I got a call from the management company for our flat yesterday morning, telling me a contractor has been chosen for the renovation of our bathroom and some other repair work. They're supposed to get in touch with me to schedule a start date within the next couple of weeks.
On one hand: Yay! A new bathroom!
On the other: This is going to be a messy process. And I wonder what it's going to be like for Olga, who's going to have to be here during all the sawing and pounding. We can close her into the living room, which is at the back of the house where she spends her time anyway, but there's still going to be a lot of noise and activity. Plus her dog-walker will have to navigate the construction zone to get her in and out each day.
Dogs are adaptable and I suppose as long as we keep the interior doors closed she might not be too disturbed. But I wish I could just snap my fingers and have all the disruption behind us.
Also, the washing machine repairman wrote me yesterday and wanted pictures of our machine, including the make and model number, as well as a video showing the problem. The problem isn't really very interesting to watch -- it's just an error code that flashes and stops the machine mid-cycle. But I made a video. I share it with you in the spirit of humor because it's so boring.
Work has been all-consuming this week, so I haven't been around the blogosphere as much as usual but rest assured that we're all still here and life goes on!
(Photos: Hampstead, last weekend.)
A remodel is a mixed bag. How long will you be without the use of your bathroom?
ReplyDeleteYou may be around for Olga if the work coincides with Easter school holidays.
ReplyDeleteOn the upside you don't have to pay for the renos. Olga will be fine. We tend to anthropomorphise our animals a bit too much. Not criticising - I do it, too!!
ReplyDeleteSurely you could have added some background music to the video! I was thinking "Age of Aquarius" by The Fifth Dimension.
ReplyDeleteI love that a repairman asked for a video of the problem!!! That's a new one.
ReplyDeleteI'm wondering if your school would let you bring Olga toward? She seems like such a sweet dog, and the kids would love having a pupper in the library. It can't hurt to ask (that's my life philosophy).
ReplyDeleteThe Russians are going to be blogging about all that racket continually coming from downstairs!
ReplyDeleteProbably more in depth than you wish to attempt but YouTube has a video of your dryer and the likely fix for an F13 error.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3y8KMCP5Ow
Good luck with the workmen. It could never be as bad as the time a few years ago when we had to have the whole of the back of the house removed and underpinning taking place as we had subsidence.
ReplyDeleteWe lived in the front of the house for weeks and it was horrendous.
But, we got over it to live another day and it seems like years ago now.
Briony
x
I can't wait to see if the Russians complain about the noise! Perhaps Olga could go to school with you! Call her a reading buddy!
ReplyDeleteWith renovation, it's all eagerness to get started, then even more eagerness to get I done with. I expect Olga will try to recruit the workmen to play with her. Why else would they be coming in?
ReplyDeleteI sort of love the video. Just the correct ratio of hypnotic repetition and then action. Too bad you couldn't set it to music.
ReplyDeleteSo I'm assuming you only have one bathroom?
Just think how happy you'll be when it's done.
I am wondering the same thing as other commenters, Can you bring Olga to work with you? That would probably be crazy, but it could be interesting for her. Or can she spend the day with friends?
ReplyDeleteI don't envy you for the construction. I would be dreading it too. The good thing is how happy you will be when it's done.
ReplyDeleteLots of support for Ukraine in your neighborhood.
Will your bathroom be completely unusable? If that's the case, then I hope it doesn't take too long. You'll need chamber pots under the bed. In the morning you can empty them out the window on the heads of passersby. I've read that chamber maids did that in Victorian times.
ReplyDeleteLove,
Janie
Lots of interesting comments on today's post! I kind of like the idea of taking Olga to work, unless that might stress her out more than just sleeping through construction noise. I'm looking forward to seeing how all this plays out!
ReplyDeleteConstruction is always a super pain and I wish Olga good luck. Could Olga go to work with you? When I had foundation work on the basement (with jackhammers pounding) I took Lizzie to Rick's for the day. We called it "camp." (Well, I called it camp; I'm not sure about her!) Still, it will be nice to have a new bathroom -- and a repaired washer.
ReplyDeleteOh do please take photos. When we were remodeling, we did not take enough pictures to document the process, and I regret that. It was a trying time. We did always have a toilet available, and we could cook in the basement.
ReplyDeleteI hate bathroom remodels for obvious reasons, here's hoping there are no delays and they finish on schedule.
ReplyDeleteIs there only one bathroom? Because if so, eeek. Any idea how long the remodel will take?
ReplyDeleteI’ve just watched the aging rom com HAMSTED
ReplyDeleteHave you seen it
love the one yellow house and the red basement apt door.
ReplyDeleteGood luck.
ReplyDeleteI love the idea of remodelling, but the reality would have me tearing my hair out. I'd have to move into pet friendly premises while it all goes on.
ReplyDeleteWhere I am currently living, maintenance and repairs are done, but full remodelling is only done when one tenant moves out so it is all done by the time a new tenant moves in.
Is your washer a combined wash/dry machine and which cycle cuts out, the wash cycle or the dry cycle?
Mitchell: We have unofficially heard something like five days, but as I told Dave, it will inevitably be longer than they say it will!
ReplyDeleteRachel: Yeah, if that happens, I think we'll take a trip somewhere!
Caro: It's true. I'm always surprised by how adaptable she is and how little she seems to mind things that I think will bother her.
YP: Ha! I'll consult with you when I score my next video. :)
Bob: I know! And I thought it was stupid but I figured I'd do it anyway.
Vivian: Unfortunately we have a strict "no dogs at work" policy. She would LOVE it, though!
Ed: Ha! I did tell Mrs. Russia yesterday that the tables were turning! Thanks for the video link. It seems like it should be a simple repair, but I'm not doing it.
Briony: Ugh! That sounds like a nightmare. I suppose we can get through anything on a temporary basis.
Debby: I have always wished I could bring Olga to school. She'd love all the attention.
Boud: Ha! She'll probably be all sniffs and waggy tail at the beginning, and then she'll ignore them.
Ms Moon: We have one full bath and a half-bath. So we will always have access to a toilet, but we only have one shower.
Robin: I don't think we have anyone to leave her with unless we take her to doggy day care. Which we might do!
Sharon: Yeah, even now quite a few people have Ukraine flags flying. Interesting that I never see Russian flags.
Janie: Ha! No, it shouldn't come to that. We have a toilet in a second half-bath so we'll always have toilet access.
Kelly: I wish I could. Sadly, it's prohibited!
Jeanie: Doggie camp! I love it!
Allison: OK, that's a good recommendation. I definitely want before-and-after shots, at least!
Jim: Here's hoping! We have two bathrooms (well, a full and a half-bath) so we won't be too "inconvenienced."
Margaret: Only one shower, but fortunately, two toilets.
John: Yes! It's a cute movie and I recognize many of the locations. Dave and I have eaten in that Italian restaurant.
Ellen: I like the way the colors along that street fit together. I feel like this is an example of a photo that my big camera would have taken better. There are details that get missed in the telescoped iPhone photo.
Catalyst: LOL! Thank you!
River: It's the dryer cycle, and I think it's toward the END of the cycle. But it's still a pain and needs to be fixed. Our place hasn't been remodeled in ages. I'd say 30 years at least.
My comment is not being published. I will keep trying.
ReplyDeleteWell I have lost 3 comments out in blog cyberspace so I will try and get this one to save.
ReplyDeleteOlga Bless Her, I hope that the noise will not stress her out. I know that we cannot leave Foxy alone. One of us is usually home with us or she gets really needy if we even open the door for anything.
You will love your new bathroom but getting it is going to be a bummer. The noise and the mess and people in and out of your home without you in it... It is un-nerving to say the least.
I am so glad that you and Dave are over covid. I lost my sense of taste and smell the last time I had it. That was October and I am just now getting my smell back. My taste came and went several times, but it is back a little more now.
Have a great week.