But first the mess 😅
It’s been quite intense writing for the past 10 days. I thought I would take things a little easy and chatter about life on the home front. I do have a life outside my keyboard. I sometimes forget! 😅
Our home is slated for the Home Improvement Programme in about a month’s time. HIP is a government initiated programme to take care of maintenance problems of aging flats. I’m not the only one aging. 🤣
HIP will take 10 working days to complete. This is not counting the days we will have to do the pre-HIP preparations of dust proofing our home and the post-HIP clean-up.
At the end of HIP, we will have two elderly-friendly bathrooms complete with grab bars, ramps (for wheelchair, not that any of us needs it), new pipes, new floor and wall tiles, new mirrors and cabinets, new toilets, taps and shower, new doors, rocker switches, a fire alarm, a new main door and iron gate. The project is heavily subsidised with us paying about 10% of the cost.
Hacking off the old bathroom is going to be a dusty, noisy, messy affair. I have to look for alternative accommodation for mum. I’m doing a lot of fact finding, talking to others who have gone through it. Getting advice from the HIP staff. I am excited even if it is a lot of added work.
HIP gave me the kick I needed to do a Marie Kondo decluttering. Ive been wanting to do this since I moved back to live with Mum some 15+- years ago. Has it been that long? I’ve thrown away bags of stuff I don’t need.
For the past few days I’ve been doing my shopping online. You can find a lot of bargains online but it’s nothing like touching and feeling and testing things. I look for things that are easy for mum to manage. For example I didn’t choose the latest water heater because she needs to press buttons and turn knobs rather than touch screens and small digital numbers.
Yesterday I went shopping for bathroom taps, mirror cabinets, water heater, hooks and holders at an industrial estate near the Singapore Expo. I had to take the train, the bus and also walk in the hot sun. I went into the first showroom and got an idea of what I want + the price. I was somewhat prepared to go back there again to make my purchases.
Then I walked to the second shop, SSC. It was HUGE!
The sales staff of both companies were helpful but the one at SSC walked around with me and took down notes. She also reminded me of what I might need. She also knows the products very well and was able to tell what NOT to buy and what has had good customer feedback. I’m sure I’m not the only one she’s served in this way. Set a good system in place and you win customers. I didn’t feel like she was pushy or anything. She was patient and helpful.
Shortly after I got home, I received a quote for all the items I was looking at.
I prayed this morning that I would find quality things I like at bargain prices. Not exactly all at bargain prices but I’m grateful that I like what I found. I also hit my 10,000 steps for the day (don’t be impressed, it’s rare).
Thanks for listening to my chatter. It has been a good day.
This is me playing around with Ikea’s planner. It was quite fun.
Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!
– 1 Chronicles 16:34, ESV