, Dance Revolution.  Although not quite as much fun as her dad had playing on the digital drumset!

After a couple of hours playing in the science center, we decided to talk a walk along the harbor. Cardiff Bay used to be the world’s largest port for exporting coal. It experiences one of the worlds greatest tidal ranges (up to 14m) meaning that it can be inaccessible for up to 14 hours a day. A barrage was built in 1999, creating a 500 acre freshwater lake and enabling the waterfront to be developed.  Cardiff Bay is now Europe’s largest waterfront development, with leisure acivities, hotels, restaurants and pubs aplenty.

Grace wanted an ice cream, so we found a lovely shop sitting out in the bay.  The weather was very changeable (after all, it is the UK) – one minute we had glorious sunshine and blue skies, the next minute it was overcast and threatening to rain.  None of this, of course, dampened Gracie’s enthusiasm for her mint choc-chip ice cream:

It was soon about time to head back home and think about getting Grace some dinner and a rest after her busy day. Well, I don’t know about Grace having a busy day, but I know I fell asleep in the car on the way home.  I woke up and looked over to see that Grace had also nodded off during the car ride and couldn’t resist snapping one last photo:

A lovely end to a lovely day!

With Amy being away in England, one of the first projects I have tackled is switching out our thermostats. The original thermostats that were in the house were the simplest form of digital thermostat available. They had the switch to turn the fan on auto/off/on, a switch to turn it to heat/off/cool , a button to turn the temperature up, and finally a button to turn the temperature down. Where this is a step up from the old coil thermostats it still did not allow for climate control.

We’ve decided to install a digital touchscreen thermostat by Honeywell (model RTH7600B / RTH7600D) – one on each floor of the house.  This thermostat allows for programming 4 high and low temperatures for each day and 7 days a week can all be different. The ”Smart response technology” continually adjusts the heating/cooling of the house so that the home stays comfortable and is adjustable according to the programming you have set. So if you set a high temperature of 70 degrees, the Air Conditioner will automatically come on when the temperature reaches 70. If you set a low temperature of 60 degrees then the Heater will automatically kick in to make sure the temperatures stay above 60 degrees. With the backup battery the settings are always maintained even during a power outage. Plus, the digital touchscreen is a nice feature, making setup and programming simple.

These thermostats regularly sell for around $100.00 at Home Depot or Lowes. We found them on Amazon at the bargain price of $59.88. At almost half price, it is like buying one and getting one free. These thermostats should also save us money by being energy efficient.  If programmed as directed, the manufacturers claim that the thermostat will save up to 33-percent on annual heating and cooling costs (depending on the geographic region you live in and your energy usage). And it is ENERGY STAR rated in recognition of its energy saving capability.

As you read this post today, I am currently in the UK, staying at my nan’s house where there is no Internet connection.  Yes, there are still places in the world where the Internet has not invaded.  Amazing, huh? So, I’ve prepared this post in advance, so my millions of readers (!) will not miss out on their usual bit of Friday Fun. Not being at home to post an obscure renovation-based photo, I am instead posting a quick and dirty guide to common English sayings.  In America, I am often complimented by strangers on my British accent.  However, judging by the puzzled expressions I sometimes receive, there are times when I think I must be using Ket language as spoken in Central Siberia. It could be the accent, it could be the speed at which I talk … or it could be some of the English phraseology. So, here’s a quick rundown on some common English sayings and what they mean…

Bladdered – A euphemism for being drunk

Blimey – An exclamation of surprise, e.g. “cor blimey! it’s huge!”. It is corruption of the oath God Blind Me.

Bob’s your uncle – A well-used phrase added to the end of sentences to signify ”that’s it!”, e.g. giving instructions to decorate a cake, you would say slice bananas on top, add some whipped cream, another layer of banana and Bob’s your uncle!

Bugger all – If something costs bugger all, it means that it costs nothing. Meaning it is cheap. If you have bugger all, it means you have nothing.

Doddle – Something that is a doddle is a cinch, it’s easy. Unlike ordering water in America with an English accent, which is definitely not a doddle!

Faff – To faff is to dither or to procrastinate. In reading this blog post instead of working, you are faffing around.

Gobsmacked – To be amazed. Your gob is your mouth and if you smack your gob, it would be out of amazement.

Hump – If you have got the hump it means you are in a bad mood. If you are having a hump, it means you are having a bit of “how’s your father?” – an antiquated euphemism for having sex.

Kip – A short sleep, forty winks, or a snooze. You have a kip in front of the televsion on a Sunday afternoon.

Leg it – This is a way of saying run! or run for it! Usually said by kids (or drunk adults) after they have just been caught doing something naughty.

Nicked – Something that has been stolen has been nicked.

Not my cup of tea – This is a common saying that means something is not to your liking.

On about – What are you on about? means what are you talking about?

Pear shaped – If something has gone pear shaped it means it has become a disaster.

Pissed – This is a great one for misunderstanding. Getting pissed means getting drunk. It does not mean getting angry - that would be getting pissed off!

Scrummy – This is a word that would be used to describe either some food that was particularly good (and probably sweet and fattening).

Skew-whiff – Means crooked. Like when a shelf is put up and  it isn’t straight, you would say it is all skew-whiff.

Taking the mickey/Taking the piss - to make fun of someone.

Yonks -  Used to refer to a long period of time, e.g. “Blimey, I haven’t heard from you for yonks” means that they have not seen you for a long time.

Yesterday evening, I left my home in North Carolina to return to my (original) home in the UK. During my short two week visit, I will be catching up with friends and family, and attending the wedding of of my good friends, Ciara and Neil.

When in the UK, I will post as much as I can about the places I am staying. My first pit stop will be in High Wycombe where my nan and gramps live. High Wycombe is about 20 minutes away from Heathrow airport, so it will be great to visit my grandparents as soon as I touch down at the airport. I’ll be staying with my nan and gramps for a couple of days, before moving on to Chepstow in Wales, just across the border from England.

My mum and her husband live in a lovely detached house in Chepstow, complete with conservatory and stained glass windows.  My brother and sister-in-law live northwest of Chepstow in the small Welsh town of Earlswood.  They live in an amazing farmhouse which they have been working hard to renovate over the past year. With my family’s permission, I might be able to snap a few photos and post their houses on the blog – stay tuned.  At various points during my visit, I will be going to Bath, either for work meetings or to attend Ciara’s wedding.  Bath is an historic and beautiful city and I will be sure to post some photos.

During my absence from our own house renovations, I am sure Rick will keep himself busy with the hundreds of projects we have planned.  He promises me that he will take copius amounts of photos to document his progress.  He might even overcome his shyness and post his first message on the blog.  Wonders will never cease Either way, the next couple of weeks on the blog will be slightly different from the usual.  I hope you’ll come along for the ride….

…with a swarm of critters. Another project we undertook this weekend was removing all the overgrown, weed-infested bushes around the perimeter of the house. A chainsaw, a rake and a lawnmower (plus two crazy people working in the heat) were all it took to take the bushes down…

What was more interesting was the sheer amount of creepy crawlies (and other small animals) that emerged as we tore down their home. I cannot count how many large spiders we encountered….

I’m not even sure what these two bugs were. Any ideas?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 The first bug was relatively small, but the second bug was huge – about the width of Rick’s hand. At first we thought it was some kind of spider – we counted 8 legs.  But after closer inspection, it appeared as though the two longer “legs” were feelers, making it an insect of some sort.

We disturbed about a trillion of these green leaf-like bugs (can you tell I’m no entomologist?). Once we had removed their bushy abode, they took up residence all over the fascia of the house.  I am starting to understand exactly how many bugs exist out there in the world.  Did you know that there are approximately 10 quintillion insects on the planet – about 200 million insects for every human. I think about half of those insects were in our bushes…

In addition to the creepy crawlies, we found a few other surprise visitors.  Like this tiny, cobalt blue lizard:

and this adorable little frog:

Who knew that our house was a cornucopia of critters?

Don’t let this innocent face fool you. Puppy + small chihuahua teeth + insane amount of energy = chewed house. Reebs doesn’t chew the usual dog fare – shoes, bones, toys and so on.  Reebs is a true renovation dog – she likes to chew walls, wallpaper, insulation and siding. Yes, siding.

Now admittedly, the siding on the back of house by the deck wasn’t in the best of condition when we bought the house. It had already began to rot and tear away in some places.  So, in actuality, Reebs just sped the removal process along by chewing the siding off the house. And she made a good start on the underlying insulation too. Especially in the house.

When we replaced the old back door, we had to remove part of the walls, floor and subfloor to repair the rot and damage. We haven’t quite got around to covering the wall back up – so many projects, so little time yada, yada, yada. Since we moved the dog detention area from the dining room to the kitchen, Reebs has been going to town chewing on the walls.  She has completely chewed through the wall insulation from the inside, and with her siding project on the outside, she is well on her way to making her own little dog door.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So, this weekend, it was our priority to get the siding replaced. A couple of months ago, we bought some heavily discounted hardi-plank siding off Craigslist, in anticipation of this very project. So, we already had the materials and tools to hand.  The original siding came off with little problems. A few measurements, cuts and screws later, the replacement siding was up. 

It is not an exact match to the original siding, but it is a whole lot better looking than the half-chewed, half-rotting debacle that was there before. And hopefully, seeing as the new siding is hardi-plank, Reebs will not be able to chew through this stuff so easily! When in the yard, she’ll just have to amuse herself by chewing on some more bats, bugs and moles…

Congratulations to Alyssa who was the first to correctly identify this week’s object as a wine bottle cork.  As reward, you’ll have to crack open a bottle of wine (or three) in celebration of your win.  I guess I could force myself to join you – oh, the duties of managing a blog.  Yes, someone has to do it.

So, what’s a cork got to with all the house renovations going on around here? No, we’re not going on a David Hasselhoff bender to forget all our renovation woes.  We’re thinking of getting a wine cabinet to go in the recessed area in our dining room.  We have our eye on this set from World Market:  

The closest store to us is closing down, so they currently have the set at 50% off. Bargain! We’ll also have to buy some wine to go in all that storage – no point in having a wine cabinet with no wine, right?!? New wine hutch, new wine, new glasses – I see a shopping spree in our future!! Now, if only we had a fraction of the money that the “Hoff” earns, we might be able to afford all that….