All the years

1. It's tough, dirty work. There's years and years worth of stuff stuck on - it's engrained and has had a place since the 80s and trying to strip it away takes consideration, protective gloves and chemical compounds. I'm not even talking about upholstery - that's just my first meeting of the day.

2. At class though, I am a cross between Beeker from the Muppets and one of the wee Typhoo Tea people - hat and lab coat are required this side of the hall.

3. There is something deeply satisfying about stripping paint - specially with industrial stripper and the right tools.

4. The girl at the next bench has the same chair as me. Hers is from 1981, mine 1986. Hers belonged to her mum though (as opposed to being bought from a tattoo'd man at a lock up for twenty quid). She's re-doing it for her sister's Christmas present.

5. A night in, the first for a while and the last chapter of Jamaica Inn. This has been the year of Daphne du Maurier.