Waiting for the Certificate of Occupancy

So, no new photos (mainly because I forgot to take my phone with me on the final walk-through). However, they will come soon enough.

Gail and I checked the house over yesterday, marking all the scratches and marks on the wall, making sure that all the power points are in, checking the finish in all the rooms, opening and closing all the cupboards, running the dishwasher to make sure it doesn't leak, plugging a hair dryer into every single power point, and turning on all the heating devices. Great fun.

Both Tim and Tom were there, watching carefully, and Murray the blind man installed the new blinds in the bedrooms.

There are a few things that have yet to be completed, including a spyhole in the front door (because I don't want a screen door to get in the way of the splendid red paint, and Gail doesn't want to have to unlock the door before she knows who is out there).

However, these things are all very minor.

The landscapers are running a few days late, because of the rain. That's not a bad thing, though, because we don't want the plants to go in while we are still getting frosts. That would just be foolish!

We have a fence still to be built, on Mr Ghasemi's side, the gates have to be installed, and Tim is building a step and a slatted screen at the front, on which the mailbox and the house numbers will be mounted.

Once we are in and unpacked (which we hope will be before the end of August), we will count our pennies and see how much work we can afford to get done at the back of the house - perhaps some paving, and the erection of the shed. There might just be enough if we count the coins that have slid down behind the cushions on the sofa.

Here's one photo I took just after the builder's fences were removed last week.

I hope Mr Ghasemi builds a small house, because Scott's house (on the left) is very, very close. On the positive side, our fences are high, and we will have a lovely secret garden to hide in. Eventually, I want to plant things right out onto the public footpath, too.

You can just see Gail's car in the garage ... you will note that she has snaffled the spot closest to the front door ... not that I am measuring or anything.