Introduction [Archive] - Woodwork Forums

Cabinet Girl

1st March 2007, 01:42 PM

Hi Toni - nice to meet you! (nice pens :) )

Wendy, when I moved to Boston a couple of years ago, I didn't get a job right away because I just didn't know what I wanted to do with my life. I just knew I was unhappy with what I had been doing (bookkeeping, administrative assistant etc) and my husband kept telling me to wait until I found something I would love. One day my brother-in-law asked me what I'd really like to do and I told him I'd like to make something - at the end of the day have something concrete and not just an empty in-box! Turned out he had a woodworker friend who was looking for help. I never thought I could get a job like that without any experience, but his friend was willing to train.

I really like it and I'm much happier than I was in an office!

About 60% of what we do is custom doors and the rest is a mix of mostly cabinetry and architectural millwork (crown mouldings, baseboards etc). I would really love to learn wood turning and furniture making.

So that is my (very long) story. :D

-CG

RufflyRustic

1st March 2007, 05:38 PM

Wow - what a great story and it's true!!! :2tsup: What a fantastic opportunity. I totally agree that while an empty inbox is pretty good, nothing beats holding something tangible that you have made made.

So what are the people like that you work with? How many in the shop? and ... :-

:D

Cheers
Wendy

Wild Dingo

1st March 2007, 06:15 PM

Hi Cabinet Girl

With a name like that, there was no way I could have missed you :2tsup:

Welcome to the Wood Whispering Women area.

I'm sure you will feel right at home here with us fellow female woodworkers :)

I have to ask, would you tells us how you came to work in the Cabinet shop?

Cheers
Wendy

PS - Thanks Toni! :)

aaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh flamin eck Wendy that hurts :C :C
What you shoulda said me sweet wee red leatherette wearin goddess of whisperin wood is thus corrected by yer ol mate... moi! :;

Hi Cabinet Girl

With a name like that, there was no way WE could have missed you :2tsup:

Welcome to the Ubeat woodworking forums

I'm sure you will feel right at home here with us fellow woodworkers :)

I have to ask, would you tells us how you came to work in the Cabinet shop?

Cheers
Wendy

PS - Thanks Toni! :)

Memba me wee wubbly one... :;

we are one
we are many
from all the lands on earth we come
we are woman
we are men

ooohhh yeah we are together!

we are wood nuts an wood boobs
an together we share our love of wood
ooooooohhhhhhh we come together
under Neil oohhh yeah an under
the mighty gods on high...

oooohhh yeah ooohhh yeah
We come to ubloodybeaut forums
to share our other love...

to share...

ooooh yeah to share!!

:2tsup: havint got the music down but Im workin on it :;

HandyAndrea

1st March 2007, 09:50 PM

the fellas on here are seldom anything less than helpful and courteous. Why have we isolated ourselves? (As women, I mean.....)

lubbing5cherubs

1st March 2007, 10:58 PM

Welcome Andrea
I can't speak for everyone here but I have not isolated myself. And yep could not agree more the guys are great here. Some of the nice blokes about but I also think this forum is brilliant like shed girl finds it great as she is very beginners and said she is glad to be in a girl forum. I really doubt she is alone. I think it a good idea but that does not mean I am going to abandon the woodturning board because I am not. I have learnt so much there. but anyway that my 2 cents. I am glad to see it here. and I love seeing the guys coming in here too.
Toni

Cabinet Girl

1st March 2007, 11:23 PM

Ah, great tune Dingo. Well, great lyrics, I'm not so sure about the tune....:U

A little about our shop before I have to run to work...

There are two guys who rent bench space & mostly work on their own jobs (some really great furniture) and then there is my boss and me, with the occasional extra hand for really big projects. All of the guys are about fifty and have been quite welcoming and helpful. Always willing to answer questions no matter how stupid. :rolleyes: Although everyone seems to have their own way of doing things. It's really funny to watch them when they get to arguing about the "proper" way to do something.

I was kind of surprised not to run into any of the male-chauvinism (sp?) that you might expect, but wood workers really seem like the friendliest group of people!

Wendy, how did you get involved with this forum and moderating and woodworking? And anyone else who doesn't mind sharing?

-CG

Wild Dingo

2nd March 2007, 02:06 AM

I was kind of surprised not to run into any of the male-chauvinism (sp?) that you might expect, but wood workers really seem like the friendliest group of people!

And when you match that with boat lovers... aaaahhh a match made in heaven :; :2tsup:

Wendy, how did you get involved with this forum and moderating and woodworking? And anyone else who doesn't mind sharing?

-CG

I will try to get in before Wendy does :U

first... I found this forum by way of a coule of pms from a couple of blokes who also post over at the woodenboat.com forum who thought I might like to have some Aussie input into my multitude of wood related questions... either that or they thought I needed some help... either way they were right :doh:

Wendy is just a wee bit of a sheila who has a penchant for red and how she got here to ubeat is one of lifes little mysteries :; but were all in accord were glad she did!! :B :;

second... I swore black an blue ages ago that I would never be a mod... Im just too damned troppo to be serious for longer than a nano second of time :doh: ... wendy on the other hand is so damned sweet an nice {also rather cute if i do say so meself :; } that it was a given that sooner or later neil or would ask her to get on board as a mod... see all she has to do is bat her wee blue eyes wriggle that red leatherette covered bum an us fellas fall apart at the seems... obvious choice really eh? :roll: :U

third... I have always since a nipper loved mucking about with wood... over the years Ive worked in many areas of the industry and there wasnt one that I didnt enjoy... but life sorta got in the way of getting into it seriously and so over the years I continued to muck with wood with little to no actual training as such and very few tools... after getting married and having 8 nippers upon the sale of a property 2 years ago and moving down here I made the decision {and amazingly her bloody highness the loverly possumpoop agreed! :o oooh shes a true wonder! :2tsup: } that I would have a fully functional wood workers workshop for my retirement in a few years... and over $20,000 later I have :2tsup: Now as I slowly ease myself out of the work force I enjoy nothing more than tinkering around in the shed especially if either of my 2 sons or my 1 year old grandson comes out there with me :2tsup: :2tsup:

Wendy I just think she sat her wee widdle red leatherette covered bum down one day got a splinter in an area where the sun dont shine and heard a lot of whispered "oooohhh"ing and "aaaaahhhh"ing from the splinter and after a long whispered affair while her spanner - petrol head of an other half tried to remove it from her wee precious bum she decided she kinda liked this wood whispering caper... and the rest is as they say history :2tsup:

johnc

2nd March 2007, 08:35 AM

Welcome to the forum Cabinet Girl, and to hear that you have discovered work that interests you and provides job satisfaction. That is something that is very rare to find I would have thought.

Lovely city Boston, my daughter spent 2005 there and would have loved to have stayed on, but you are welcome to both the humid summers and bitter winters.

Cheers, John.

lubbing5cherubs

2nd March 2007, 11:07 AM

Wendy, how did you get involved with this forum and moderating and woodworking? And anyone else who doesn't mind sharing?

-CG

I got into wood turning. I was suffering severe depression. I was burnt out. I had been giving all my time to my family and my kids and I was neglecting mum totally. My doctor actually said that i had to find something that I can do that is just me time. So I could recharge a bit. So I did a search and I have always had a fascination with wood turning so I talked to hubby and he said go for it. So we bought a GMC lathe:doh: mistake on it own. I used it 3 times first time the tail stock broke. Wood flew out. 2nd the nothing but shook like mad the 3rd time the tool rest broke. Hubby said that too dangerous so we took it back and got our money back. Nearly gave up turning. my father in law got into turning together we were talking on how we love to turn pens so I went I search to find out how to make pens. THis led me to Jim Carrols woodcraft. Big mistake:p :D Then I paid off a leda lathe with Carrols. Best thing I ever did. There no going back I am hooked enjoy the saw dust and the finish product. I get such a buzz out of making pens. I love the finish product. I love to try new things. I love how each piece of wood reveals a unique grain. NOw I have just got my new nova. I am happy no pills for me:~ no grumpys:no: I love it:D
bye Toni

RufflyRustic

2nd March 2007, 04:48 PM

Hi CG,

This thread http://www.woodworkforums.com/showthread.php?t=45117 I hope will help explain how I got started in my woodwork.

I suppose it was all helped by needing to redo the kitchen and knowing that I didn't have the skills to build the kitchen. So I set about learning and building the skills and am still doing so before I go near the kitchen. besides, I'm having way too much fun to even think about the kitchen yet :D

.......

I was kind of surprised not to run into any of the male-chauvinism (sp?) that you might expect, but wood workers really seem like the friendliest group of people!

Wendy, how did you get involved with this forum and moderating and woodworking? And anyone else who doesn't mind sharing?

-CG

I wasn't really going to say this here, but the time is right.

When I started getting into woodwork, I had a very hard time finding any other true, female woodworkers around. I had a look around the internet but at that time, I only found the sites that seemed too touchy-feely feministic-like i.e. they weren't what I was looking for. There were no women woodworkers that I could find easily in my area. I wanted to learn the woodworking skills using the handtools my grandfathers used, the 'old' way of woodworking rather than jump straight into using those 'big' and 'scary' powertools (and expensive too).

After looking around, I realised that there seemed to be only men around who fit what I was looking for, so to learn what I wanted, I would have to 'join' in with the men, so to speak. I was introduced to this forum by a workmate and couldn't believe how this place totally matched what I was looking for. The question was then, whether I could fit in and if the members would teach/encourage/be patient with me.

Well, the Forumites here have definitely done that:U and as a result, I became a passionate Woodworker and Forum Member, to such an extent that the Owner, UBeaut, asked me to become one of the Super Moderators. Here was a chance for me to give back to the forum and its members, everything that it had given me.

To be honest, the biggest gift that the forum and its members have given me, is encouragement.

This is also part of why I am now joint Moderator of the Wood Whispering Women's Forum. If I was looking for other fellow female woodworkers and couldn't find them, then I won't be the only one. Now, I'm easily identifiable, find-able, approachable and able to encourage others like me.

Chauvinistic? My personal opinion and experience is definitely not. I've come across more male chauvinism at work and in tool shops than elsewhere, but I've found that after about 1-2 shop visits, I can get the message across that I'm genuine or else look out.:D

With fellow woodworkers, you have an almost instant common ground that you can talk about. As I have said previously, The WoodWorking Australia's WoodWork Forum has become my internet home, where I don't feel wierd or alone or an oddity anymore :)

Cheers
Wendy

RufflyRustic

2nd March 2007, 04:51 PM

the fellas on here are seldom anything less than helpful and courteous. Why have we isolated ourselves? (As women, I mean.....)

Hi HandyAndrea,

Do we seem isolated? Perhaps you might like to PM me as to why so I can address that for you?

The aim isn't to isolate us, but to make us easily found by other female woodworkers.

I hope my previous post might help explain that in more detail for you. If not, please do ask me.

Cheers
Wendy

PS I agree the fellas are more than helpful and courteous as well

HandyAndrea

3rd March 2007, 11:02 AM

but once things start to get split along gender lines, then there IS the danger of the "little woman in the kitchen" syndrome, if you know what I mean!

I'm 60, and I've spent most of my life farming, here in NZ, with my (now late) husband. To start with, we had to "educate" the people we had to deal with - the bank manager, the accountant, the dairy company, stock firms and others all had to be taught that ours was a true partnership - we worked together on every part of our business, and I knew just as much as my husband about what went on. It took a while, I have to say!

However, apart from the issues of hand size and brute strength, I never met a tool or a machine that cared a jot about the gender of the person who used it! I want to know about how to do things properly. Like you, I LOVE to make joints the old-fashioned way. I am yet to make them perfect every time. I love old tools, and want to know how to care for them. I've enjoyed wood all my life, and I have enjoyed being part of a group, here, who care about the woodwork.. who couldn't care less about the fact that I'm female. I haven't the machinery (yet) that some of these guys have got, but I go to a night class and use theirs!

It was just a concern that we might be relegating ourselves to the back room. Since I'd found the guys to be genuinely helpful, I wondered why. But, perhaps some of the ladies feel a bit self-conscious. I never have, since I've always worked in "a man's world".

RufflyRustic

3rd March 2007, 11:25 AM

Hi Andrea,

You've raised some very insightful points.

While it may seem that this forum is a 'split', that is not the aim. Rest assured that I (or the Admins and Moderators) will not tolerate any purposely, intentional splitting of the forum or any negativity, or them vs them from anyone, especially including myself.

I appreciate very much, your point of "little woman in the kitchen" - Surprisingly enough, I get this more from a few particular friends and some family members than from anywhere else.:( I just don't fit their idea of what they think I should be - shrug.
Yes, tools do not care who uses them. Wow, that point hit me hard :doh: but only because it is so very true.

I, too, work in what used to be man's world in the area of computing and am used to it, but only to a point. There are times when I get frustrated by it, but I think that's when the ingenuity kicks in to get the problem sorted.

So, you love the old tools and techniques too? :2tsup: What's your favourite tool and joint? :)

cheers
Wendy

HandyAndrea

3rd March 2007, 02:12 PM

I tend to hunt for old tools in 2nd hand and thrift shops. You'd be surprised what you find. My favourites? Some old, handmade moulding planes.... they are beautiful to look at, now they're all cleaned up, and as soon as I get them sharpened, I'll bet they'll be interesting to use, as well. Then, there's the GREAT old drop mitre saw I picked up... it cuts angles accurately, like a knife through butter, and old planes...and....and...... Oh....and nice, sharp chisels... I LOVE using them... LOL

I'm still working on getting a nice tight mitre joint on flat picture frames (I'm a "starving" artist these days...) It requires accuracy all round, and, I suspect, a proper jig, which I haven't got round to building, yet.

I made a household ladder last year.... not a 90 degree angle in the thing, so it required a lot of thinking. I've built easels and other gear for my painting.... And I enjoy making myself bookcases (I have a squillion books), and want to build some outdoor chairs for my terrace.

The house I moved into 6 years ago STILL needs its renovation finishing. I'm getting through the rooms slowly, but its come to the stage where I need another pair of hands to help with wall-shifting, and insertion of french doors. My shed needs power, and is full of stuff that probably should be tossed out. I have timber and Gib board everywhere.....So , there's never a dull moment. I only wish I had more time!

RufflyRustic

3rd March 2007, 09:00 PM

More time!!! :) Absolutely!! And the funny thing is that now I'm between sheds, I actually have the time, but not the room!!

A tight mitre joint!! graaaooooaaannn - bane of my life :(
I've two sets of chisels now, the first being a good work horse set, the second set I intend on using for dovetails.

It's funny how the collection grows almost by itself. A few here and a few more there and before you know it, there's a whole heap of 'em to be refurbished, sharpened and appreciated. I'm really looking forward to refurbishing those that need it and building a nice display shelf for them.

HWMNBO and I moved into our house about 5 years ago now and it too, still needs heaps of work. Now that the hot water system died today (YIPPEE:D ) I'm finally able to make a start on the Laundry - gee, not having a shed might actually be good for something afterall :rolleyes: :U

Hmm, I don't suppose anyone might have some good hints on laundry design perhaps, before I go and do a Search :wink: :D

cheers
Wendy

lubbing5cherubs

4th March 2007, 12:35 AM

andrea loved to see a piccy of your painting

Wendy no laundry design is good unless you figure out a way that it does this itself

Toni

Cabinet Girl

4th March 2007, 12:20 PM

Wild Dingo - your posts are like reading a different language! I have to get up to speed on all this Aussie slang (what is "troppo"??) But I get the gist. :D Your workshop sounds great.

John - I'd pretty much given up hope of ever having a job I'd really like. I feel quite lucky - and still a little surprised when I think about it. I'm glad your daughter enjoyed Boston. I love this town! After growing up in Buffalo (I don't know if its reputation extends beyond the states?), Boston winters are mild in comparison.

Toni - too true it's so important to have something just for you. I don't have any little ones (yet), but I imagine it must be quite the balancing act. I'm glad you figured out the right balance for you. :2tsup:

Wendy - you're right, I've run across more chauvinism in other jobs. On job sites I've gotten the occasional surprised look, or someone assumes I'm the boss's wife or daughter, but that's about it. No real problems. Hey, I've seen red leather mentioned a few times...I'm sensing a funny story. :D

Andrea - re miters, I've had good results with the type of clamps shown here:
http://www.mikestools.com/560-3190-Ulima-Miter-Clamp-Kit.aspx
Of course a good cut is necessary too. What kind of paint do you like to work with? I went to art school (briefly) as a painting major, but haven't done much lately due to space restrictions. I'm so looking forward to having a house so I can have a woodshop and a room for painting! :rolleyes:

-CG

HandyAndrea

5th March 2007, 12:13 PM

Thanks for the info on the clamps , CG. I have no information on Buffalo, except the old song, which goes....."if you want to shuffle, shuffle off to Buffalo".:B

I'm a New Zealander. Aussies (Australians) are well known here for being somewhat colourful and innovative with their use of english..Go here http://www.koalanet.com.au/australian-slang.html to extend your vocabulary. Needless to say, its colourful and entertaining. We New Zealanders are more reserved.. kind of like the difference between Canadians and Americans, if you know what I mean. Ours is a very different country... we are much smaller and we have a temperate climate, though we are only 2 1/2 - 3 hours away, by plane. We have only one native spider that is poisonous..... no snakes, crocodiles, or anything like that. Oh, and our grass is GREEN!

As for my painting.... currently, I'm working in oils and acrylics, mostly landscapes, in an impressionist/realist style. I've been experimenting lately with the use of pallette knives and finding that I can get very lively effects with them, because the colour doesn't get muddied. My last few paintings have pretty much been sold as soon as they went up on the Gallery wall, so I must be doing something right! I've TRIED watercolour, loved the effects you could get, but haven't done enough to be able to get a good result most of the time. I'm going to keep on experimenting til I do!

Anyway, welcome to the board. The guys are LUFFLY, and don't bite much!

Cabinet Girl

5th March 2007, 01:32 PM

Hey Andrea

Buffalo has a slightly exaggerated reputation for having the worst winters. I've only seen New Zealand in films, but it looks absolutely gorgeous! Is all of the country so pretty?

Are your landscapes of New Zealand? Do you work from life or photos? I really like the look of oil paint, but I haven't worked with it enough to be any good. (It's just so messy!) That is so cool that you sell your paintings in a gallery! They must be good. I know I haven't the talent to actually sell any of my work, but I still enjoy it.

Would you be willing to post some of your work here? Or do you have a website?

lubbing5cherubs

5th March 2007, 02:12 PM

Aussies (Australians) are well known here for being somewhat colourful and innovative with their use of english..Go here http://www.koalanet.com.au/australian-slang.html to extend your vocabulary. Needless to say, its colourful and entertaining. We New Zealanders are more reserved!

hey i speak normal just ask me i know what I am on with :p :D
Toni

Cabinet Girl

5th March 2007, 02:40 PM

"hey i speak normal just ask me i know what I am on with :p :D"

Now I can go to my handy-dandy Australian dictionary and figure out exactly what that means :D hehe

WoodyKnot

5th March 2007, 07:36 PM

Hi All

I just joined the forum and Wendy encouraged my to come over and join in. :U

I'm very lucky to have woodworking as my day job, but I'm very, very jealous of your sheds! I wish I had a place at home to work on my own projects! My boss will let me use his workshop, but I'm embarrassed to admit that when 5 o'clock comes around, I'm usually ready to go home. :rolleyes:

I haven't met any other women woodworkers in real life, so it's really cool to find this forum. I look forward to getting to know you all.

-CG

G'day CG and welcome. 'Tis great to see some sheila's join up and who knows mate, you may be able to teach some of us blokes or suggest a better way to make things. Good onya cobber!!
Later
Mark.

watson

5th March 2007, 10:27 PM

Evening All,
I think this thread is fantastic, and exactly what I would think the forum is for. We've just met new people from different places with a common purpose - woodworking, and other interests.
I will be a regular reader/seldom poster.
Good stuff.........Grouse! (another colloquiallism from the antipidean vernacular)

Regards,
Noel

Wild Dingo

6th March 2007, 01:00 AM

Good stuff.........Grouse! (another colloquiallism from the antipidean vernacular)

Regards,
Noel

Gawd strewth Noel talk about showin yer age mate!! :o :U

As to the lingo well I am what I am an pretty much still speak as I did when I grew up in the isolation of the West Aussie outback smallish mission station between Carnarvon and Meekatharra where they still speak like ol Chips Rafferty... you ring me you'll get a whoppin "Well buggar me! Gidday ows it 'angin mate!" with a fair whack of the strewths fair dinkum goodonyer and so forth sprinkled in the convo :2tsup: cant help it as I say I talk like I write... actually more so now Ive got this bung hand I tend not to make so many mistakes and correct myself a fair bit but dont woorry just a few more weeks an I'll be back to me ol self no worries :;

Kinda like it when a seppo mate rings every now an then from Nth Carolina with his Forest Gump accent an me soundi like a Croc Dundee Bazza McKenzie Steve Irwin combo in full flight... the hoots an hysterics from both sides are pretty cool :2tsup:

I had some wee objections to this area when they arced it up... was along your own thoughts... but then I figured as long as no one tries to stop me a mere male posting in it then buggar the female section... its a part of the whole an offers another avenue to get the sheilas on board I say you bloody beauty!!

Anyways welcome
Cheers
Shane

lubbing5cherubs

6th March 2007, 02:00 PM

LOL CG they are going to make your aussie slang dictionary work now.
Toni

Cabinet Girl

7th March 2007, 10:20 AM

LOL CG they are going to make your aussie slang dictionary work now.
Toni

That's the truth! I'm learning more than just woodworking...:D

jmk89

7th March 2007, 10:38 AM

I had some wee objections to this area when they arced it up... was along your own thoughts... but then I figured as long as no one tries to stop me a mere male posting in it then buggar the female section... its a part of the whole an offers another avenue to get the sheilas on board I say you bloody beauty!!

I like to think of this forum as being like the Ladies Bar in an old country pub - you know - where the blokes are allowed in, but they have to wear a shirt with a collar and not just a singlet or T-shirt and the conversation has to be "suitable" for ladies' ears....A place where you could take the missus for a drink when she wouldn't be seen dead in the public bar. :wink:

BUT a place where you can still get a drink.....(or talk sensible woodwork stuff):U

Cheers

Jeremy

Moo73

9th March 2007, 05:26 PM

I like to think of this forum as being like the Ladies Bar in an old country pub - you know - where the blokes are allowed in, but they have to wear a shirt with a collar and not just a singlet or T-shirt and the conversation has to be "suitable" for ladies' ears....A place where you could take the missus for a drink when she wouldn't be seen dead in the public bar. :wink:

BUT a place where you can still get a drink.....(or talk sensible woodwork stuff):U

Cheers

Jeremy

I think thats probably a good explanation - I would never have considered that it would be a bloke free zone. But I think its fair to say that women woodworkers are still in the minority (perhaps always will be) and, particularly for those who might be a bit overwhelmed about where to start, this might provide a starting point to leap into the rest of the forum.
Warning: rant about to commence
I think for all the advances that might have been made over the last century with regards to accessing previously presumed 'gender specific' activities, there is still an element of 'woodworking is for blokes, sewing is for women' about - and for some girls (and guys for that matter) it is still intimidating to attempt what is not considered the norm. It sucks, but it remains for real.
And please, don't get me wrong, I don't blame anyone in particular - ultimately it comes down to getting in, giving it a go, gaining knowledge and practicing skils...and maybe one day receiving recognition for your work, not because you're a girl or a bloke, but because you're bloody well good at whatever you've chosen to do!
And, I think that is what is what is so great about the ubeaut forum generally - virtually everyone is here because we all have the same love of working with wood.
Here endeth rant!!
Leanne

rona

9th March 2007, 06:10 PM

Hello Cabinet Girl, and welcome to the forum. It' great to see some new girls joining our group, especially since we have several girls on board already. I have just spent the last half hour reading through some of the comments from wendy,toni, andrea and leanne,I must admit I have not actually conversed with some of our girls as yet but a few of the comments were very interesting and I am sure we will be one big happy family.We are here to discuss woodwork of which we all enjoy working with and experimenting with.

Cheers,
Ron.

HandyAndrea

12th March 2007, 10:09 AM

I just COULDN'T think of a nom-de-plume when I was registering on the board, so, as I was doing some renovations at the time, based it on the name Handy Andy. However, since my name is actually Marie, the lightbulb doesn't always doesn't always "click on" when I'm addressed as Andrea. So, please forgive me if I seem slow, some days!
Regards
Marie...

fred.n

12th March 2007, 10:39 AM

HandyAndrea

18th March 2007, 09:23 AM

Waipukurau, just 48 km south of Hastings. We're an easy 2 1/2 hour drive from Wellington and about 2 3/4 hours from Taupo. Its a small town which services the rural areas of Central Hawkes Bay. I moved here 7 years ago, when I sold our dairy farm just north of Taupo and bought a "doer-upper". I've been laying new paths, scraping old paint and wallpaper, replacing the odd rotten board (not many, thank God), pulling up crusty old carpet, and redoing the lot, ever since! Sometimes there doesn't look like there's been a lot of progress, sometimes I think "WOW!!!! Did I do that?" Not far to go now....... just the most expensive bit.... the kitchen and lounge. Lounge is to be shifted to a bedroom next to the kitchen - new linings, french doors inserted to open to a new covered deck. Kitchen has to be totally gutted and walls ripped out so the whole area is open plan. I'll have builders in to do the work on this last bit. THEN, I can relax! (HA!!):rolleyes: