Skiing

Been really busy the last couple of days. We are going skiing in France tomorrow (to a chalet in Reberty, between Val Thorens and Les Menuires in the Three Valleys). So partly been busy packing, partly been busy stressing and partly been busy finishing off kitchen painting type jobs, so it isn't too half-finished while we are away. The photo to "set the scene" is of me skiing in Canada.

I realised that the last two times we have been on holiday I have been stressed beforehand - worrying that we don't have the time/money to go away, and that I wont enjoy it. The last two holidays were great (even with the dreaded PhD hanging over me). This one should be better, because the PhD is finished. Oddly I have been more stressed not less, which is just silly.

Packing and all the other jobs are very nearly done, so I am feeling a lot happier and starting to look forward to it. I wish I didn't let myself get so wound up and stressed about stupid things though.

Weirdly I have had Oh Come All Ye Faithful in my head all day, definitely the wrong time of year!

Ceiling painted

Finally painted the kitchen ceiling, it looks a lot brighter. It took two days to clean it fully - it wasn't especially dirty, except above the cooker, but with the thin layer of dirt came the top layer of paint, leaving behind a dirtier layer. Once that was cleaned the remaining coat of white paint was fairly minimal and you could see grey underneath, so it looked pretty bad... At least that made it easy to see what bits I had been painted :)

Two coats of white paint and it is done. My neck is really achy now, from looking up all the time, I guess I need a floor to paint now to counteract it!

Things I have learnt:
1) Expensive sand paper is worth the money (you use less and it is quicker)
2) A roller on a long pole makes ceiling painting much easier
3) Cheap crap paint brushes should be thrown away