There was chaos for a while...

I've written one post about being busy knitting items for the Art Show ($3500+ was raised which thrilled the organiser) and I alluded to the fact that other things happening were also taking time away from blogging. There was really only 2 words to describe things around here for a while...absolute chaos!
The fridge was in the lounge, as were the 2 buffet hutches.

The contents of the latter 2 items were in boxes in the second and third  bedrooms as well as in the bedroom which is our office, and even in the bathroom! The dining room table and chairs were stacked on the veranda under a dropcloth.

Another desk with lots of craft materials was also on the veranda with a blue tarp thrown over it...

We had to have help to move all these heavy objects and we couldn't pick and choose when that help was available...sooooo everything was moved a week before it was needed to be moved. The weather had turned cold, so eating the evening meal on the veranda had become a bit chilly. So DH set up a folding table in the empty dining room.

I also did some stitching at this table so the Day-light had to be dragged back from the front bedroom....

Now you've probably guessed it was some sort of home improvement and you would be right! DH and I had decided that the cork tiles in the dining and kitchen area were a bit worse for wear...DH calculated that the tiles were laid 22 years ago, long before I came on the scene. They were quite pitted and the floor was also a 'patchwork' where changes to the layout of the kitchen necessitated cut out pieces of tiles to be inserted in gaps.  So the answer was a complete new floor...
The day dawned when the floor would be put down...the young man arrived before 7 am and unloaded some long thin boxes...

 The new flooring we chose was grey gum timber...

 The rolls of underlay which was laid straight on the cork tiles....

 The floorboards locked together very quickly...

The transformation took place rather quickly...the new boards flow into the kitchen area...

My BiL helped DH move the furniture back so that just left all the items in boxes to be replaced in the cupboards....Then DH had the rather smart idea that while the hutches were empty, it would be a good time to get the room repainted, so he organised his nephew who is a  painter, to do this. 

Michael mixing in the tint...

Michael's FiL gave him a hand that morning...

We had to wait 24 hours after the painting, before moving the furniture back against the walls. Then it was time to put items away. It was an excellent time to do a bit of decluttering and DH and I were quite ruthless. The local Red Cross Op Shop got a large box of china/collectables and the Lifeline Collection Bin at the local school got 3 bags of books from the bookshelf in that room. And of course there were some items that were despatched to our rubbish bin too!
I took the opportunity to do a 'Winter' display on the open shelves as well...the 'Summer' theme had been put together before we went away in mid March, so a change was in order. Note the lovely Winter themed mini which Anthea made for me in the Seasons' Swap last year.
The dinner set is one which I bought in the 1970s and added to over the years until Wedgewood discontinued it. In the last 12 years it has mostly been hidden away in cupboards so making displays in these shelves brings out such items. I know that I have far too much china but I'm not ready to get rid of this set...:-)

PS. I LOVE my new floor!!! :-)