OOOPS HOW COULD I FORGET 'THE WINDOW'

I know I know all you avid readers of my tales are saying what about the window,he hasn't told us about the window!!!!!
               OK OK well here it is.......

The new look sitting room.

When we bought 13 Upes Iela, way back in 2004 the previous owner had for some inexplicable reason blocked one of the sitting room windows up. It was bricked in, rendered over and generally made to disappear,well sort of as on the outside wall facing the road there appeared a large dark square where the window had once been. On asking friends and neighbours no one had any idea of the reason for doing this strange thing. The said window would not only have given a view to the west  to catch the wonderful sunsets we so often have, blocking it up removed 25% of the natural light coming into the room {she was a strange woman} I think she must have had a fetish for blocking things up as internal doors were sealed up and boarded in!!.
Anyway for four years this non window just got on our nerves, we would stand and pretend it was there saying 'just look at the sun going down' { I know sad aren't we} and the times we drove into our road and said 'why on earth did she do that.

Why????

But moving the story on, thanks to a PPI that I should not have paid ,we found ourselves in possession of some spare cash. Whoopeee !!! we can go to Spain for a holiday {no! done that} we could go to England to see the family {no, just done that} Ah,, we could buy a 62 inch 3D all singing come dancing TV, nah!!! don't want that. I know lets have some good windows put in and if it's not to much perhaps we could unblock the window and have a new one put back in.So in short that's what we did.
An appointment was made the windows measured and a quote given for the windows to be fitted {eleven windows and one door} the window to be opened,all rubbish to be cleared away, new window sill's fitted outside along with window boards inside and make good everywhere.A few days later the quote arrived and  we accepted, 'you will need to pay half now so we can order the windows {these came from Lithuania} and then pay the balance when you are happy with the completed work' we were told and on production of an invoice we went to the bank had the money transferred. All that remained was to wait the three weeks for the goods to be made.
True to their word  three weeks later we had a phone call asking when they could start work. OK next Thursday at 9am will be fine.

Out they come

In they go {the brick's are just to hold the window boards in place}

 Wednesday found us at school as per normal when at 9.45 I had a phone call asking where are you the workmen are at the house but you are not!!! {Oh well better a day early than a day late} and so with a hasty goodbye to class9 we rushed home to clear curtains etc etc so work could start.
All went well and windows came out and new ones installed. Here in Latvia it seems that the norm is to feed your workmen and on the first day we being a little unsure thought perhaps some of Valerie's  home made soup would be ok along with some cake for desert. Now to say the soup was hot {not temperature wise but in taste} would be a bit of an understatement! the pepper content had been a little to generous  and it nearly blew your head off, but it was,'loti garsigs' { very tasty} the workmen commented with beads of sweat appearing on their foreheads. All went well for the afternoon and to give them credit they worked until 7pm.
Clearing up{well sort of] they bid us labvakar {good evening} and disappeared into the night hopefully to return the next day, one lives in hope but it wasn't to be and they returned.
9 am and not a sign 10 am still no sign 11 am and a phone call we discovered they  would return next Tuesday!!!!!!!
All went well Tuesday and more windows and a door went in with some of the making good started. On today's menu was shepherds pie which went down a treat and a full afternoons work followed. Asking when they would return a shrug of the shoulders told us to expect them when we saw them. which was in fact  a week later but this time the blocked window was opened and a new one installed. WOW!! what a difference it made. All the windows were in all made good the reveals painted and trimmed upstairs with a nice wooden moulding. EXCELLENT!!!!!

Just a vague outline can be seen

Out it comes

Well that's the worst over

Mind the lawn!!!

Well we couldn't have been happier, the minor irritations of delays between days working ,dust and general disruption were things of the past. Draughty windows were a thing of the past and yes,, the house is warmer.

The novelty has now warn off a little, but we still love to come into the room and see  the sunshine streaming in,, and then in the evening  to be able to stand and watch the sunset going down over Stelpe forest.

Sunset  can be spectacular.