I have a younger relative who is hoping to a stone built conversion.  It’s all jolly exciting, if a tad nerve wracking.  There are so many stages to deal with before you know you’ve secured that mortgage and then you have to satisfy yourself that you’re doing the right thing!  Windows and doors are not…

I have been on one of those heritage trails during my summer hols.  Visiting as many of the local historic houses as I can cram in during a sorti.  Obviously the choice of cottage location is governed entirely by the number and opening hours of the properties in any given area.   Once installed in my…

Sitting looking out into my garden, watching the birds, a noisy squawking show with starlings bickering with blackbirds and magpies swooping in to add an extra noise and excitement to the mix!  Once this lot have moved off, the little birds, finches, sparrows and a chaffinch, all come back to take up positions on the…

Ah now the summer sun is streaming in through every window and patio door, I realise that one or two are beginning to show their age.  The double glazing is excellent but of course, over the years the quality deteriorates and the  seals between the frames perishes in the sun.  This has happened on one…

One of the things we take for granted these days are modern well fitting doors and windows.  When anyone buys a house now, the first thing that happens seems to be the replacement of the windows and doors.  The once ‘must have’ patio door is now very often replaced entirely with a wide bi fold…

I had occasion recently to visit one of the houses that my parents bought many years ago.  I was catching up with some friends who just happened to buy a house in the same village.   Anyway, when I mentioned that I’d lived nearby for several years of my youth, it turns out they know the…

There is something truly memserising about watching a lot of birds in the late winter time, when it is just beginning to stop being stormy, wet and cold all the time.  When that glimmer of light stays a bit longer, the days seems a degree or two warmer than last week.  The birds and other…

The time for spring cleaning is nearly upon us.  The winter has come full on, lots of snow and cold winds.  Rain aplenty.  This brings so much grime and slushy mess that it makes everything seek impossible to clean up.  Looking out of the windows you realise that there is a new year of surprises…

When we enjoy our summer holidays, out to the country or over to some sunny spot, there’s never a moment spent wondering about the winter time coming up in a few short weeks.   Life is very positive – we have the warmth, glorious unending sunshine, and a general feeling that all’s well with our little…

On any of the home style tv programmes and in the many property improvement magazines about in the shops today, there are sections on opening up our lounge / kitchen  dining room.  The reasons are generally to let in more light and to make more space for the family.  Quite often in an older style…