Tea? (Part 2)

[Speicher]

I would like to know how sensible this is:

My mother is having a party in ten day's time to celebrate her 90th birthday. The "Lunch" part of the party is at a local Community Centre, so far so good. Yes, fairly sensible so far.

After that, relatives and her close neighbours will be returning to her house for tea and cakes etc. She has just decided, (I say "just" in that she did not mention this while I was there yesterday) that the dining room needs redecorating. She says it is too dark. In that case it has been dark for the last forty years. She bought a new light fitment for the room, yes, very good, but has put those low energy/aka low light bulbs in it.

 

[Arch]

Welcome to the 21st Century Arch
At least the snooker will make more sense now

Oh god, do I have to watch snooker now?

It's hard enough getting used to the decor in people's houses in East Enders....

Rain is set in for the afternoon here, I think. Lucky it was fine this morning.

 

[Arch]

I would like to know how sensible this is:

My mother is having a party in ten day's time to celebrate her 90th birthday. The "Lunch" part of the party is at a local Community Centre, so far so good. Yes, fairly sensible so far.

After that, relatives and her close neighbours will be returning to her house for tea and cakes etc. She has just decided, (I say "just" in that she did not mention this while I was there yesterday) that the dining room needs redecorating. She says it is too dark. In that case it has been dark for the last forty years. She bought a new light fitment for the room, yes, very good, but has put those low energy/aka low light bulbs in it.

Redecorating in 10 days is not sensible. But there might be quick fixes you could do - brighter lights, or lighter accessories (table cloth, curtains even?) If there are net cutains, take them down temporarily.

Mind you, bring in a cake with 90 candles on it, and the room will be bright enough!

And do pass on Happy Birthday from the Tea? thread....

 

[Speicher]

From experience, there is so much that can go wrong with decorating. I once started painting a ceiling, only to discover a damaged part with damp. So the relevant loose tiles needed fixing, then allow the area to dry out, and then, some considerable time later, continue decorating. She has a large cupboad with a lifetime's collection of tea services and "best" plates etc, and treasured ornaments. This will be very time-consuming to empty, move the contents and then put everything back.

I would agree with you, improve the lighting. I did not notice the room being remotely dark. That is something I would normally notice. Even pulling curtains tightly back away from the sides of the window would help. There are two short curtains, and two long curtains. It is a bay window with a door in the middle, and a window each side. Perhaps I should suggest she takes down the long curtains, just leaving the shorter ones. Her carer is there tomorrow, so could help with this.

 

[coffeejo]

Clean the windows inside and out as well. It's amazing how much difference that makes

 

[Night Train]

Add a large mirror on the wall, to reflect the light from the window, if there is space.

Very quick redecs can work if there is the intention to do it properly after the party. A pale coloured emulsion on the walls and around the furniture, to save moving it away from the walls, can brighten the room a lot. Do it a couple of days before the party and, a couple of days after, the wallpaper will be peeling itself off the walls.

 

[Arch]

Add a large mirror on the wall, to reflect the light from the window, if there is space.

Very quick redecs can work if there is the intention to do it properly after the party. A pale coloured emulsion on the walls and around the furniture, to save moving it away from the walls, can brighten the room a lot. Do it a couple of days before the party and, a couple of days after, the wallpaper will be peeling itself off the walls.

This message has been brought to you by Bodgit and Scarper, interior decorators....

Good news! I've decluttered!

I've given a pair of folding pedals away.

Well, it's a start!

 

[potsy]

This message has been brought to you by Bodgit and Scarper

I think that should be taken as red on all of NT's posts

Still raining here, was intending to go to the opticians, Argos, and also look for a new water-proof jacket today.
Instead I have sat here eating biskits and drinking tea

 

[Night Train]

I think that should be taken as red on all of NT's posts

Coming from a Ginger Tom....

 

[Speicher]

Thank you to everyone for your suggestions. Yes, good idea, clean the windows. There is a mirror in the room. I have suggested to her that she take down the long curtains either side of the door, and push the shorter curtains back. She is going to get some brighter bulbs for the light fitment in the ceiling, and put another lamp in there as well. The walls are fairly pale, with a pale green "feature" wall. The house was built some time around 1950, so the windows are not as big as in a more modern house.

It may need decorating, but ten days before a party is not the time to do that. I just thought it was me being cautious. When I am trying to decorate, I like to have plenty of time, and do the job properly.

 

[Speicher]

I think that should be taken as red on all of NT's posts

Still raining here, was intending to go to the opticians, Argos, and also look for a new water-proof jacket today.
Instead I have sat here eating biskits and drinking tea

It may be some time before I can assess whether you are making more sense. I do not think that the Opticians will sell you a waterproof jacket.

You will certainly be making a spectacle of yourself.

 

[coffeejo]

I think I see where he was going with this.

 

[Speicher]

I was thinking of making some muffins earlier. But instead, I have started to unpick the waistband on a pair of shorts, in order to make the waist about three inches narrower.


Yes, Potsy, they will then still fit me.

 

[TheDoctor]

Had you made the muffins, you wouldn't have had to reduce the waistband on the shorts!!!

I've really not got the hang of this whole 'dieting' lark.

 

[Arch]

The house was built some time around 1950, so the windows are not as big as in a more modern house.

I dunno, windows these days seem to be very poky little things.