Plasterboard and cake

Here's our new apprentice - Laura has got stuck into plasterboarding.  On Sunday she helped Bob do the shower enclosure in the en-suite and today she helped me do some of the fiddly bits in the kitchen.  All went smoothly with Bob's guidance on Sunday . . . . . today, well, erm . . . . . lets just say, I didn't take any photos.  We had a laugh though!  We were doing the bit next to the door in the kitchen so had to cut bits out of the top to go round the ceiling beams, a bit out of one side for the oak lintel over the door and some out of the other side for the flexi-ply round the window.  It was all a little complicated!  It would have fitted perfectly, honest.  We just got in a bit of a pickle with which bit we were supposed to be measuring from and so ended up with a perfectly sized bit cut out for a beam . . . . . 2cm further over than it should have been.  Laura nearly wet herself laughing when she realised!  Eventually we got it sorted (including a separate 2cm piece with one screw in it).  I'm sure it'll look fine when it's skimmed.  Bob wasn't all that impressed I don't think!

Earlier Bob and I dragged all the wood out of the workshop looking for something to make window sills out of.  This is wood we accumulated while still in our old house for making chairs, etc from.  There was a large piece right at the bottom we thought might make two sills, so of course the whole lot had to come out - good chance to sweep the workshop though.  As it was, the large piece of scots pine will only do one window sill - they are only little windows, but very deep sills with slanting side, so actually take a lot of timber.  We also found a shelf from our old house made from London Plane and with the natural waney edge still on it, so we've decided to recycle that for the dining end of the kitchen.  London Plane is also called lacewood because of the very delicate pattern in the grain - it's quite interesting, so should look really good, especially with a wiggly edge.  For the ensuite I think we will make some slate tiles from leftovers and use them.  It's quite good fun trying to find things lying around that can be re-used instead of just nipping to the shop and buying something.

Another bonus of having Laura here is that we get cups of coffee brought down to us and today she made a very yummy chocolate marble cake for 'afternoon tea'.  It has been a beautiful day, so we sat on the 'beer bench' to have it - first time it's been used this year I think (first of many I hope).  The chickens enjoyed their crumbs too, especially Molly - she likes nothing more than a spot of tea and a bit of cake (really, she does like tea!).  It's not very restful trying to fend four chickens off every time you put your cup or plate down!  Bless 'em!  Molly still looks a bit off colour, but she's there whenever food's on offer and bumbles around quite happily, so I guess she's just feeling her age - aahh!

Blog followers are now up to eight!  The latest recruit is a panda!  I think that may be P and A - Phil and Ann?  I'll ask them next time I see them.  Maybe we'll make double figures soon.