We are in the midst of refurbishment. We have new, gorgeous, walnut floors in the two main rooms downstairs and in the hall. Our hall has been stripped and the walls have been lined in preparation for painting. We are trying to decide on colour and fabrics for curtains and stuff like that. We are trying to get this all sorted before the 18th of next month, and we probably will.

My contribution to all this is minimal. I use my colour-blindness to duck out of discussions about paint colour and make encouraging noises a lot. I'm the archiver, taking loads of before pictures for posterity. I even stitch them together for a full panoramic view.

There are problems with that shot, but it'll do. The carpet has come up and the new floor is down. All those curtains are gone, never to return, and we're having window seats made for the two front windows. This room will eventually be the room that we can't decide what to call. It'll be the main activity room; TV, piano, kids toys, all that stuff. It's the nicest room in the house (I think) primarily because it's the brightest.

The other main room we can't decide what to call either. Living room, drawing room, front room, I dunno. Room with comfy couches and big fire. Room with the big bookcase.

We're going to get more shelves for that and fill it with every book in the house.

Of course all this means that everything from those rooms is crammed into rooms that aren't being decorated. We're living in one third of the bottom floor with all of the stuff jammed into every corner. So we eat breakfast off the piano and can't find room for all the chairs.

Some people have started a 50 book challenge.  Read 50 books in 2004 and you are great! It's do-able I think, but I don't count audio books, so I'm behind already. I'm nearly finished my fourth book (should be by tonight) which means that I'm one and a quarter books behind. If I counted audio books I'd be a book ahead!

Next up in the dead tree category: The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay.

And because I don't have cats, here's a picture of Paddy.