Never Done? Christmas Coming?

Honestly it is a very small condo, but it seems harder to fix up than a McMansion House!

Yup Christmas decorations
already out at local shops!

Well here we are in mid-October and life-sized me and hubby were reduced to tears this morning after an email 10 minutes (yes really 10 minutes) before our final inspection cancelling the appointment.  The email came from our general contractor who needs to be present but instead has gone out of state!  The final inspection is done by the city on the building work on our condo.  So another sidelined day, with plans thrown off track in terms of unpacking, decorating and making forward commitments.

This followed on from discovering our two-line Internet phone and our high speed Internet Ethernet didn't work.  One was due to not wiring it up correctly, so easily fixed. But the other is down to a pinched wire that has broken the connection.  To get the connection where we need it, it was wired from the entry point of the cable to the other of the room under the carpet.  So up came the newly laid living room carpet (which the Ethernet man claimed was not laid correctly - amazing how each trade denigrates the others).  He cannot fix it and is coming back in 10 days time . . . so delay the delivery of the new glass work table which is so heavy that once it is in it will be almost impossible to move -- and it will sit right in front of the Ethernet connection.

Well, the semi-good news - our 2nd bath toilet is straighter and no longer hovering above the floor as

it has been grouted in (never seen this before - live and learn?) and boxed in to the wall. The claim is it cannot be tight against the wall because of the rear-flush pipework which protrudes as "the wall isn't thick enough!!" Never mind the toilet tank itself stands 3.5 inches proud of the wall!  At least in some lights the toilet appears to match the bath.

Personally life sized me is finding this all a bit strange (and more than a bit wearing on mind, body and soul).  Nothing catastrophic, just a slow grinding down of the dream we had for a lovely condo on the beach and a more relaxed lifestyle.  But this is Florida . . .  and it just is how it is!

At long out comes that new sewing machine as a bit of distraction. Mini me even got it out onto the balcony the other day.


So off to the craft group I have started at the church.  Six of us for our first meeting which, as I am new, isn't bad.  We made necklaces and then each did a spot of our own thing (needlepoint candy kiss holders, Christmas candy tree, paper bows).  Hope to find some kindred quilters as am very much missing London and my QQ friends!

Just to round things off - our external walkways are being deep power cleaned, so we have been told to take out all our screens to protect them - without bug protection this blocks what is otherwise a lovely Gulf breeze just as

No it isn't raining - it is cleaning

the humidity has dropped to a tolerable level. Cleaning has now been going on for over a week and they aren't even 1/3 done (and hence not anywhere near my windows yet).  One day this condo will actually be mine to live in as I please and I might get my life back instead of chasing tradesmen (note they are all men)!  Just which year, I am not sure. :-)

Only one thing for it ---- back to the beach!!  Thanks for listening.

PS Just received a Sunday Times in the mail - will be great to catch up on all the UK news (but amazing how much it costs to post!).

Imagine pedal kayak with these pelicans overhead

doesn't quite fit with this Christmas image at 80 degrees F!!