Berit & Chris's weblog

Do It Yourself

This weekend, Chris and I drove up to London to offer Claire and Henrik our DIY/ plumbing assistance (Chris obviously more than I!). Claire and Henrik have successfully commenced their elaborate kitchen project, which promises to add real elegance to their lovely Victorian home. Needless to say, we were a little jealous – Chris because he yearns to do serious DIY and me because any building project offers the opportunity of decorating!

In the course of the weekend, Chris replaced and redirected some of the old copper piping and sorted out the water supplies. Meanwhile, having questioned Chris’s plumbing mastery and as a result being partly banned from the kitchen premises, Claire instead began constructing the kitchen units. And I served the tea. We cannot wait to see the finished result...

Moving-duty

This weekend, Chris and I were on moving-duty. Furniture had to be transported from Chris' childhood home in Cornwall prior to the sale to various places in the West Country for temporary storage with relatives. And so it was that we not only managed to visit Simon and Joy in Merryfield and Michael and Selas, but also Robyn and Martin on the farm. The latter proving a particularly lovely visit as Robyn and Martin are currently looking after two adorable Beagle puppies. When we left the farm on Sunday morning, we also caught a rare glimpse of newborn twin calves in the field, which made me seriously rethink life in the city. However, for some reason, I can't seem to convince Chris that I am ready for country living...

The Peak District

On Saturday, we attended the wedding of Rachel and Andrew in Bolsterstone near Sheffield. The happy couple both looked stunning, and the alternative wedding march and charismatic priest added a special charm to the occasion. The ceremony itself took place in a beautiful village church from which we enjoyed a fantastic view over the surrounding countryside and villages despite heavy clouds looming overheads. It was, nevertheless, a somewhat chilly autumn afternoon, and we were all grateful for the fact that the reception took place at the Village Hall just a few steps away.

After a lovely evening, we headed for a nearby village Inn for the night. The next morning, and following Christopher's recommendation, we headed for the nearby Peak District and the village of Chapelton located amidst a spectacular landscape. The Peak District is an amazing mixture of green mountains, moor land and lakes, and seemed to be a favourite motor cycle destination. Unfortunately, we only had time for brunch before heading back down to Bristol. However, we plan to return.

Wanted: cheap cottage in the country

With both of us working, we decided to browse the housing market north and south of Bristol yesterday. First, we took Kylie to the countryside town of Dursley, half an hour north of Bristol, to look at a small cottage on a hill. Unable to locate the advertised "garden" however (a few strands of grass and three patio tiles surely does not qualify as a garden?!), we tried our luck south of Bristol. By this time, we were damp and cold from the wet bike ride, so we left our details with a few agents and escaped the weather at Nan’s for a cup of tea.

Ideally, we are looking for an affordable character cottage in the countryside with garden and garage, and within commutable distance to Bristol. Unfortunately, so is the rest of Avon and Somerset! So, realistically, we might have to settle for less!! And Bristol itself is looking more and more unlikely with house prices still unreasonable high despite a stagnant market.