Helping out

It's what friends and family do - help out.

Rima and René have moved into the house he grew up in.  It's a happy move, but it's a MOVE and we've all been through that!  So much to do!  The living quarters are pretty well organized and the kitchen functions (but the cellar needs some serious work still!)

Our jobs are more limited. First you get the tools together.

Install the lamps.  These are in the dining area. This is not as easy as it looks - first paint the shades to match the wall, then lengthen the wires and punch out longer places in the wall to accommodate them and patch and repaint and hang and adjust and readjust.  Takes some patience and Werner, thank goodness, has an abundance.

Curtains to hang.  Werner's good with a tool or two so he did some drilling while Rima did some advising.

I was in charge of hemming assorted curtains to the right length, so my trusty sewing machine made the trip too. But OH NO!  I forgot to bring the adapter for the plug!  Werner to the rescue!  It's not art, this -  "adaption" -  but he made it work, one plug to the other. That's what counts.

 So, inside sorta done - it certainly is looking a bit more done. (Mirror hanging was a joint affair as well.  This baby weighs A LOT!)

And then - of course  - there's the yard. It had gone several months without too much attention and  - of course - the "new owners" bring some new ideas.  We did a truck load of trimming and cutting and weeding and slashing. Forty-year-old boxwoods felled, ivy "trees" trimmed.  Little plants put where the weeds were pulled.

Finally we found a moment to sit and have a cuppa tea and some cake - and along came the neighbors, back from the annual "Schutzenfest" - the local shooting club parade and festival, all dolled up in their uniforms and medals.  Looking proud!!

I think this tradition needs a post of its own! That'll be later.  René is a member himself of a shooting club but claims he'd quit in a minute if they made him wear a uniform.  I believe it.

This "new" home project isn't finished by a long shot and we'll be back to do more stuff, since we know houses just keep wanting attention.  But that's what we do.  We help out.