Yep, like some other buddies, I now have a list of Decorating jobs to be done, so its Kitchen, Bathroom, hallway or loo, take your bl**dy pick, or there’s always the garden again but shouldn’t complain really as there’s a lot worse things going on,
Tried repairing a small rust spot by the front wheel arch, started off the size of a 2 pence piece , but the paint spray area is now the size of a dinner plate, but at least trying to do something with that gets me out of the decorating.
Thank god for Netflix and my old XBOX 360, as every other TV advert is for either Gambling , funeral plans.
3 Likes
Fortunately, or maybe not we completed our decorating last year. If I tried to do it now, if needed it would be virtually impossible to source materials. B&Q went into meltdown the other day on the website whilst others are only supplying essentials, like Screwfix etc.
I asked my good lady to pick up some fence paint in a matching colour of which I’ve got a half can left over from last year. Asda stock it but have run out, I wonder why?
Resorted to going on the flat roof to patch up the felt, a few cracks appearing. I already had materials (tape and primer) bought pre lockdown but half the job done I’ve run out of tape. Never mind, the roof didn’t leak just precautionary treatment, I can wait to finish it.
So options, I’ll clean the windows inside and out for now. I’ve got some concreting to do later. A bit of banging and chiseling to remove the old stuff, that’ll have to wait until the weekend. My neighbour works nights (essential worker) so I better not disturb him with my racket.
I might just have another coffee n biscuit instead.
I did most car stuff last week which I enjoyed more than this DIY stuff.
I enjoy being retired (nearly 7 years now) but it’s telling on me now not being able to freely do stuff I could before, especially getting out in the MX-5 but more important stuff to worry about right now.
4 Likes
There are two types of people. Those who ( like my sister and husband) dashed out just pre-lockdown and stocked up with lots of decorating stuff in anticipation of having the time to get stuck in and are now manicly busy (as both key workers as well) and those ( like me) who stalled long enough to not now be able to get anything so at home not being busy at all, but with a good excuse! Same with the garden, lots to be done but our garden waste collection has been suspended and the recycling centers closed. So what can you do, I’ll just have to sit here in the sun with my cup of tea and chocy biscuit.
6 Likes
Makes you realize how easy it is to take ,what we see as small everyday things, for granted, particularly in these dangerous times.
There was a time when I would volunteer to go to B&Q ,just as an excuse to put the lid down and go for a spin in the 5, I used to do this when I had motorbikes, I’d be gone for ages, and the shop is only 15 minutes away 
, we won’t be doing that for some time.
4 Likes
Hmm, my local Wickes is still taking delivery orders, just be aware it needs to be a decent sum of money! I needed to pad out the order with a couple of tins of teak oil for when I get around to re-sealing the garden furniture.
Something to do when I’ve finished installing the last two silencers I’ve made for my domestic air circulation system
4 Likes
I/we moved the home office into the spare bedroom the other day, the furniture consisted of a computer chair, a set of seven drawers in a unit and a table top with two legs at one end, the other ends sits atop the drawer unit, forming a desk unit. Moved the printer, computer etc no issue, on to the chair, table top etc, again no issue. The drawer unit, each drawer is screwed into the runners, so I just decided to move it (and the contents) in one go. I thought I was going to have a heart attack! One flight of stairs, that’s all! Before I retired, I would have just done it, now though the spirit is willing but the body is worn out 
I feel your pain Mick!
Barrie
2 Likes
Most of the jobs that I “need” to do, both indoors and outdoors, require working from a ladder. Now being alone and elderly I have been told not to as if I fall off, which has happen in the past, nobody will be aware of it until much later. 
Old age does have have its benefits! 
3 Likes
Another groan…
My good mate has just popped round with some yeast, sourced from Tesco earlier today. Missus always bakes bread, has been doing for years. He couldn’t get any bread flour anywhere, neither could we last week or yesterday.
So got the yeast to make many loaves, only flour left for around 2 more.
But hey, we can buy ready made bread so all is not lost. But it begs the question why are so many taking to home baking now when fresh made bread is readily available?
3 Likes
'Cos homemade tastes oh so much better! 
At least that’s what we say irrespective of the reality! 
PS: I did make some bread rolls many years ago. They smelled absolutely wonderful.
Their texture was…let’s just say that paving stones would have been more edible! 
5 Likes
I need to take counsel from the previous authors I reckon, I took early retirement (57) last week (31 March) idea being to go on a diving holiday (cancelled) till mid April and then 2 road trips lined up in the 5 ND I bought as part of my retirement plan , one in a Scotland and one in the Loire Valley, both on ice.
So, instead I rather foolishly carried on at the pace of life I had when I was working and have already painted the outside windows , pressure washed the patio, relaid slabs that were “wobbly” , cleaned the conservatory inside and out, spent countless hours at the allotment with my wife and had the 5 out and done some detailing for the first time in many years (Pics uploaded on “what have you done…” thread) and also applied 2 more Coats of wax. So, I now have little to do and as others have said getting decorating materials is as challenging as finding rocking horse c*ap so I have peaked a little early into lockdown, suggestions welcomed!
Hopefully as a relatively new Member of the forum I will get the chance to meet some of you at a future rally as I have really enjoyed the advice on questions to date ( more to come ) I have posted and general friendly banter
All the best
Mark
5 Likes
Yep! I reckon you peaked much too early, remember that you’ve got the rest of your life to carry out all these “essential” tasks. To paraphrase a line from the song “Feeling groovy” -
“Slow down you move too fast, you’ve got to make the moment last”
6 Likes
This is what I keep telling my wife, that I need to slow down and pace myself 
, drink even more coffee, and consider the next job, whilst eating another early Easter Egg, which was my sons but hey, he’s on a lockdown with his girlfriend .
Materials are now a problem, I’m almost out of paint, but I’m not going out at the moment, unless its for food, I’m a Carpenter/Joiner by trade and 61 so its OK doing a certain amount of DIY but a break from the tools is also welcome,so its back to the 5 to try and sort out my dodgy body repair, or mow the lawn again.
Regarding future rallies, although I’m a fairly new member myself ( Oct 19 ) so far I haven’t made a real effort to socialize in any way with the Owners Club, as my both my wife and I have had a few health problems since I joined, but when this is all over, as you mention Mark, it would be nice to get out and about and go on a few runs etc, but in the meantime, a bit of banter lightens the mood a little.
Boz
3 Likes
Just found a recommendation for all those at a loss what to do -
“What is this life if, full of care
we have no time to stand and stare.
No time to stand beneath the boughs
and stare as long as sheep or cows.
No time to see, when woods we pass,
where squirrels hide their nuts in grass.
No time to see, in broad daylight
streams full of stars, like skies at night.
No time to turn at beauty’s glance
and watch her feet, how they can dance!
No time to wait 'til her mouth can
enrich that smile her eyes began.
A poor life this if, full of care
we have no time to stand and stare!”
“Leisure” by William Henry Davies 1871-1940
7 Likes
Very good, its easy to get carried away with the big picture, and miss all the little details, that are every bit as important, …and often taken for granted.
3 Likes
I went up into the loft just now to install those silencers. Ouch was it hot! So they can wait until it’s more overcast, or even Sunday afternoon when its meant to be raining here.
Yes, I’ve time plenty of time to stand and stare.
A famous Frenchman (I forget who) once said something like “There is nothing so fascinating as work, when someone else is doing it.”
4 Likes
I’ve got a few little DIY jobs to do around the house & garden, there’s a little bit of a backlog there due to a) lack of time & b) laziness!
I’m fortunate in that I’m still working (Key Worker) so haven’t been furloughed or made redundant, although I do have a couple of periods of leave coming up, booked many months ago - normally I’d use those for a few trips out, but not now of course.
As I already have the materials for the DIY jobs (all purchased well before the lockdown) it seems that I’ll have no excuse soon, although I’m already thinking about rationing those tasks because I don’t want to peak all at once & be left without much to do during the rest of my time off 
I did make a start last weekend when I replaced the old incandescent tubed security light on the gable end of the garage with a modern LED one - with which I’m very impressed…
Apart from the car one of my other hobbies is gardening - fortunately I ordered seeds & bedding plants online just after Christmas, the seeds arrived in early January & the plants will be dispatched later this month with more due in mid May - checked with the supplier & they’re honouring previous orders - I have plenty of other gardening supplies in stock at home too so likely that will keep me busy as well.
3 Likes
We’re trialling a new way of growing salad leaves, a few other seeds too ready to sow.
Built up a stock of these instead throwing them in the bin as apparently they don’t recycle easily.
5 Likes
Our local recycling centre is closed at the moment, so there is going to be a huge queue when it re opens, we have already accumulated a load of garden waste,grass/twigs etc, plus DIY waste, not to mention all the glass bottles, the neighbors will think we’re raving alcoholics when we walk out with that lot, plus I’m eating more, so trousers are getting tighter.
Unfortunately I think this situation will go on for a while yet.
If you have the things you need, gardening is an ideal pastime at the moment, not that I’m much of a gardener, but I can see the appeal.
4 Likes
Our neighbours were aware we are raving alcoholics before this all started so a few more don’t seem to have had any impact on their perception, albeit my wife’s Tiguans boot is half full of bottles as a secondary holding area till Tuesday when the binmen come
5 Likes