We bought our first house “off plan” so we had some months
to wait for its completion. We happily filled in the time by excitedly planning
how we would furnish and decorate it. The house was quite small plus we had the
constraint of not much money. However we were both earning respectable salaries
and we could expect to afford things if we waited and saved.
We determined to go for a modern , bright and airy approach
which we felt suited the design with its floor to ceiling windows on the ground
floor. We didn’t have too far to look for some furniture. Terrance Conran had
set up Habitat which was the IKEA of its day with bright modern furniture.
Although not expensive it wasn’t outstandingly cheap either. We settled on white
framed chairs and sofa furnished in bright orange ( sofa and one chair) and
shocking pink (for the other chair ). To
match we had four white dining chairs upholstered in matching pink. We coveted
the Habitat circular white dining table but could not afford it and bought
something cheaper elsewhere.
The sofa was very simple with a large rectangular base
cushion on wooden slats and two wedge
shaped backs. In truth it wasn’t very comfortable. Ellen uses the sofa without the back as her
bed.
The tiny bedrooms were a problem. We wrote off to Good
Housekeeping for advice on beds with under bed storage. They suggested the
small company of Christian Sell in London which made a white bed with drawers
under. We were so impressed with Sell that we also bought a chest from them.
The bed wasn’t very robust and I had to strengthen it but it is still is use in
Martin’s holiday cottage
We were looking for storage solutions in the living room and
went for Habitat cube stores. Designed to be modular they are still in my study
as I write. In black with natural beech they were more sombre than most of our
furnishing. Rather than pay for delivery we resolved to go to the nearest store
in Manchester and transport them ourselves. By dint of setting the front seats
right forward we just got 6 into our Hillman Imp. This did mean I drove back
along the famous East Lancs road hunched over the steering wheel.
Inevitably we moved before all the furniture arrived. We
slept on a mattress for the first few weeks.
Easily the most contentious issue was carpets. Initially
this was simply resolved because we couldn’t afford any, vinyl tiles and floor
boards had to suffice. After some time we saved enough and somewhat reluctantly
went for a sober light beige twist upstairs and a light brown twist downstairs.
So as to maintain our nice new carpets we had a housewarming
before they were fitted. I had been under some ( jocular ) pressure from my
colleagues to have a housewarming. On the afternoon before a colleague enquired
what drinks I had got in for the occasion. He was appalled declaring my
provision totally inadequate. However he rose to the occasion by suggesting a
bowl of punch. I don’t recall the exact
ingredients but it started with a litre of Aristar alcohol from Unilever
stores. This was totally forbidden and I shudder even now at our temerity. It
concluded with rum essence. In making it up I misjudged how little essence was
needed. The house stank of rum but nobody seemed to mind.
In fact it was later a rather embarrassing episode when a
section manager who came complimented me on the punch and enquired as to the
recipe. I managed to change the subject and my career was saved.
Knowing that we were going to paper one wall Annette exercised her drawing
with two lovebirds ( Aah!) on that wall – giant sized floor to ceiling. This
was just for the housewarming and they were soon covered over although a
talking point on the evening.
My colleagues had bought us a housewarming present. This was
a particularly effeminate garden gnome in a rather indelicate posture. This was
an in joke as I had firmly said our resolution for the new house was no garden
gnomes.
UK economic facts
Since the referendum confidence has held up very well. The
outcome has been some reasonable economic growth. The Red tops have boasted
rather soon as Brexit hasn’t started yet. Also the growth is rather unhealthy
as it is entirely down to consumers borrowing more. There is some evidence that
consumer spending is now falling back a bit. While it is gratifying that manufacturing
exports are rising a bit this is as they should after the collapse in the
pound.
The Brexiteers could have their fantasies come true if a
free trade deal with the US emerges. It is quite apparent this will only happen
if May becomes Trump’s toady. Some Tories seem very willing.
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