Lunch at Rani

Yesterday, I intended to post a new message but ran out of energy. The contractor came in the morning and laid some new laminate flooring over area where the hearth was. The next task is to deal with a little damp seeping through one wall and redecorating the sitting room. I've decided on three shades of cream  paint. One below the dado rail, one above it and a third for the woodwork. In addition I shall make a feature of the wall where the fireplace was with wallpaper. above the dado rail.

The contractor left in time for me to clean up and dust before my guests arrive and lay the dining room table etc. We enjoyed the meal and the company.

Today I met a fellow author. We lunched at Rani, a vegetarian restuarant in Finchley (U.K.) and talked about what we are writing, editors, publishing and much more. The food was delicious. bhajias, thin sliced potatoes deep-fried in chick-pea flour batter, samosas, a curry made with paneer, (Indian curd cheese) other curries, rice and flat breads.

Now I'm making up for being lazy first thing this morning, sleeping a little later than useful, having breakfast in bed and then, before getting ready to go out, reading some of the second book, Something Dangerous, in Penny Vincenzi's wonderful trilogy, The Spoils of Time.

Renovation, Redecorating

I am renovating and redecorating my sitting room.

Before a combination boiler was installed there was a gas fire in the sitting room. The gas fire was removed so the fireplace and the surround serve no useful purpose and take up too much room on the wall. So I have employed someone to remove it.

At the moment, the sitting room is decorated in three shades of cream. I am now considering a different colour scheme taken from my embroidered silk cushions. The background is cream, the embroidery is in apricot, pale, pale yellow and a shade of very light sage green. I am thinking of putting wall paper where the fireplace was (there are alcoves on either side), painting the rest of the walls pale pale yellow and the woodwork white.

The colour scheme would be sunshiny on cold days, and go well with the white upholstered sofas and large chair, the laminate floor and cream venetian blinds at the window.

I considered painting the room green to match the colour in the cushions but can't imagine the result.

Decisions, decisions.

Writing, Redecorating, GardeningStill tweaking my novel and can hardly believe it's taking so long. Oh well, when I finish I hope to have an extremely well-written manuscript.

Still tweaking my novel and can hardly believe it's taking so long. Oh well, when I finish I hope to have an extremely well-written manuscript.


Also, the re-decorating and gardening bugs are slowing me downToday, my son put two shelves by my bed. So, when I'm working in my bedroom on the laptop I will have everything within easy reach.

Next week the fireplace in the living room will be removed and the wall replastered and, when the plaster dries, repainted. I have some gorgeous silk cushions embroidered in the Chinese style and intend to choose a pale golden-yellow which matches one of the colours in them for the paint.