Really, this is largely for my benefit, I guess so I feel more like I’m achieving stuff. And today has been a day filled with achievement. When you say to someone, ‘I’m going to move a cast iron bath’ the first thought that comes into your mind is probably not a thoroughly pleasant day; but actually, that’s what I’ve had. I mean, the actual getting it up the stairs bit, that was completely exhausting (and I’ve now got to walk across town to collect the Viva, now it’s ready; expect me to eat more donuts and drink more coffee).
Anyway, I think that most people wouldn’t think of it as being pleasant, because they don’t have the awesome friends I do, who cheerfully drove 80 odd miles, drove me to collect the van, then sat in a steeenking hot van (with their ever patient dog Pepper) as we flew round the motorway and down to Sussex, lug a bath into the van, drive back and then lift said bath up the stairs and then, without even pausing for a coffee or a cup of Chai headed back the 80 miles they’d come. Stars is what they are; shiny shiny stars. My friends are, in point of fact, made of awesome.
So, anyhow, having got down there no trouble (apart from the van I’d hired having a hideous, hideous crunch come from the gearbox every time I changed into fourth), collected the bath (which is indeed in remarkably good condition, bar the one foot which needs welding together), and I then asked our generous bath retailer if there was a local drinking establishment which he could recommend. We then partook of very fine ploughman’s lunches (apart from the point where I attempted to eat a slab of butter under the impression it was cheese; I wasn’t alone, ‘meriKate had the slab of butter in her sandwich ready for her to munch on. Yes, Nikki, you get to feel smug; although much amusement was had at ‘meriKate’s discovery of Pickled Onions. Let us just say, she is not a fan)… Anyway having relaxed and feeling slightly less like we were on a van-trip; we piled back into the van and headed home.
Astonishingly, this also went in a hitch-free way; getting the bath *into the house* wasn’t terribly easy. Not hard per-se, but Rebecca needed to be moved (sans battery) and Cherry moved, and then the bath had to come in on it’s side. Let’s just say, it’s not “light’. Having got it in, crushing only Nikki’s foot. We then paused, and after a bit of a failed attempt, ‘meriKate suggested a fine one-step/vertical/not dying method which meant that we then twirled *heh* it through 90 degrees again, and up it went, resting on the back foot (the not broken one) on each and every step. I’m glad I opted to stop with the decorating on the stairs because… I’ve got some wall to paint! I think I’ll leave it ’til last, actually; when all the upstairs rooms are done then I’ll finish the stairs. The 90 degree corner at the top of the stairs was, amazingly, turned without injury. And finally into the bathroom, enamel intact, feet still attached (well, the three not broken ones), and this is the product of all that hard work:
Although it looks grubby and tatty, the enamel is astonishingly good, and the outside will respond well to a quick sand followed by a coat of the chosen paint. It’s still got it’s lead pipework, and I’d never realised quite how thick lead water pipes are… I’d always assumed they were sort of copper pipe sized… but no.
Yeah, so I bet you’re all thrilled by that shot :-)
Anyhow, the bath has a rather nice little crown on it, and some numbers.
I’m intrigued to know what the number 10E means, in the triangle? Anyone got any idea? I’m faintly tempted to pick out the crown with white when it’s done. Sort of the opposite of all the other logos in the room…
But hey. That’s the way my brain works, really. I think, in all probability it’d look best just one shade of blue :-)
So, just so you know, here’s where we’re at (bathroom wise) – because I’m sure you’re all dying to know:
The pipe bends a bit in the middle at the moment, that’s just a factor of it not being fixed in place yet; frustratingly I’ve had real difficulty getting through the outer wall, the pebbledash & concrete mauled my masonry bits, so I’m going to have to go to B&Q and see if I can obtain something…harder. I also can’t find my small chisel, which is terribly annoying because I know I have one, worse than that, I know I’ve seen it somewhere recently. But as to where? That’s anyone’s guess. Anyhow…this is the room as a whole
And now I really *do* have to go and collect Brick.
