Father's day. Curtain rails. DIY Godness.

So. It's Father's Day. And, as is traditional, I though I'd turn my hand to a bit of DIY.  Specifically, the curtain rail in our bedroom - because it's falling off the wall and has been an inherited disaster area since we moved here, 10 years ago.

You can see what I had to contend with: None of the holes depicted are anything to do with me.  But this is a 130-year old Victorian house - the walls are made of cheese and are already honeycombed with DIY bodges.

Things I learnt today:

• The only way to put up curtain rails in Victorian houses is with BIG BLOODY BATTENS.
  
• My ceilings aren't level. Or my floors. Or the top of my window-frames.  I'm surprised I can get out of bed without falling over.
  
• If you need a 7mm hole, start with a 4mm bit and adjust for wobbling.
• The previous owner of this house was the DIY numbskull from hell.
  
• This is a 5 hour job, with a fair bit of sweating.  But I can live with that for perfect results, which is what they are. I am very happy.
  
• This bit of kit is positively excellent: Commended to the House.
• Oh. Mark 'Top' on the battens before you drop them on the floor. It's a lot less stressful.
  

Also: Father's Day is really good for DIY, because you get a cake at the end.