Rhubarb cruelty
So, another week gone and more progress on our remaining rooms. We managed to borrow a scaffold tower from a neighbour on Monday morning and so could get on with skimming in the afternoon. Having the twin towers up did make things much easier. The two of them just fitted with about 3mm to spare (we had to make sure the wingnuts on ours were a certain way or they wouldn't fit, it was that close). This did make moving them a little tricky - push one a couple of inches then the other and so on. But it did mean that we could reach the whole length of the ceiling in one go and so could do each portion in one go. There are four 'portions' to the ceiling - above and below the purlins times two for the two sides. When we were skimming before, we tended to do one session and then do something else for the rest of the day. You can only do so much in one session or the plaster starts to dry out before you are ready to do the next stage. This time we managed to get more done in each session and also to do more than one session a day, so we had it all done by Wednesday. We were really pleased with that because we did think it'd take us all week. So, that room could now be painted I guess - exciting (I like that bit!).
Instead of painting though, we moved swiftly on to the bat loft ceiling. We have got all the insulation in which has been a truly horrible job! It has taken longer than the skimming! There is not much head height up there - before the insulation Bob could stand up (just) in the middle, but as we put each layer in obviously the ceiling has got lower and now, after 6" of insulation, Bob can't stand up anywhere. We have stuff stored up there - cast iron downpipes, rolls of damp proof membrane and roof breather membrane as well as boxes and boxes of Laura's clothes. So, all that needs moving around as you work. To make life more miserable, it's a really dusty job and in a confined space that's not much fun. We are using solid polyeurathane(?) insulation with silver paper on each side. You can cut the 1" stuff quite easily and cleanly with a stanley knife, so that's not too bad. When it comes to the 4" stuff though you have to use a saw which makes all this horrible dust. It's quite static too so it clings to you. Last night when we'd finished my black trousers were beige - I had to take them off and beat them against the outside wall (good job it was dark and no-one came past!). So, we are really well and truly pleased that that job is over and done with and our work clothes are now in the wash! Think that's all the insulation done in the house now. Seems a little strange not to have piles of the boards all over the place. We bought most of it about two and a half years ago when it was on special offer and it has been stored under the caravan, in the top of the wriggly barn, in the end bedroom, everywhere ever since. Now we just have a few offcuts left which we can use when we box in the soil pipe (for soundproofing rather than for thermal insulation as the pipe goes down the corner of the lounge!) and we will also put some round the bath when we put a panel on the side to keep the water hot for longer. So, next is plasterboarding which will also be a bit awkward, but the dust isn't so horrible (it settles!).
We are having our first rhubarb crumble of the season for tea tonight. We have quite a bit of rhubarb which is sprouting nicely, but a few weeks ago I decided to try forcing some. That is, keep it in the dark and it grows quickly trying to find the light and stays pink and tender. Oh, that sounds a bit cruel doesn't it, like veal calves or something? So, I have used the bit we cut off the neck of the septic tank (before it was used, don't worry) which is a fibre glass tube about two feet across with a bit of wood across the top - it doesn't look pretty I'll admit, but then neither does anything in the garden yet! It has worked anyway and we have lovely pink rhubarb. Next lot's going in some vodka ready for warm sunny evenings to come! You make it like sloe gin, but with vodka and rhubarb and it is delicious chilled with ice in the summer. We are still cooking most evening meals on the woodburner - I think we've only used the other cooker for one meal in the last month or so which is quite good isn't it. I am currently perfecting naan bread cooked directly on the hotplate which works really well. In a way, it'll be a shame when the weather is too warm to light the woodburner. On the other hand, I can't wait for the better weather. Last week was lovely here and really spring-like, but we were confined to our dark hole for most of it of course! The birds definitely think Spring's here and are in full voice until after dark which is lovely.
So, another week gone and more progress on our remaining rooms. We managed to borrow a scaffold tower from a neighbour on Monday morning and so could get on with skimming in the afternoon. Having the twin towers up did make things much easier. The two of them just fitted with about 3mm to spare (we had to make sure the wingnuts on ours were a certain way or they wouldn't fit, it was that close). This did make moving them a little tricky - push one a couple of inches then the other and so on. But it did mean that we could reach the whole length of the ceiling in one go and so could do each portion in one go. There are four 'portions' to the ceiling - above and below the purlins times two for the two sides. When we were skimming before, we tended to do one session and then do something else for the rest of the day. You can only do so much in one session or the plaster starts to dry out before you are ready to do the next stage. This time we managed to get more done in each session and also to do more than one session a day, so we had it all done by Wednesday. We were really pleased with that because we did think it'd take us all week. So, that room could now be painted I guess - exciting (I like that bit!).
Instead of painting though, we moved swiftly on to the bat loft ceiling. We have got all the insulation in which has been a truly horrible job! It has taken longer than the skimming! There is not much head height up there - before the insulation Bob could stand up (just) in the middle, but as we put each layer in obviously the ceiling has got lower and now, after 6" of insulation, Bob can't stand up anywhere. We have stuff stored up there - cast iron downpipes, rolls of damp proof membrane and roof breather membrane as well as boxes and boxes of Laura's clothes. So, all that needs moving around as you work. To make life more miserable, it's a really dusty job and in a confined space that's not much fun. We are using solid polyeurathane(?) insulation with silver paper on each side. You can cut the 1" stuff quite easily and cleanly with a stanley knife, so that's not too bad. When it comes to the 4" stuff though you have to use a saw which makes all this horrible dust. It's quite static too so it clings to you. Last night when we'd finished my black trousers were beige - I had to take them off and beat them against the outside wall (good job it was dark and no-one came past!). So, we are really well and truly pleased that that job is over and done with and our work clothes are now in the wash! Think that's all the insulation done in the house now. Seems a little strange not to have piles of the boards all over the place. We bought most of it about two and a half years ago when it was on special offer and it has been stored under the caravan, in the top of the wriggly barn, in the end bedroom, everywhere ever since. Now we just have a few offcuts left which we can use when we box in the soil pipe (for soundproofing rather than for thermal insulation as the pipe goes down the corner of the lounge!) and we will also put some round the bath when we put a panel on the side to keep the water hot for longer. So, next is plasterboarding which will also be a bit awkward, but the dust isn't so horrible (it settles!).
We are having our first rhubarb crumble of the season for tea tonight. We have quite a bit of rhubarb which is sprouting nicely, but a few weeks ago I decided to try forcing some. That is, keep it in the dark and it grows quickly trying to find the light and stays pink and tender. Oh, that sounds a bit cruel doesn't it, like veal calves or something? So, I have used the bit we cut off the neck of the septic tank (before it was used, don't worry) which is a fibre glass tube about two feet across with a bit of wood across the top - it doesn't look pretty I'll admit, but then neither does anything in the garden yet! It has worked anyway and we have lovely pink rhubarb. Next lot's going in some vodka ready for warm sunny evenings to come! You make it like sloe gin, but with vodka and rhubarb and it is delicious chilled with ice in the summer. We are still cooking most evening meals on the woodburner - I think we've only used the other cooker for one meal in the last month or so which is quite good isn't it. I am currently perfecting naan bread cooked directly on the hotplate which works really well. In a way, it'll be a shame when the weather is too warm to light the woodburner. On the other hand, I can't wait for the better weather. Last week was lovely here and really spring-like, but we were confined to our dark hole for most of it of course! The birds definitely think Spring's here and are in full voice until after dark which is lovely.
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