Off for Christmas!

On our way to Ireland for Christmas!

Plasterboarding upstairs , plasterers in New Year and heating , come on.

And there is more!

In the loft!
And the Hall !

Here we Go

Back from seeing the Gruffalo, great fun Harry is such a little star.

Up to the farm and look whats happening!

Sorry can not delete duplicated image

In London

Snow up the North back in the morning!

Been a while !

Sorry lost the lead for the camera and now I have found it.

Back from Ireland and went to visit the joinery shop this morning , what a f******g disappointment why do grown men not possess the ability to communicate , they were supposed to have started making the windows two weeks ago and all I get is a few token planks to placate me , shit start the day , week.

However as you will see , all is not lost the rest of the job is going great , electrics starting to happen , we now have a beautiful hallway , the first window is out in our bedroom ,the fireplace is 2/3 done in the kitchen , the roof is 99% complete and we have all the gutters on.

Judge for yourselves!

Would those be my dormer windows?

Break on through to the other side!

Tired Out!

Put two stone lintels in the gable wall today , ready for the extension and ready to break through , had a really good day working with Pete one of the builders both suffering from lack of sleep with young babies but both buzzing off a good job done.

Well done us.

Two finds!

Started the day with a visit to the joiners shop , second coat of undercoat on one more and they are ready for putting in.

Then picked up a couple of pieces today from the local auction house , a wing back chair to be covered in the "laagaphule" tweed , dropped it off with an old mate who is the a top upholsterer , then back for the second lot a chest of drawers inlaid with ebony , thought they were ok but someone had replaced the handles with some shitty brass ones , stopped off at the french polishers who thought they were a steal , has the correct handles for the drawers and going to do a minor restoration project on them.

Then met Lou at the farm and gained her seal of approval for all I have been doing

Bingo another great day!

Please indulge me.

Back on site today and the chimney pots are up and the lead work is well on the way .

Think it all works , i am stoked.

Plus the kids and Lou are on their way to Whitby.

Its all happening!

The chimney pots are on , and I am in London so will have to see it all on Thursday.

Will post a picture then.

The paint has arrived for the exterior Farrow and Ball , "Castle Grey" , that will make Mr Joule laugh!!!

Look at that wall Harry

Hope you like it , thats your bedroom wall Harry.

Planning!

Feeling hungover today , I over did it.

The reason we got a letter saying the Parks authority will back our plans to extend.

18 months of hassle , i had not realised how stressed I was over it , it was like the pressure valve being released , I am so happy and relieved.

Another chapter to write!

It just gets better

Oh yes!

Oh yes we are off!

Wentt to the joinery shop today to look at the windows for the dormers , another step further on the road.

Carpenter called Woolfy one of life's good guys!

Came back and look what someone did to my roof , god bless them

Roofing at the circus !

Slates on the roof , we may be off!

Tuesday

So from the top the two Marius's have started taking out the old pointing , slow , hard and dusty.

The rebuild on the kitchen fireplace has started , how lovely will that look with our new black Aga.

Chimneys about to pop out the roof the simplification of 5 chimneys to 3 has been the right choice looks a lot tidier and sleek.

Finally the chimney in Harrys room , get that pointing in and we have a lovely little original feature for fat pants.

Things are moving on and I am promised more builders for tomorrow.

Happy Days

What Will Monday Bring !

A week away from the Job , very excited to see whats been going on , roll on Monday.

In London This Week!

Posts next week !

Dormers Finished!

Great day today , 6 dormers in my roof and I am very happy.

Been doing samples of mortar for repointing of the house and stripping render and plaster of the inside and out , joy of joy.

However the render on the gable at the north end of the house has come off OK and it looks as if it will point up , which will look so much better.

Stripped the chimney breast in the sitting room today , roll on having a fire and a glass of whisky in front of it with Lou and the kids.

Mowed the front field yesterday as Chris from Pure Renewables is doing a site inspection tomorrow ready for the Ground Source heat pump coil.

I really am loving this building lark , just miss the family , Looking out the windows of what will be the kids bedrooms , it will be so worth it.

Off she goes!

TALLULAHS OFF !!!

Concrete Floors !!

Its official I now feel 63 , 10.75 cube metres of concrete would do it to the best of us.

However its done and can not wait to see how it looks on Monday.We used a guy called Stuart Knaggs who has a lorry which mixes the concrete at the site so you only pay for what you use , he made the job a dream and waited with us while we barrowed it in.

The boys from Harrisons the builders were great too and the job was done in 3 hours , as with all these things there were a few comedy moments most at the expense of the bosses son Brian , who had definitely not passed his test for driving a wheelbarrow missing the ramp to the house , hitting walls and dropping barrows , he took it all in good spirit.

4 dormers out the roof and can not wait to get back at it.

Have a great weekend , i will , kids get better and better.Tallulah took her first crawl this week.

Over and out!

Working Is so Overrated

Another day on the back of a Shovel , I am feeling everyone of my 43 years .

3 dormers and counting , big day tomorrow laying concrete , still very happy.

Also new tiles for the roof landed today.