Between taking possession of 14, Murton View, Appleby, and having a ‘Mini Moving Day’ we attended to a few jobs:

Carol got down to painting the skirting board in the bedroom

And then in the conservatory:  

  How’s that,then?

Meanwhile, SKT tries to get information from British Gas about electricity supply and the possibility of having the gas connected. (That cardigan’s famous!)

Newly-washed curtains are re-hung in the living room:

 Saturday 25th June  The ‘team’ arrived on Friday (Chris first, who made his own way to Murton View from Appleby station and frightened me by appearing at the back gate while I was mowing the grass! Followed later by Rachel and Dan, who went straight to Bolton (Garth View)), where everyone was treated to a traditional Cumbrian Supper.

At 9am on Saturday Carol drove me to nearby Temple Sowerby to collect the van for the day – a nearly-new Fiat ‘transit equivalent’:

The van is parked up and ready: 

The team get organised:

Chris tries to understand the list of what’s to go and what’s to stay:

Nice one of Skippy! (The cat)

Rachel hard at it in the van:

(She was, really!)

Chris, you’d do better if you could see where you were going!

Yes, that way!

Put it away! – That might have been a nice photo.

First run to Appleby – ” ‘scuse me, Officer, have you seen Murton?”

That stool looks like hard work for two!

“So I’m doing this washing machine on my own, am I?”

Back at Garth View, Dan has dismantled the bunk and brought it downstairs:

Lunch is prepared:

Thanks, Carol!

And enjoyed al fresco (The weather remained helpfully dry, but not too hot – the heat came next day.)

Chris had to be at Appleby station by 3pm – but why take his picture when there’s a chuffer to snap?

While Dad was at the station, Rachel and Dan had the bunk to deal with; before:

And after:

Take a break! – View Murton; where IS it, exactly?

Things are taking shape – there’s a desk and display shelves against the wall between the kitchen and the bedroom:

And a dining suite instead of boxes under the window  in the living room! Where did THAT come from? (A new neighbour in Bolton, actually.)

 

REAL furniture has replaced the picnic set in the conservatory (not a matching conservatory suite, but never mind!): 

Back at Garth View, suposedly ‘decluttered’ by this process, things seem to look worse than ever!

Although we haven’t seen much of that panelling since the day I ‘discovered’ it:

We ‘christened’ the flat (again) with some bubbles from Limoux, followed by a Chinese take-away from just down the road, but we came back to Garth View to sleep, having returned the van. Rachel and Dan left early Sunday morning.

So thanks to the team, without whom we’d have struggled, thanks to Michelle and Sean for ‘sparing’ their husband / fiancee, and thanks to new arrivals, Malc and Kathy, for the dining suite and the washing machine. 

We’re going to put in a new kitchen, and we’re trying to find out how much it would cost to have gas installed – gas is there at the property, but it’s never been connected. We had a ‘surprise’ viewing of Garth View just before going to Appleby on Friday afternoon to meet Chris (and cut the grass) – a couple were walking by as we were getting in the car and they seemed to be taking an interest. We weren’t prepared for a ‘showing’ but we weren’t going to miss an opportunity, either, so we gave them a quick tour. You never know …. 

 

Tuesday 14th June: We treated ourselves to a day out with Harry, since the weather was forecast to be fine. First I had to see the doctor to check that all was well after the operation three weeks ago on the soft palate; still inflamed, he said, but healing OK. It’s certainly feeling better.

Then we picknicked at Legburthwaite (Southern end of St. John’s) and drove on to Coniston, intending to ride – or sail – on the Gondola, the restored steam yacht, which Carol had never done. We nearly boarded one of the ‘ordinary’ launches by mistake, which really would not have been the same experience!  (See further pictures, especially the interior, here: http://www.visitcumbria.com/amb/coniston-steam-yacht-gondola.htm  )      

The sky and the lake were beautifully blue, at least to begin with, as we chugged past Coniston Hall, where Rachel and I first experienced camping, and then across to Brantwood, the one-time home of John Ruskin.

There were several smaller steamboats out on the lake, making the most of the weather.

Fly the flag!

After the excursion we allowed ourselves ‘Kaffee und Kuchen’ at the Bluebird Cafe (as you do – at least it wasn’t Sk*****th!)

Thursday 16th June: At last the welcome news that the purchase of 14 Murton View had been completed. (Of course, an offer to buy Garth View would be even better news!) Into Penrith to collect the keys, and then to Appleby to inspect. It’s been left nicely clean and fresh, and we celebrated our possession with a few ‘bubbles’, sitting on picnic furniture in the conservatory and still wondering where Murton is!            

 A6 SKT occupies the allocated parking space.    

The large sycamore tree is just outside our property; apparently, it’s listed so must be treated with respect, but potentially threatening branches have been removed.  

Carol makes some notes in the empty living room.   

The kitchen units – make do or complete re-fit?