The oak has arrived

At last, on Thursday, in the pouring rain, the oak arrived for the timber-framed extension as well as the chestnut cladding for the outside.  This is what Bob's been waiting for!

So, I had a domestic day yesterday to give Bob some space to get his head around how to do this part of the building without me making my usual 'helpful' suggestions.  So I was kept busy with three washer loads of washing at the launderette (we still haven't sorted out washing machine facilities here), Sainsburys (who had no food because the fridges had broken), making a carrot cake and knitting the head and ears of a rabbit as a present for a Buddhist nun!  Now, that sounds a little strange doesn't it?  Let me explain - rabbit first,  I bought a lovely pattern for a floppy-eared rabbit and when Laura (my grown-up daughter) saw it she went all gooey and asked for one.  I then made one for Ben's girlfriend (also grown-up) who then asked me to make one for her 18 year old sister at the same time as Laura asked for one for her friend.  So, I have made four little toy rabbits and none of them are for children.  What a soppy lot!  Now the nun explanation - Laura became a Buddist about 18 months ago and regularly visits the Tibetan Centre in Scotland and is particular friends with the young nun who runs the shop there and, as it is her birthday next month, asked me to make another rabbit.  Perfectly simple!

Today Bob has started cutting the mortices (square holes) for the joints in the timber frame.  Very kindly, the chap from the woodyard let us borrow their chain morticer which is a machine you clamp onto the wood and it cuts the square holes - very clever and so much easier than by hand - they'll just need a bit of tidying up later.  People round here have been so good with help, advice and the loan of things - really helps you along (especially when you've not done this sort of thing before).  While Bob was doing that, I carried on with pointing the inside of one of the barns (now there's a job that seems never-ending!).  We've also had several breaks to chat to neighbours as they pass on their daily constitutionals.  We're quite enjoying living next to a bridleway - best of both worlds really as we're fairly remote from hustle and bustle, but still see people every day as they walk/ride past and stop for a chat or a cuppa and check on progress!  Some even come bearing gifts - beans, rhubarb, field mushrooms and so on - even better!

We are a little worried about the head height in this bit of the extension and also the fact that the only window will look straight out at the sleepers of the retaining wall (luvverly - perhaps I'll paint an alpine meadow scene on them!).  So, on Monday, we need to speak to the architect to see if we can gain any height by using smaller timbers in the roof (but more of them) and we may ask the Planning Dept if we can put a second window in which will look at the stone part of the retaining wall which is more interesting and should be quite pretty when some plants get established.  We also need to ask Building Control if we have to insulate all the outside walls (thus losing all their character and turning them into modern, flat, square-cornered walls).  Not sure if we can put more insulation in the roof to compensate, we'll see.