Sunday, June 02, 2024

Panels and pictures



We've had another wet, windy spell with unseasonably low temperatures. So, what's new, you ask? Sadly, I have to agree. It's getting very old news now, isn't it? The photo above shows our rain-spattered window and a new wave of clouds scudding in from the south-west. Once again, my ambitions to smarten up the boats with fresh paint are being scuppered. Since it has rained for some time almost every day since my previous post, there's simply no point. I'm seriously thinking up schemes of how to erect a huge tent over the Vereeniging and Hennie H so we can get on with things. 

That aside, I've had to release my pent-up fidgets indoors, so I embarked on the big kitchen wainscoting project (Thanks to Dale Foster for reminding me of the correct word. I'd forgotten it through lack of use). In truth, it's not such a huge project as the length of the wall is only three metres, but ideas about putting it in our living room as well have emerged, so it could well grow.

Anyway, I digress as usual. I'd ordered the wood a couple of weeks ago and it's been waiting for me to get going, so my first job was to fix battens to the wall so I could then attach the tongue-and-groove planks to them. This process took me a few days because, as usual, I didn't have the right plugs and screws for the drill bit I had. A few trips to the DIY shop in the village sorted me out, though. For some reason, the owner of the shop was convinced Koos had sent me to buy things for him and that I didn't have a clue, which floored me for a moment, but so be it. I'll show him what I've done one of these days.

The photo below is of Stage One: the battening and the tongue-and-groove planks in place. 


The next step was to finish it with a small shelf on top, a supporting length below it and a plinth (skirting board) at the bottom. Apart from a couple of screws, I used panel pins to fix them, so I hope they hold. I like panel pins because they're so discreet and you barely see them. Voilà Stage Two.
        

I really liked the look of the natural wood and was suddenly in doubt about painting it, which had always been my intention.  But after dithering for a few days, I decided paint was still the way to go. I need to sand and re-varnish the floor, which is warm-hued old pine and I felt the contrast between the new pine and the old wouldn't look good. So today, I bit the bullet and gave it a coat of primer. 



Next step: another visit to the DIY shop for paint to match my other cupboards. In South Africa and England, we called the colour Magnolia. Here in the Netherlands it's just cream, but the colour code is the same. I'm looking forward to finishing it now and getting on with renovating the floor, which has suffered from the work I've been doing and the leaky wall problems before that.

In other news, we had a village festival this weekend, which included an art fair. Koos was invited to display some of his photos and Jodie, my daughter, was also asked to show some of her art. Unfortunately, we failed to take photos at the exhibition, which I'm kicking myself for. There was some excellent work there of all sorts of art, including sculpture, jewellery, painting, photography and children's art. The picture below is of the photos Koos took along to display all laid out on our kitchen table. He has some beautiful sets among them, but they were a terrific weight. Now it's all over, we have to put them away again. 😅



The festival also held a vintage car rally and this beauty below was among them. It's a beautifully preserved Karmann Ghia, which is my favourite car ever. I had one back in the early eighties and in fact, I brought daughter two home from hospital in mine. It was a cabriolet and I absolutely loved it, so I was charmed to see this one today. Isn't it gorgeous?



And lastly, in a modest but happy development, I've finally managed to keep the promise I made to myself when I published my book about our beloved Sindy in 2020. For some years now, I've been following a group called the Oldies Club on Facebook. They focus on finding homes for senior dogs that few people want especially if the dogs have medical issues, which is often the case as they age. I've donated to their group from time to time, as I have a special fondness for oldies, and when I released Living With My Sin, I promised that any royalties I earned from the book would go to the Oldies Club. 

Well, I'm not much good at promotion, so those royalties have been painfully slow in accumulating, but two weeks ago, I checked my Amazon account and found I'd earned enough to make a significant donation to the Oldies for the constant medicines' and vets' bills they carry. It's a meagre amount in the greater scheme of things, but I was really so pleased I could send something after all this time. The Oldies Club do such good work. If you're on Facebook, look them up!


So that's it for this first post in June, allemaal. The year is speeding by, isn't it? I'm just praying we get some warm weather and sunshine before autumn strikes again in our northern hemisphere. Have a lovely week and I'll be back soon.



 

22 comments:

  1. Let's see if I am allowed to post a comment this time! Sorry about t he weather, but delighted at the donation you were able to make. Congratulations! And as for your home projects - WOW! You are amazing!

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    1. Thank you for the kind words, Steph (I presume?). I imagine you’re getting the same as we are, so I won’t grumble any more. Xx

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  2. Shirley Read-Jahn8:28 am, June 03, 2024

    I'll send you a photo of me in my 1962 Karmann Ghia T-34! I don't know how to put it on here.

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    1. Oh yes! Please do! I don’t remember how old mine was but definitely 60s as well. Thank you, Shirley!

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  3. What a lovely post. Lovely Vallypee world!!! I agree the car is a work of art, and that you were right re the wood!!!

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    1. Ah thank you, TT. I’m glad you agree about the wood. It took some days to decide, but now I’m pleased I’ve painted it. 😊

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  4. Hello Val! We are back on Kawabunga in France, almost to the Saône from the Canal entre Champagne et Bourgogne, heading to Besançon. It’s been a terrible spring here as well: rain, rain, rain! The last two days have been better. You can follow us on https://www.polarsteps.com/JanisCouvreux/11474406-summer-2024

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    1. Following you now! I hope the weather’s improved! Thank ypu for the link. That’s a great site!

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  5. I wish I had a pic of my 1968 convertible Karmann Ghia, bright red with Porsche wheels. Sigh…
    Oldtimer Don

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    1. Oh Don, you too! Was it similar to this one? BTW I sent the book a week or so ago, so hopefully you’ll receive it when you get home. Happy cruising!

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  6. I was fine until the last bit about Sindy; now I’m awash in tears. (I’m ashamed to admit I did forget you had written a book about Sindy. So now I’m off to purchase my copy, of course). I’ve been tossing about the idea of writing a story about my own Peaches, whom I do miss, mightily.
    But I digress, as well. I love your ‘wainscoting’! However, my own instincts would have not allowed me near a pail of paint and a paint brush. That being said, I always imagined magnolia as being a shade of purple…
    We are having rain here (hallelujah!) and it is very welcome.
    Sending mountains of love to you all!
    Dale xx

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    1. Ah, Dale, I am deeply sorry I prompted the tears. I would love to read your Peaches story. Please write it as it’s very cathartic. I know what you mean about the paint, but it was long considered and despite my love of natural wood, it feels the right thing to do. Sending oceans or rivers of love xxxx

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  7. Nice bit of DIY there, Val. Beautiful cars! Where can we see some of Koos' work?

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    1. Here you are, Aidan. https://www.facebook.com/koos.fernhout His page is open to all, so you can see what he does. He’s also on Flickr at https://flickr.com/photos/fernhout.

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  8. Hi Val, another lovely blog and I do like your woodwork. It’s gorgeous. 😁💕

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    1. Thank you, Lorraine, I’m glad you enjoyed it. I like playing at woodworking!

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  9. You're DIY skills are very impressive Val, I think painting the boards was the better option. Lovely opening photo with a sky to rival ours in Lincolnshire, I can't say I'm familiar with the Karnan car but it looks very sleek
    I'm afraid Popcorn has been poorly and spent the bank holiday at the vet's. After bloodtests & scans they found he has Addisons Desease, a condition that causes imbalances in the blood and production of hormones. He'll need monthly injections plus daily pills for the rest of his life and the vet says he should live to his full potential. He's home again now and after his start on the medication the difference is amazing, the old Popcorn is back again, thank goodness.
    It reminds ne of the worrying time you had with Zoe.
    Take care, David.

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    1. Oh David, poor Popcorn and you! But thank goodness the Addison’s disease was diagnosed quickly. And even more that he has perked up so quickly. How worrying for you! It must have been alarming before you discovered the problem. My old Sindy was on medication all her life for hypothyroidism, as well as arthritis (from the age of one year old) and anxiety, so I know what it means to have a dog with a chronic condition. Zoe has allergies, which also mean ongoing medication, but they aren’t life threatening, thankfully. Thinking of you both.

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  10. Oh, Val. This is such a great post here. First your handiwork is remarkable. You are multi-talented as you well know. I loved the art show photos, and lastly, I had a colleague who drove a Karmann Ghia. That's truly a blast from the past!

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    1. Thank you, Lynn. I’m pleased you like my wainscoting. 😊 The Karmann Ghia has touched a lot of hearts. It was such a beautiful car!

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  11. What a super blog and photos Val, As usual you have my sympathy as regards the weather. It's so cold for June, we have had rain, wind and even hailstones! Your panelling ( wainscotting) is just lovely. You must let us know what the chap in the DIY shop thinks when he fids out it was all your own work. Well done on your donation to the Oldies. I loved the look of the Karmann Ghia, which I had never heard of. A bit more elegant thatn the little Ciroen AX I had in the 80's. Here's to better weather and more faring. Do give Zoe a cuddle from me xx

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    1. Agh, Rebecca, I’m so sorry I didn’t reply sooner. Thank you so much for the lovely comment. We have, at last, had a few good days so I’ve been busy outside while the sun shines. I gather it’s going to rain again tomorrow, though. Zoe is lying next to me as I write, so the cuddle has been delivered. I’m glad you liked the beautiful Karmann Ghia. It seems a lot of people remember them with affection.

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