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!

Hot water . . . . . . . not quite!

Well, the plumber was here Monday to Wednesday and got most things connected up.  I did think he might finish yesterday and we'd have running water (even hot water) . . . . . but, no.  I was a little disappointed, but he didn't want to connect to the mains at the end of a day and leave it to sprout leaks overnight - shouldn't he be a little more confident than that?!  I guess it makes sense.  Anyway, he should be here again tomorrow to finish off.  We just have to put the solar tubes on the roof (which we can't do until everything else is ready as they don't react well to creating heat and  not having anywhere for it to go) and connect the house to the mains supply.


Want to know how solar tubes work?  Skip this paragraph if not, but we had a lesson yesterday, so I have to pass on my new-found knowledge.  So, the tubes themselves (a bit like flourescent lights) have a bit of special liquid at the bottom (when they're on a sloping roof) and when the sun heats it this it turns to vapour and rises to the top of the tube.  Here the heat is transferred to the glycol mixture that is in the closed pipe system which runs along under the roof and into the leanto where the heat store is.  As the heat is transferred, the vapour cools and condenses and runs back to the bottom of the tube to begin again.  The glycol mixture runs through a coil in the heat store and the heat is transferred to the water in the tank.  When you turn a hot tap on, mains water runs through another coil in the heat store and takes the heat from the water in the tank  and then pootles along to the tap.  Simple really!  Amazing that the heat is transferred so many times before we will actually feel it.  Yesterday the plumber put  water in the system and pressure tested it, then when he was happy there were no leaks he put the glycol in, so it's all primed and ready to go - just need some water in the heat store so there is somewhere for the heat to go.

This is the heat store - quite a lot of gubbins connected
to it isn't there?  The black pipes are to and from the solar
tubes and the white tank is for the glycol.  Then there are pipes
to and from the backboiler and, of course, cold water in and
hot water out.  All connected up - just waiting for some water!

Although he didn't quite finish yesterday, a lot has been done this week and below are some pictures of our new additions.  The electrician also managed to come for the morning yesterday, so he was able to wire up the downstairs shower, solar pump and controller and the immersion heater.




A loo at last - all connected up, just waiting for some water!



The upstairs sink all connected up - just waiting for some water!



The upstairs shower all ready to go - just waiting for some water!
Actually, the glass screen and door may be a good idea
too, otherwise we'll be having a shower in the kitchen too
I think!



Our little cast iron radiator in the ensuite, all connected up -
you've guessed it, just wating for some water.  We're going to put a
couple of hooks on the wall above so we have nice toasty towels.
Can't wait, damp towels is one of the downsides of caravan life.

While the plumber has been here we've been hanging around as usual in case he needs anything and checking things are where we want them, but we have also got some jobs done.  I've snuck in a bit more decorating and all the painting in the kitchen is now done except for a few bits of touching up.  You know when you're painting it's the corners and edges that take the time?  Well, the kitchen is nothing but corners and edges with all the oak posts and beams!  Bob has carried on digging holes for drains - these holes seem to have been there for ages and it'll be good to get the pipes in and cover them all back in again.  We finally put the guttering around the extension after I painted it all, so that is ready to connect to the pipe to the soakaway.  This afternoon we put the closure plate in the inglenook.  This basically blocks off the rest of the chimney.  The woodburner is connected to a flue liner that goes right to the top of the chimney, so you don't need a big open chimney sucking heat away like you do with an open fire.  We had to make the plate ourselves - you can buy them, but only for little square chimneys, not great big uneven shaped ones like ours.  It was a real pain to do and put in place because, of course, the woodburner and flue are in the way.  Anyway, it's done and very glad we are too.

While I was painting the guttering up by our top barns earlier in the week, the chickens were happily scratching around in the woods behind the barns.  Suddenly one of them started making a real noisy fuss.  Usually that doesn't mean anything, but we do go and check just in case.  So I went to see what was what and as I walked round the corner a buzzard flew from a fairly low branch and across the field.  Wonder if it was thinking that the babies might like chicken for tea?  Anyway, the girls weren't too perturbed and just carried on bumbling around as usual.