Work in progress

A few months ago I told you all about our plans to buy a family retreat in the Isle of Wight.

Here I am some months later having travelled the waters of the Solent more times than I wish to mention in the past few months to tell you of the progress of this project.

On a wet and windy afternoon in January the Lovely Hubby and I fell in love with a semidetached Victorian Villa with views of the harbour at Bembridge from nearly all of the windows, a small and controllable garden, and a vast amount of work to do.

It had been the family home for more than 60 years of an senior officer in the Royal Navy.

From here he married, bought up his children and entertained his grandchildren, an inspiring and energetic 95 years, who had decided to move a little nearer his beloved wife who needed the care of professionals in her final years.

So he and his wife now look back towards their life long home from the other side of the harbour.
After the usual painful process of buying the house we finally took possession of it and set about the task of turning it around and making it fit for the 21st century hopefully with some empathy to it historic past.

Hours were spent mulling over the floor plans of the upstairs and downstairs. We wanted to make the most of the space that the house provided, and improves its rather sad outside which had some years ago been extended with two rather ugly flat roofed extensions.

Lovely 1960's carpets which turned Stuart and Bradley black!

With some ideas in mind we employed the services of a local architect to draw up and submit plans to the planning department.

In the meantime we went in search of builders!! a difficult task normally but the stretch of very expensive water between the mainland and the island made the task even more tiresome.

We are lucky enough to have a Robbie who can lend his hand to most things and he was sent along with Stuart the plumber to make a start as you will see from the photographs the preparation work of just pulling up carpets, removing wall paper, kitchens ( of which there were two!) faded and ageing bathrooms was going to be a mammoth task.

Bathroom, one of the kitchens and the outside tool room which have all gone to the land of old buildings .. The amenity tip!

Three weeks ago Robbie and Stuart started to fling their hammers and saw furiously at the tired building. On the first day Stuart and his son Bradley boarded the 6.30 Hovercraft back to Portsmouth looking like a couple of 19th century sweeps, they were black from the foam carpet backing, they both laughed when the holiday makers gave them a very funny look.

They have all worked tirelessly, taking down walls taking,out baths, replacing central heating systems. Robbie said the other day if he carried anymore rubble down the stairs he would end up looking like Popeye!

Thanks to their efforts I can already I can see the beginnings of a wonderful family home.

We have found the man with the knowledge to take down major structural walls, rewire and put in new windows, so hopefully within the next few weeks we will have turned a huge corner and be well on our way to spending long summers with our children and grandchildren beside the sea at St Helens.

Stuart at work and Bradley holds up a piece of wood!!

Blossom