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Saturday 11 March 2017

THE JOYS OF OLD AGE !!!! ..........


As one gets older, it's not just your body going south and deteriorating that you have to worry about ..... it's your house !! 


When you are young you have a whole new bathroom or  kitchen ..... when you get older, everything starts to give up and look tired. The whole room doesn't need doing so you have to find someone to do all of the little things that need doing .....

AND NO - ONE WANTS TO DO IT !!!!!



We have had at least three plumbers come round, telling us that they can do everything that we ask and then we've never heard from them again !!! ..... and, it's not us, it's the job. I'm sure that they get a call for a bigger job and, being more lucrative, they take that job and we get forgotten !! 

I don't want to tempt fate 

BUT


I think we might have found one { famous last words !! }
He has fixed our hot water that gave up the ghost, got the radiator in one of our bedrooms working that no other plumber has managed to do, he has put back the shower door that fell of a week after he fixed the hot water and, he reckons he can do all of the other plumbing jobs that we've asked him to do !!!



HURRAH !!!!!


Do you have this trouble or is it just us ?!!



image 1: via sister celluloid, image 2: via apartment therapy, image 3: via love french bulldogs, image 4: via love with a proper stranger 



Jackie

53 comments:

  1. Yes we do. We have a door handle in the kitchen coming loose. We get solutions for putting in a something that the handle can purchase on inside the door but then no one quotes. BTW I'm off to John Soans museum today. I will blog on it next week and mention yours. Thank you for highlighting it .

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    1. It's so hard to find someone to do all those jobs that we can't do isn't it Anna ? Hope you enjoyed Sir John Soanes house .... I'll be over to hear of your experience there. XXXX

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  2. Yep...we are in the same club. People come and look and give us quotes and then disappear......I wish we were handy sorts and could fix our own house.

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    1. It's good to know that we aren't the only ones Libby !!! We can do quite a lot but not the specialised things. XXXX

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  3. Yep...we are in the same club. People come and look and give us quotes and then disappear......I wish we were handy sorts and could fix our own house.

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  4. No problems here. Norfolk, the home of the self-employed, teeming with them. But I have got a bad knee.

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    1. Sorry that your knee is still giving you gip Rachel .... is it no better at all ?
      Sounds as if Norfolk home owners are luckier than Hertfordshire ones !!! XXXX

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    2. Knee is better but will suddenly without warning hurt a lot and I cant put weight on it.

      My 'man' comes from Hertfordshire - he moved up here 25 years ago!

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    3. Haha !!!! .....tell him I need him back !! XXXX

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  5. Ever heard Peter Sellers's initian rites into the Ancient and Royal Order of Plumbers?

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    1. I don't think that I have Tom ..... I will seek it out !!! XXXX

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  6. Oh my, yes indeed . . .
    And I think SPRING has something to do with it . . .
    Light is brighter . . . everything looks, sounds, acts like it needs fixin' . . .
    Our plumbing, plumber "probs" happened Christmas week . .
    If that wasn't a bunch of joy . . .
    One more complaint . . . day light savings . . . do you have it . . .
    and why do we . . .
    Daffodowndillyies are bloomin' in the snow . . .
    Yellow brings me smiles . . .
    (Hope your plumber guy stays around . . . )

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    1. It seems that it happens everywhere Lynne ..... lovely signs of Spring here too . XXXX

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  7. Hold on to him for dear life!
    Two weeks ago a plumber told me he was coming round tomorrow. And?

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    1. I always think that we are the only ones it happens to Jessica ..... looks like it's universal !!! XXXX

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  8. Yes, it's a problem here too. I thought it only happened with us. Hope he comes through this time. Such pretty pictures.

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    1. .... you too Donna ? It's so difficult to find someone isn't it ? XXXX

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  9. Yes as I write this we have a gas engineer here trying to revive our very old boiler. He may tell us that is is too old to repair. Fingers crossed he can fix it and we can have heating and hot water!

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    1. Oh Josephine .... poor you ..... hope he fixed the boiler for you ..... new boilers are s bit on the expensive side !!! XXXX

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  10. It is not you. I am currently reworking yard and I had 5 horrible interviews with "experts" and was insulted by two of them. After much trepidation I hired 2 guys but we have yet to start. I am terrified of outcome, terrified of funds required. SOOOOOO stressful. Hang in there. Them good ole days is gone fer good!

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    1. They certainly are Z !!! I now have to work out what I want ( shower, tiles, basin etc) and get back to him ..... I hope he answers his phone !!! XXXX

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  11. Things seem to always break down in threes here!
    We are lucky to have a trusting plumber who does the work within 24 hours.
    Greetings Maria x

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    1. P.s. I love the bathroom pictures. X

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    2. Lucky you Maria ..... I'm glad that you have a reliable plumber ..... would he like a trip to the UK ?!!!! Haha. XXXX

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    3. They are lovely bathrooms aren't they Maria ? XXXX

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  12. Hello Jacqueline,

    Sounds like you have found a great guy who will taken care of all and cure all that ails. The last part might be stretching it a bit. It is the joy of living in an older home which I would not trade if I were you. Love your images and the tale you weave.
    Helen xx

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    1. I do love my home Helen but it is beginning to get shabby in places !!! We do quite a bit here but not plumbing or electrics !! Hope you are well Helen ...... are you painting a lot ? XXXX

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  13. We have been itching to re-vamp our bathroom for years. All the fittings are fine, we just want to re-tile in something lighter and more interesting. WE can't find anyone to do it.... maybe I'll have to do it myself.

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    1. The thing is, we do lots of things ourselves but there are some things that we are not good at and, to be frank, as we get older, we are not as enthusiastic as we used to be !!! For some reason, I thought you would have lots of tradesmen even though you are quite rural. So it's the same in France ? XXXX

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  14. Hello Jackie, We used to have your problem but touching wood, we have found a dream of a plumber (recommended by friends) who has been absolutely brilliant over the last few months, having tired so hard to get our old boiler and system working, putting in hours above and beyond, we finally said enough is enough and he has replaced the whole system, single handedly, working long hours so that we would have heating and hot water, and what's more he did not charge us for some of the previous work he did because he could not resurrect the old boiler - what a gem? I truly hope you have found someone similar. Regards Sue H xx

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    1. That's brilliant Sue ..... keep hold of him !!! XXXX

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  15. Hope you get all your other jobs done. I have just done a post about old age :-( and... my shower room is looking decidedly old!

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    1. It's not always fun is it Polly !!! I'd get cracking now if you need a plumber for your shower room ... it's taken us ages to find one. XXXX

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  16. We used to have that sort of trouble all the time,and worse.
    I vowed not to buy another house and not be responsible for all the constant repairs houses need. I am living in a new townhouse ... I miss having a private home :)
    It is such good luck to find honest good workers who will not make things worse :)

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    1. I don't think that we have ever found anyone who we can rely on ... perhaps we don't try hard enough !!! XXXX

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  17. I MARRIED A MAN WHO CAN DO IT ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    BUT WILL HE...........?!!!!!!!!
    HE thinks it is fine and I SAY CHANGE IT!!!!!!!
    XX

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    1. Haha !!! That always seems to be the way Elizabeth !!! XXXX

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  18. I think about 15 Years later...we have the same trouble too...hihihihihi......lovely week take care enjoy spring love love love Ria x ❤️

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    1. At least it's good to know that we aren't the only ones Ria ... love, love, love back !!! ♥

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  19. Glad you managed to find someone who could do the work. Yes, it can be a fraught business finding someone who's prepared to do the little jobs rather than the big lucrative ones. Luckily everything in our house is in good order. The previous owners kept everything well maintained and they built a brand new extension a few years before we bought the house. Our only serious problem was a roof leak which we could only fix by demolishing the chimney!

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    1. Our home isn't too bad but things do need updating sometimes don't they Nick ?! We do lots ourselves but not electrics or plumbing and electricians and plumbers seem rather elusive in our neck of the woods !!! XXXX

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  20. Hello Jackie!
    Although the husband can fix most things, there are certain jobs that we need to find someone else to do. *knock on wood* that we haven't had to find someone else recently. Glad to hear that you found someone reliable!!!! xoxox

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    1. Hi Carol .... well, I THINK that I've found someone !!! I'm about to ring him to sort out our bathrooms .... let's hope he answers his phone !!! XXXX

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  21. En Belgique, il n'y a pas assez de plombiers et ils vont d'abord où ils gagnent le plus d'argent, ils ont perdu la fidélité envers leurs clients
    et c'est dommage. En Serbie, dans notre maison, pas de problème de plombier, ils gardent leurs clientèle même quand il s'agit de petits travaux.
    Cordialement :)

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    1. Vous êtes chanceux en Serbie Nadezda ... et, nous pouvons être chanceux car nous avons beaucoup de plombiers d'Europe orientale, les électriciens etc. Qui sont des ouvriers brillants et font un travail vraiment bon. La partie difficile est de trouver un !!! XXXX

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  22. It is very difficult in Berlin to get plumbers & Co: the big building site everywhere give them work for a long time.
    Ever read: "Dulcie Donum's Bad Housekeeping" by Sue Limb? Hilarious. A good antidote.

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    1. Seems like it's a worldwide problem Britta !!! I shall seek out Sue Limb's book and read it while I wait for the plumber !! XXXX

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  23. Guess what Jackie - as I type I hear a nice young man downstairs in the master bathroom fixing my walk-in shower problems - removing all grout from the tiled walls and floor and hopefully doing a great job replacing it all, sealing it against the mildew problems, and making all look like new again!!! Sad thing is someone else did similar work just one year ago, charged an arm and a leg, and it was awful within a couple of months - I cried. This company is charging a lot too but I feel so much more comfortable with them (a husband & wife business, highly recommended) so am not planning to cry after writing yet another big check later today, haha!
    Then we have hired a company for April to remove wallpaper, renovate the ceiling, paint everything. . . . . then another company to install new vanity top with integrated wash basin, and finally a new set of glass doors for the shower. If all this works out - and everyone shows up - I will be a happy camper!!!
    It's so hard to find good people to work in one's home - and when you do life is so much better.
    Mary x

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  24. Send them all over here Mary .... PLEASE !!!
    Can we see 'after' photos ...... I would love to see them even though it will make me envious !! Haha. XXXX

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  25. haha you're so funny! But yes, I'm always amazed how the older I get, other things seem to start falling apart. Oh dear me. Our loo seat and kitchen faucet are in much need of replacing. Hopefully this week, no later than next week. Good luck on your repairs!!! :) xo

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