Love it. Should have done it six feet tall so you didn’t have to see the miserable old sod next door.
Ha! Yes but trying to be ‘neighbourly’ as mentioned previously. I only used my Worx 18v hand drill for the wall. His wife came out and said the whole house was shaking! I put 10 uprights in, so 10 holes in total! Each getting further away from the house. Oh well, its done now, it is his wall, I just hope he doesn’t start complaining, I do not like confrontation
Barrie
Perhaps if he looked after his property a bit more like you do Barrie, you wouldn’t have had to the job in the first place .
He sounds a misery next door Barrie
My morning going into the afternoon. Drove MX-5 out of the garage with the intention of a light wash down just to remove the dust and put more air in the tyres, then get it covered up back in the garage.
Before doing that remove all garden tools to the shed and cut some large panes of glass I have saved from window replacement earlier in the year.
Started the glass cutting first then out pops my neighbour with a box in his hand. If he sees me out he comes round for a chat. So this time he’s having trouble sending an Amazon parcel back, can’t get the return label printed. Me and Mrs A tried to print his label but we had printer problems then he wanted me to help with his grandsons Christmas present, he bought him a bike.
He coughs and splutters a great deal, sinus problems but I get worried with all this virus stuff so I took the bike away from his place to sort it at mine.
We sorted his label out eventually, that in itself took ages, now I’ve ended up with a kids bike in my garage to keep safe until Christmas.
Car put back in the garage, not much achieved for myself, I’ll have another go again tomorrow at it all, hopefully.
What a day!
That’s only half the story…
He’s got an iPad that he hardly knows how to use, a cracked iPhone that he doesn’t know how to send texts ( he asked me what a text is a few months ago)
The Chinese lady at the newspaper shop where he took the parcel back to be returned told him he needed a pin. He told me she said I want a pin, turns out he needed a print (of the label to stick on the parcel) reminded me of that sketch Benny Hill used to do of the Chinese chap “ah you want pin (print)”
I’m trying to social distance from him but he kept getting close to me whilst he’s telling me his woes. Bless him he’s pushing 80 yrs old, he lost his wife around 8 years ago and really feeling it now stuck at home.
Good on you and well done!
The final bit (of this particular jigsaw) got the last of the roots out of the new flower bed, planted a few new plants and put some Xmas lights on the new feather board.
Next job is illuminating the two trees in the rear garden base mounted floods with wire baskets over them, weatherproof box to contain a smart plug so they can be voice controlled and all the associated cabling to power them.
Barrie
Bowing to pressure from Mrs B, I’m relocating the hot tub to the lower garden! I’ve had to build a ‘platform’ for it to sit on though. The existing deck has fall in two directions, so the new area is built off it but level. When we got the tub, it went where the outdoor dining table was, on the upper decking. Not used it once since relocating it. So, back it will come to its original place and TBH, its more convenient nearer to the back doors The other thing that swayed it, was illuminating the trees, would have meant altering the electrical supply again! This way, one move for the tub and the electrics should see it in its more permanent location!
These were yesterday, weather wasn’t too bad, today is miserable so not got going with it

Barrie
Always on the go Barrie, send some enthusiasm my way.
Trying to get going again here but the weather as you say miserable again.
Having computer woes so given up for now. Installed the new hard drive but it’s not playing very nicely for me, useable but got a few bugs.
Whilst snooker is on the TV I’m ok (shouldn’t be sitting watching daytime TV but there you go my excuse) but at least the shopping has been done and got the ale in🍺
Thats it Mick!, essential supplies
TBH, I’m glad that it’s inclement outdoors, I can have a rest! Much as I enjoy doing these things, it does take its toll I do wonder what will happen when I get to a stage where I can’t do all these things?
Will be very frustrating i reckon.
Barrie
Not been stuck indoors too much, cleaned over the NC and covered it up, put it on SORN, battery on charge and laid up until, who knows.
Been on a couple on long walks, last one on Tuesday did for my knee again so the rest is needed. Me and the missus feeling our ages, ho the aches and pains.
I’ve been tasked with redecorating the cloakroom.
The consumer Dulux water based gloss I used gave a terrible finish on the door.
I’ve now bought the trade version for another go.
Fingers crossed…
I always use DuluxTrade gloss ,brushes on nicely and gives a lovely high gloss finish , very good paint.
I’ve given up on brushes for almost anything household bigger than touching in edging or small fiddly bits. Instead I cut a 1" diameter 4" foam mini roller sleeve (Wickes 10 pack) down to half length, because this eliminates all the brush marks. I also cheat and dip the tip of the roller directly in the pot, not used a tray in years.
This seems to work well for all flat finishes, all types of paint.
However I still use a brush where varnishing (NOT polishing) wood with visible long grain, this helps make it come alive if brushing along the grain and accentuates the “real wood” feel.
Just finishing off converting a bedroom to a sewing room for 'er indoors. Ordered the paint online from our local ‘Dulux Decorators Centre’.
Free delivery to the door and top quality paint. Trade Vinyl Matt Emulsion went on very nicely and covered well.
Having used water based eggshell paints on furniture in the past the results were really bad. No resistance to scuffing, just peeled away. B&Q only have water based versions now. This time we used Dulux Trade Satinwood which is solvent based and has come out really well.
To prepare MDF for painting I’ve found the Wickes MDF primer to be OK but they were out of stock so I ordered Dulux Trade MDF Sealer Primer. I’ll never use the Wickes stuff again. The Dulux version does a better job with one coat than the Wickes version does with two. Fast drying and leaves a great finish for painting.
I always use Leyland satin for the woodwork after a recommendation from a professional. Available at Screwfix and always seems to give a good finish.
Am also in the process of a renovation project, build complete, now in decorating mode and recently had to paint the woodwork in the hall using F&B eggshell - that also provided a very nice finish and easy to apply. Did need 2 coats though
The satinwood that we used was mixed to the same colour as the walls.
F&B do some nice colours but they certainly know how to charge. However if you particularly want a F&B colour or any other colour for that matter take a shade card to somewhere that can scan and mix custom colours. We’ve got plenty of stuff in F&B colours that aren’t F&B paint!
Another ploy we’ve used is making our own chalk paint. Plenty of methods online and the one we’ve used is any cheap emulsion and calcium carbonate powder. Simples.
this is where local charity shops can be a goldmine. One of local ones gets donations from F&B, mainly dented tins, they sell 2.5L tins for £15 and 5L tins for £20. The colours can be a bit hit and miss, but saved a fortune!
We were also luckily enough to find 6 2.5L tins of F&B Archive coloured paint in our B&Q sale aisle with missing handles reduced to £3 a tin - bought the lot.
We have also used the paint match for F&B as well for particular colours - as you say, can save a fortune
I’m keen to use water based gloss for two reasons.
The first is that oil based gloss white goes yellow really fast, so has to be done again before long.
The second is that water based paint is so much easier to deal with.
Will report back about the trade versus consumer versions.