Bob's going to see a stripper!

Well, this working for a living malarky certainly interferes with normal day-to-day life doesn't it?!  I guess I feel a bit like little children do after their first week at school . . . . 'OK, I've done that, can I stop now?'.  No, actually it's OK and I'm getting used to it.  I've really just been on the tills all the time which can fuzzle your brain a bit after a few hours, but at least I'm getting to know what to do.  It's strange because after a couple of hours I find my voice getting a bit croaky - just not used to all this talking!  I've just finished my 'weekend' as I have Thursday and Friday off.  Back in tomorrow at 7am - whoever thought that was a good time to start?!  I should be awake in plenty of time though because the squirrels have taken to sitting in the hawthorn hedge above the caravan and throwing the haw stones onto the roof at a very early hour - don't you just love the little cuties?!!!

In between 'work', we've been quite busy, but not so much to photograph.  On Monday evening, when I got back from work we decided to walk round to a neighbour's with some cake to thank them for the trailer-load of logs they'd dropped off the day before.  Do you know, I'd stood right next to this huge pile of logs talking to Phil and Ann on Sunday afternoon and not even noticed them - I just don't know how I didn't see them.  Anyway, by the time we'd got back from quickly dropping off the cake it was 9.30pm and we hadn't even had tea . . . . beans on toast that night!
On Wednesday evening Bob joined a few of the smallholders for a walk in the hills.  It was a lovely sunny evening and they went along part of Offa's Dyke to a highpoint with absolutely fantastic views over the Shropshire Plains in one direction and off to the Welsh mountains in the other.  Unfortunately they set off too early for me to go (see what I mean about work interfering!), so I just joined them in the pub after for a beer and a tour of the micro brewery nextdoor.  The brewery straddles Offa's Dyke.  The Dyke is the ancient boundary between England and Wales and part of the brewery's marketing speil is how they have to keep nipping from England to Wales and back as they make their beer.

Yesterday we drove over to Hinkley to see the couple who came to visit us with Mum and Dad a couple of weeks ago.  Colin is a natural hoarder and has the barns to keep loads and loads and loads of 'stuff' in (much to Mary's disgust I think).  Anyway, they had some 80 year old pine doors from a wooden bungalow they'd demolished years ago which they said we could have.  We should be able to use most of them and it will certainly save a lot of time as Bob was going to make them.  A couple will need a bit of work to make them the right size, but it is certainly a bonus to get them.  While we were there we had a tour of the 6,000 chickens, all the barns and workshops - several old motorbikes in the process of being restored which Bob loved, a couple of cars, endless wood and machinery picked up for scrap yards, clearance sales and so on.  At one point Mary said quite nonchalantly 'I think we've got our old Volvo estate in here somewhere, but I don't really know where' . . . how can you lose a Volvo estate in your barn?!!!  Anyway, we had a really good few hours there before trundling back down the A5 with a trailer full of doors. 

This morning we took all the hinges and knobs off and Bob's going to take them to the strippers tomorrow - should I be allowing my husband to go and see a stripper alone?!  It'll be quite exciting to see what they're like when we get them back, at the moment they're covered in dark brown treacley varnish or white gloss.

I had quite a successful morning on Tuesday restoring the window latches and stays that were on the rotten windows we took out.  We chucked them in a bonfire first as that's the most effective way to get rid of the many layers of gloss paint.  Then a quick scrub with a wire brush followed by a coat of the blacking stuff I used on the bread oven and fireplace. They then needed a really good polish up with a cloth to get all the excess black off - don't want mucky hands every time you open a window.  I then gave them a coat of wax and another polish and they look really good and will have saved a fair bit of money.  I was really good while I was doing this and wore rubber gloves so a I didn't have black hands and nails for work in the afternoon (see it's getting in the way again!).  Trouble is, I forgot when  I did the last bit and the wax has some solvent in which, of course, took some of the black off and all over my hands.   Aaaarghhh, panic!  Thankfully a really good scrubbing got most of it off, phew!  Anyway, we've used some of the old window stuff on the new window in the oak-frame room.



Thought this was a funny little view of Bob working
on the window through the opening the window is
going to go in

 Speaking of which, we picked up the glass today and fitted the window this afternoon.  This one didn't have quite the dramatic impact the triangle window did because the view is of . . . . . sleepers, mmm, nice!  Some trailing plants are definitely needed and I'll have to look out for some interesting bits and bobs to brighten up the sleepers - sooooo glad we decided to put the triangle window in as well.  



And here it is in place with the reclaimed window stays.
See what I mean about the view?





Just found another old view for you . . . . .would you take on something like this?
I wouldn't!



Windows and work

Well, I've just finished work and feeling a little weary.  It's all gone OK, everyone's really friendly and helpful, but there is astill a lot to take in and remember.  I'm sure in a couple of weeks I'll be wondering what I was worried about.  I've woken up very early the last couple of mornings and not been able to get back to sleep for trying to think what you do if someone wants to pay off their account or how you put this voucher or that through . . . . I'm sincerely hoping this will pass!  Today I was pretty much left to it on the tills - 2 hours on the express till (well, that's a laugh - hardly express just yet!) and 2 hours on an ordinary till.  In between I did some tidying, checking dates and shelf stacking.  I guess being thrown in at the deep end is the quickest way to learn, but I don't feel I've found my inner calm behind a till just yet!

We have now put the triangle window in, glass and all.  It looks really weird, no, no, no I don't mean that, what I mean is it looks really strange.  To be able to see out clearly is very strange, having been used to the burglar-proof plastic for so long.  Bob had made the frame a very snug fit - of course - and so it did take a long time to get the frame in.  The main trouble was that the wall itself is made up of so many layers and, while they all seemed level when we did them, the tiniest variations meant that the frame just wouldn't go in and Bob had to trim here and there.  It's done now though and I've plasterboarded round it inside and it just needs some chestnut cladding up the sides on the outside.  Now I have to invent some sort of curtain for it . . . . . mmmm . . . . maybe a blind would be best, a kind of fan-shaped affair where one side goes up and down, but the other doesn't.  I'll ponder on that.  Talking of curtains, the sewing machine has new needles and I finished the bedroom curtains this morning and I'm really quite pleased with them.  The next window frame is well on the way (the other window in the timber extension) and I ordered the glass for it on my way to work today.  Again, Bob is having to do a deal of fiddling around to get it to fit nicely, but he should have that sorted tomorrow.



The triangle window from inside - with
someone peering in . . .  



. . . . but this peeping tom can't quite reach!



This is a 'school night'!

Yes, I start work tomorrow (sob), so it feels a bit like the last night of the summer holidays when you're at school.  Got to lay out my uniform (well, something smart) and books (well, P45, birthcertificate, etc), have an early night and no drinking (not that that applied when I was at school obviously!  Hmmm). . . . and well, I might finish the wine I've already started.

So, here's what we've been doing with my last few days of freedom . . . . 



My sewing room - just ignore the ladder which is our stairs for
the moment, apart from that it looks quite cosy in there.  So,
kitchen curtains are done and now I'm doing the bedroom ones.



And here they are.  They still need the hems doing and the lining
sewing in, but I've broken every sewing machine needle I have
doing them, so it'll have to wait until I've got some more.  The pattern
is embroidered on with wool, so where there are several layers it
is really thick and that's what's done for the needles.

 

This moring we had a sort through our stored furniture and decided
to get this set of pine drawers out.  Bob's Mum bought these ages ago and sanded
and varnished them.  They were a little 'orange', so Bob decided to have
another go and they look much better (you can see them in the photo above).  They
date to the mid 1800's so a similar age to the cottage.  When Bob took the knobs
off we saw the original finish - white paint covered in varnish and worked to look like oak!




We also found this corner cabinet which Bob made before we moved.
The elm is from a village called Shelton (our surname), so we had to
make something for ourselves from it.  It has survived storage really well
and looks just lovely, we just need to find a corner for it - surprisingly difficult
as there aren't many right-angle corners here!  Not everything has survived
so well - I re-caned a little chair (another of Bob's Mum's purchases) before we
moved.  It took me ages, but looked quite good finished . . . the mice liked it too!

 

And we've tried the bath - had to put the immersion on to heat
the water because the solar's not doing anything at the moment.
Oh, what luxury - it's wider, deeper and longer than our old bath,
so you can really submerge in it.  I can't wait to get a cold now and
need a hot bath!!  Not really, but it is nice to have.



Mickey's moved in!

Today we have had a visit from my Mum and Dad.  They are staying with friends half way between us and them, so took the opportunity for a day visit bringing their friends with them.  I think Mary and Colin have probably heard enough about this project over the last couple of years to feel as though they know the place quite well!  They came bearing gifts of absolutely huge eggs (they have 6,000 chickens!) and some bacon from their local farm . . . guess what we're having for tea!  It was nice to see them all and a good chance for Mum and Dad to catch up and to see what we've done with those manky old floor tiles they helped us clean last time they were here (kitchen floor).

This is the oak frame for the window in the end wall of the timber-frame room - odd shape isn't it?  The slope follows the roofline and it isn't an opening window, so although the joints were a bit awkward on the slope it was the simplest window to start with.  Bob has now cut the sticky-out bits off flush and I have given the outside side a couple of coats of protecting oil.  We have ordered the glass and that should be ready to collect on Monday.  With that fitted, we will have one less piece of burglar-proof polythene over a window opening which is good!

And here's the first bit of soft furnishing - I finally got all the bits and pieces (eye hooks, rings and cord) and finished the blind in the kitchen.  Behind the obvious piece of oak here are a couple of original pieces (much paler and harder to see) and there was quite a gap between them and the window frame at one corner.  It has all be filled with expanding foam, but I've been wondering for a while how to cover the gap and this blind gave the answer.  We had to mount a piece of wood for the blind to hang from so Bob used the piece he'd cut off the end of the table and left it big enough to go right back to the window from and, dah-dah, two birds killed with one stone and no-one will ever know!  Having a blind makes it look much more homely.  Do you know,  I was looking through a pile of magazines for curtain-inspiration and was amazed that none of the posh houses they show have anything up at the windows - how do they get that cosy-up feeling on a winter evening?  Just too trendy for their own good!  Next is the matching curtain for the other window in that room.  We are getting the curtain pole from a local blacksmith and that should be ready any day.  That will hang from some little coat hooks we got from the same shop as the door knocker and the iron chicken - just need to check if they are covered in brown paint like the knocker and, if so, sort them out.

While I was in interior decorating mood, I decided to hang our first picture.  I've had this for ages and really like it - the drawing is just so simple and so clever, I really wish I could draw like that.  I wasn't sure that it would actually look right anywhere, but then decided to try it in the bathroom which is quite modern-looking and I thought it fitted in quite well, except for the blue frame.  The bathroom really needs brightening up with some colour - it's very monochrome at the moment.  So out came the red paint and 'Bob's your uncle' so to speak.  With red towels and bath mat and other bits and pieces to make it more interesting, the whole room should look much better.

On Monday the plumber came to take another look at the solar tubes.  This time he went up on the roof to check the joints - they were all dry.  So he took one of the tubes out and felt in the hole it had come out of and guess what?  The insulation around it was absolutely sopping with glycol!  That means that something in the manifold is leaking which means it is a manufacturing problem - one of their braised joints.  So, we need a new manifold!  Now that's a bit of a pain, but I'm glad he's finally found a real problem and it can be sorted.  He's off to get married on Friday and then away in Mexico for the rest of the month, but we are booked in on his first day back at work on 1 Sept.  He also realised that there was no 'heat sink compound' in the hole where the tubes fit into the manifold.  This is a special heat conducting paste and is really important for transferring the heat.  So, hopefully with a new manifold and plenty of special gunk they should start working beautifully - make sure you keep your fingers crossed until September!  When he got here, he needed a ladder to get onto the roof and the little wooden one I fetched wasn't big enough.  Now, I knew we had a long extending aluminium ladder, but could I think where it was.  I was sure I hadn't seen it lying around for ages so thought it must be stored behind the top barns or something.  In the end I had to ask Bob where it was . . . . "Think!" he said and pointed to our 'stairs'.  D'oh, I've only been climbing up and down it every day to get upstairs - made the plumber laugh anyway!

Just realised, this is my 100th blog/post/message (whatever you call it) on the Elvis the Chicken Blog . . . . . . . sounds like a good reason to have a beer!  Cheers!!

Curtain-making at last!

Just look at this!  I'm actually making curtains, can you believe it?  I had a lovely time measuring, cutting, ironing (yep, I even enjoyed ironing!) and sewing with the radio on and the sun coming in.  Mind you, it took me a while to get going, it always does, but once the first cut is made I'm OK.  I sorted out the shower curtain for the downstairs bathroom and I'm now doing the roman blind for the kitchen.  Bob needs to put a piece of oak across the top of the window for it to attached to.  He's a bit absorbed with window frames at the moment (which are coming on well), so I'll get as far as I can and finish off when the wood is in place.  At one point I nipped up to the caravan for something and when I came back Peggy Chicken was up on the table inspecting the sewing machine - I promptly helped her fly right out the door I can tell you!  Gosh, Bob's chickens are naughty!

We had more flying invaders today, but nowhere near as scary as that huge hornet yesterday.  We walked round to Phil and Ann's for a cuppa this afternoon and while we were in their garden the Red Arrows flew over, the 2nd formation was so low we almost ducked!

The end of an era . . . . .

. . . . . well, yes, it's the end of an era and really I'm quite sad.  I've got a job.  I guess the time had to come, but, well, I quite like playing builders.  We did only budget for one year out of work for doing this - bit on the optimistic side wasn't it?!!  So, we've done well to string it out for nearly three years.  It's had its ups and downs, but I feel really, really lucky to have had the opportunity to do this with Bob.  Generally we've had a whale of a time and learned so, so much and we're still friends which is a bonus.  Money permitting, I would happily do it all again (not sure Bob would), but of course we'd have to sell this place to do another and I definitely don't want to do that, our hearts and soles are in this, so a job it is then.  Despite my doom and gloom, it's not actually too bad.  It's for Marks and Spencer, part time (I hope it'll cover the main bills) which does give me time to carry on with stuff here and maybe develop the craft side of things once Bob's back to furniture-making.  It's actually a short fixed term contract, but by the time that runs out they'll be looking for Christmas staff and after that, who knows.

Sorting out the job took a fair time - the online application took almost a whole morning by the time I'd found all the paperwork, reference details, etc I needed, answered all the multiple choice questions, senarios and so on.  It then came straight back to offer me an interview for the following day (today), so I had a major search to find some smart trousers and shoes that hadn't gone mouldy in storage!  Anyway, don't have to think about that for another week or so, so I'm trying to think what else we've done this week.

My sister and family came for a short visit on Wednesday which was lovely.  As usual they had good weather.  It still amazes me that Sophie and Ellie (teenagers) are so interested in what we are doing to the house.  Ellie actually squealed when she went upstairs and saw that the ensuite was finished!  Amazing.  They were on their way up to Scotland to visit Laura.

We got the shower rail back from the powder coaters and it looks pretty good.  They also coated some cheapy chrome brackets we found to match.  I bought a £3 plain white curtain and I just need to shape the top to match the slope of the roof and it should all work quite well.  The plumber came round and was quite impressed with it all, so he'll be recommending it to all his customers with sloping ceilings.

The plumber was here to fix another leak (I think we're leak free at last and so have put the washer in its cubby hole which looks much neater).  He also pumped some more glycol into the solar system because the pressure had got quite low.  It looked as though there was a lot of air in the system which would explain why it was working so badly.  So, we were all optimistic that the problems were sorted and we'd have loads of lovely free hot water.  But, no.  We are now wondering if there is a leak on one of the roof joints which is letting air in and so he is coming back on Monday to check - that's about the only bit we haven't checked so far.  Get your fingers and toes crossed, because we're getting a bit fed up with the whole thing now!  The plumber is getting married next Saturday and then off to Mexico on honeymoon, so what doesn't get done on Monday or Tuesday won't get done until next month!

Bob has made a start on the window frames and here he is using the new router table.  He had it connected to his dust extractor so it doesn't make much mess . . . . . that shelf below is actually black, it's just covered with sawdust and there was quite a pile at the side of the table too, er, and behind.  So, we looked inside the dust extractor and there was nothing there.  Mmmmm, something not quite right there then.  But the router and table themselves are working fine.  Bob is making this all up as he goes along - looking at our exisitng windows, the oak windows we bought at auction and some plans the architect gave us and coming up with a sort of hybrid plan.  I'm sure they'll be fine!




Oh, did I tell you we chose a colour for the bit around
the fireplace?  'Overtly Olive' - you can just about make it
out in this picture - it looks much better I think.

 Another piece of furniture has been liberated.  This is one of the first chairs Bob made.  All our chairs are early prototypes which basically means that we're not too keen on them now because the design has since been worked on and improved.  I actually still like this one which is why I chose to free it from storage first.  It was covered in a powdery green mould (lovely), but that wiped off quite easily and I gave it a wax and polish and it now looks as good as new.  So, now we have a table and a chair you know what that means?    Drum roll please!
CURTAIN MAKING!!!!!!!  I even bought a new ironing board cover . . . . you've guessed it, the other one was mouldy and a new iron in readiness.  Can't actually remember how to iron because I haven't done any for nearly 3 years!  I have the material to make a roman blind for the cooking end of the kitchen, curtains for the dining end and for the bedroom.  It's all so exciting - I've been waiting for this moment for so long!

Yesterday I got on my hands and knees and scrubbed the bathroom floor clean and then gave it another coat of sealer.  I also cleaned the bath - everything just gets covered with dust so quickly, so I've now hung a sheet of plastic across the door and we'll try to keep it reasonably clean, just in case we ever want to try the bath out!  After the M&S interview this afternoon, I got back into my builders clothes and painted the hallway, it's all coming along nicely.

Oooh, nearly forgot!  This morning I was outside and there was a huge buzzing noise and when I looked there was an absolutely massive hornet buzzing around the kitchen doorway.  It was fascinatingly horrific - just like those may bugs I told you about battering the caravan windows.  So, fascinating yes, but I really hope it doesn't decide to nest around here - quite scary.  The baby buzzards are out and about most of the day.  One often circles really low over the house which is good to watch.  I think there are probably two young because we saw four birds circling around the other day.  The young make quite an incessant noise a bit like a seagull's screech, the parents must get really fed up with it.  At this time of year you see quite a lot of buzzards sitting around on fence posts, telegraph poles and trees not really doing much.  We've decided that these are the parents who've flown away for just a minute or two's peace and quiet!