Everybody Is Alert

Today I went over to my flat and spent some time stripping wallpaper. Unfortunately I spent a little bit too much time on the area close to the fire alarm, because guess who set it off? Suffice to say my neighbours must be very impressed with that new chick who's just moving in.

Check out this bad boy.

I had been resolved to do at least two hours of stripping, but once that happened I just didn't trust it not to go off again. I didn't much fancy sitting around for another hour until the steam all cleared. So instead, I went and bought a mouse sander, for getting into all the nooks and crannies. Bang, there goes £20, and also a few quid on a cheeky McDonald's, because it's around the corner from Screwfix so it would be rude not to. At least I didn't buy a drink - am currently treating myself to a 34p glass of Coke at home.

The walls are getting progressively worse as I work. Wall section #3 is half-plasterboard and half-plaster. It's relatively smooth, but has a lovely big seam at eye-height between the two, which I'm sure will be visible after painting. Wall section #4 has a superfine skim of plastering, which is often coming off with the wallpaper, and section #5 is painted in a yucky yellowed paint which sort of peels off once it's warm... probably ancient oil-based lead paint, so that's delicious. I had just started section #6 when I set off the alarm and it's painted dark pink. I'm really trying to understand wtf all the previous owners have been thinking with so many questionable decorating choices, but it's probably more productive just to get on with stripping the layers of crap.

Section #7, which runs the whole length of the flat, has two chair rails on the bottom half of the wall (inexplicably still using woodchip wallpaper in all three sections). I quite like it except for the wallpaper. I am contemplating whether to replace the bottom section with a wood slat effect. Watch this space.

I have set the heating to come on automatically at 10am tomorrow. This will ensure I don't sit at home on my backside until late afternoon. I will need to be there by 11 so that the electricity isn't wasted. And this time I'll take a fan with me and do 20 minutes at a time on the steamer, with some sanding and filling in between while the steam clears!

I've been eyeing a bucket of bulbs for under my windowsill. I am resisting the temptation so far.