Lynn O’Rourke: ‘I have to find a way to thwart his evil plan’

It’s time for Don, Roger, Peggy and Joan to step aside and let me concentrate on something else for a while. Such as the two large trunks I persuaded him to drag down from the attic months ago because I was going to transform them into cool storage, although quite how I planned to do it has since escaped me.

With a great deal of effort, he lugged them down the rickety attic ladder, muttering how wonderful I was all the while, and stashed them in the garage. They have been there ever since, waiting for me to psyche myself up for the fun-packed process of cleaning them. However, my insisting the garage be cleared of clutter revealed them once more and it was then I saw the spark of hope flash in my husband’s eye. If he got rid of the trunks, he could lay claim to the garage floor space and create some kind of dream bike repair shop where he could escape me, the children and any number of vitally important tasks any time he wanted. The numerous bits of bike kit and layers of lycra that litter our house would simply be added to – in secret. There would be more tools, more wheels, more saddles ... more bikes. This is bad. Not only do I have to deal with those trunks, I have to find a way to thwart his evil plan. Joanie would never stand for it.

This week we take a look at a cleverly extended family home that makes the most of its stunning North Berwick views. You can see the results on page 4. We get the story behind the renovation of a three-storey townhouse in Glasgow that had previously been used as bedsits. The stylish family space is on page 10. We also hear what Flog It! presenter Paul Martin has done with his own antiques as his stone-built cottage undergoes a transformation, on page 16. *