Slow progress...but progress none the less...

Want the bed making up ma'am.

 The house has been deep cleaned this week by a professional cleaning company to get into those nooks and crannies where mister Dyson can't reach.  They also disinfected the entire downstairs of the house which now smells quite pleasant.  I have submitted several quotes to the loss adjuster for work that he has said needs doing but when the deep cleaning company came on Tuesday the guy noticed something both I and the loss adjuster had missed.

Mud on the caravan floor.

Garage being pressure washed.

When he came to the front door to get into the house he looked down at the outside walls and noticed that the force of the flood water had removed most of the mortar from the bricks under the house damp proof course, in fact two bricks have actually dropped.  This means I now have to get quotes for remedial work to be carried out on that also.  On the bright side other than some plaster board replacement on a stud wall where the shower room was constructed we seem to have gotten away with the need to re-plaster.   This is a bit of a relief for Andrew and Lesley (our tenants) as they are continuing to live in the property whilst the work is being undertaken.  They have been sterling chaps throughout.

Fridge, Freezer etc. out for washing down.

Still a long way to go.

 Sandra and I opened up the caravan on Monday only to be confronted by yet more mud.  It's not that it was unexpected but it made Sandra cry when she saw the state of our summer palace.  Most of the contents of the van have been burnt now, the warp mud (silt) stains all the materials to such an extent that it's impossible to clean them.  Unfortunately the caravan was uninsured as we don't use it for touring any more and it's well out of sight of any n'er-do-wells who may be about.  Of course you never think it may get flooded!!  It's intrinsic value is not that high but it's personal value to us in summer is huge.  Oh well we've got a dehumidifier working away in there at the moment getting all the moisture out.  Unfortunately all the electrical systems in the van were waterlogged so that'll be another job at some point.

River debris washed into the garden.

Lawnmowers washed, flood went over tractor seat.

We have completed the pressure washing of the garage and the white goods etc. which were stored in there.  I have cleaned the white goods because the insurance has still not given me the go ahead to replace anything and in fact I am already considerably out of pocket with things which needed paying for immediately like boiler and heating system repairs to make the house warm for the tenants.  I hope they don't go and knock it back at the eleventh hour.  But if the worst comes to the worst I can probably salvage some things after a good clean down and service.  The garden has piles of reeds and detritus from the river strewn rights across the end where our shrubs and hedges created a natural filter as the water rushed through.  We have several tree stumps, telegraph poles and railway sleepers as well as just muck.  Maybe if I got a wood burner I could fuel it for some time.

On a much brighter note although Geoff is still very poorly he is responding to all the drugs he's taking and is very much improved in his health to what he has been since we arrived back home.  It's hardly surprising he's ill with all that has gone on in his world over recent months, I think he perpetually worries about things which he has no control over and this makes him very low indeed.  Still I hope I'm around when and if I get to his age.  I will be a cranky old bugger though!