The busy days of January

January is traditionally the month in which people rest, hibernate, and live slowly if they can. Staying warm and cosied-in feels like the right thing to do as we follow the rhythm of these short, dark days.

Not when you’ve still got a house build to complete, sadly. It’s been busier than ever these last few weeks.

Husband has been continuing the wiring – sockets and alarm systems. I’m sure that he feels that it’s one of those never ending tasks. But we now have some light and power in the hall and living area at last, and I can retire the candles.

The pantry is filling up as I move stores over from the caravan and discover boxes of dried goods from our previous life in London. It’s been a good opportunity to do a stocktake and check dates on things. My weekly meal plan is already incorporating the oldest items wherever possible.

We’ve also made progress with finishing the plinths in the kitchen, and filling in the edges (called the scribes, I’m told). We just need to fill and finish the skirting, choose and fit a splash-back, get some art up on the walls and some well loved things into the room to make it feel like home. It looks a bit bare right now, which is really not me.

The utility room is coming along too, with the worktop and sink in place and unit drawers and doors now in. This is going to be such a useful space for laundry, cleaning croft produce, gutting fish and making homebrew …

Inch by inch it’s becoming our home.