Play has resumed

We are still having a lot of rain, but in between we've managed to get on with some of the cladding on the workshop.  The wany-edge larch boards arrived on Friday delivered by Pop Larkin . . . . not really, but if you've ever read/seen The Darling Buds of May, then the owner of the woodyard bears a striking resemblence (especially of character) to Pop.  He has a million stories to tell, an interest in everything and always willing with help or advice - there should be more people like him I think.

Anyway, we have now clad the two gable-end walls and up to the top of the windows and doors on the front.  The boards were long enough to do the sides in single lengths and the boards were fairly parallel so most of the end walls were really quick to do once we got into the swing of it.  Much quicker than the timber extension because the boards we had for that were wany in the extreme and so lots more working out needed to be done.  While I have been at work, Bob has been able to get on with the short pieces on the front and next to the window on the other end, but the whole lengths are just so much easier to manage with two people as you can imagine.  He has also got on with the noggins in the roof which takes a while and a lot of up and downing the ladder.

This morning we had to do an unexpected repair on the woodburner flue.  We decided to get a chimney sweep brush so we can sweep our own chimney instead of paying someone to do it.  We will eventually have two to do and the one with a backboiler on needs doing twice a year (the water cools it down so the tar and soot builds up quicker).  So it could work out quite expensive.  Anyway, yesterday it was raining so Bob couldn't get on with the workshop and so decided to sweep the chimney and clean all the insides of the woodburner.  All went well and he was really pleased with his efforts.  At one point while he was doing it, the chickens set up an almighty squwarking outside, but he couldn't see why and so assumed they were just 'crying wolf' as they are prone to do.  Later on he went into the garden for something and notice a short piece of metal tube lying on the ground . . . . mmmmmm . . . .wasn't that supposed to be in the chimney inside the top of the flexible flue supporting it so the clamp which holds it all in place can be tightened?   Oops, a bit of enthusiastic sweeping had obviously pushed it out and presumably it had almost hit the chickens as it fell - no wonder they made a racket!  So, this morning we had to set the scaffold tower up to its full height and get the roof ladder out and Bob gingerly climbed up to the chimney to replace the tube and screw it into place.  I offered to go up (honestly I did), but I know that if I had, Bob would have needed to see for himself that it was properly in place so there seemed little point in me doing it.  I was the support crew on the tower.

On Sunday, Bob was out all day at a meeting, so I had a very rare day here by myself.  I was hoping to do some gardening, but, guess what?  it rained most of the day.  Surprise, surprise!  So I got on with version two of the blind for the triangle window in the oak bedroom - you know, the one I made such a cock-up of about 6 months ago.  I have been putting it off and putting it off and I can't say I really enjoyed doing it, but it it is done now and just needs ironing and hanging.  THANK GOODNESS!

I had to work until 10pm on Saturday (a 10 hour shift) to do the stock-take - that seemed like a very long day I can tell you!  Still, I only have to work tomorrow and then I'm off until a week on Monday - yeah!!! Can't wait.  We're actually going away for a few days too which will be lovely.  Not going far, just to Cardigan for a bit of a sea-fix - every couple of years I just get a hankering to see some waves and breathe in some salty air.

Matty has been on a Grand Tour - introducing himself to the
other residents of the kitchen.  First was Bristles who he enjoyed
chatting to and got on very well with.  He was a tad worried though
that if they got on too well, Bristles might want a hug and
he'd just end up as juice!