An end in sight?

We really are beginning to feel that this is becoming our home as the work load starts to reduce from an enormous burden to a manageable choice of enjoyable tasks.

As recently posted on Facebook we have spent an hour relaxing on our new patio (so many thanks to Derek) during an unexpected hot spell just listening to silence and watching the moon rise.

Whilst there is a considerable amount of making good and decorating the installation of the fancy glazing to the kitchen doors completes the internal works.

 And now the fun begins. A spending spree at the local nursery has resulted in the first tranche of shrub planting. In addition mowing of the weeds in the raked off area makes it look like we have a bit of a garden and shows the promise of the future.


Unfortunately, due to the unprecedented cold weather, until now, it seems unlikely that our "Ruby Wedding" rose will make it to flower by the due date.





This is compensated by the lovely Hydrangeas presented to us by Christine and Derek.

Finishing touches?

The stairwell joinery is complete

It now feels that we are really getting somewhere. The second fix joinery is finished just leaving us with making good and decorating. Plumbing remedials have been completed. Electrical completion is very close and the only big let down is the unfinished porch. The ornamental glass for the kitchen doors is ordered.

So we are now in a position to enjoy the company of visitors. Jackson absolutely loved the bell pushes in every room then dashing round to watch the flags waving. He also felt it appropriate to summon Nanny to order breakfast in bed for Mummy.

The ascent of Pebble

He also found other pastimes that were not entirely unacceptable while visiting Cinder Beck.

Defeating Mummy at snap

Crossing Cinderdale Beck

It was lovely to see Michael and Caroline for a very relaxing visit and to be able to go back to wonderful places such as Wasdale Head and Muncaster Castle (the Hawk display was amazing) and we were very grateful for the delightful gift of the beautiful and appropriate "special anniversary".

Rightfully enjoying the workmanship

The current thoroughly enjoyable visit for Christine and Derek has not been so relaxing for Derek as the purpose was to finish Andrew's complex and difficult design of the south western patio. Andrew moved the slabs, mixed the concrete and mortar but Derek did the clever bits of laying the slabs including cutting to difficult gradients and curved edges. This was completed in three and a half days. Not too bad for a couple of geriatrics!














The result is a finished elevation, at last, a delightful place to sit and the opportunity to enjoy the birds feeding viewed from both inside and out.

Having completed the patio the opportunity arises to attend to other areas and Andrew is keen to focus on the garden. He has started to clear stones from the topsoil and the lull gave the party an opportunity to visit the local nursery and aquire plants! Be very aware. An invitation to attend a garden party might not be quite what you expect.

Less of a barn - more of a home

Despite there still being a lot to do we have, at last, managed to introduce some personal finishing touches, clean and tidy so it feels more homely.






We have to be patient while our poor electrician recovers but have made things safe by fixing loose switches back to the wall and hanging the kitchen hood although the extraction flue is outstanding.

We have raided Dunelm again and the Morning Room is complete apart from some gloss work and the kitchen doors. Upstairs is virtually complete and we can sit in comfort and listen to the brilliant sound system or watch films.

We have enjoyed Dai's company as our first visitor but he now has felt well enough to return home.










We have been able to have some fun in putting up a few bits of "Object D'art" around the place, exploiting some of the features and, very enthusiastically, looking forward to another impending visit.






With the concentration on improving the inside very little has occurred in the garden and that might become the next major project.

Safety first?

Simon is really pressing ahead with the second fix joinery with architraves and skirting boards appearing everywhere. The down side is that this results in an awful lot of outstanding decorating.




We did discover the error of leaving windows open while Swallows are revisiting their old haunts and consequently leave messages on our newly painted walls. The previously aquired insect screens will have to be brought into use (thanks, Alison).


The glass balustrade has arrived and brought into the house by an unusual route. It is now installed and we are really pleased with the light, airy protection to the stairwell. We are, finally, protected from falling down the opening from inattention.


Similarly, Andrew has installed the Juliet Balcony (how romantic!) to the hay loft door/window. This was a challenge requiring ten fixings into the granite. Amazingly he only burnt out one drill bit and the balcony has not fallen down yet.


Our poor electrician has suffered a serious injury and is, currently, unable to finish the last few jobs. He has provided us with the screws necessary to fix back the last plates so, once we have done this, it will be safe for a visit from Jackson.

We have enjoyed all sorts of wild life visitation including woodpeckers, herons, deer, squirrels (greys - hmmm), yellowhammers et al but today's visitors were unexpected. Now restored to their rightful owners.

Quite quiet but some finishing

A concentration on trying to finish some things off but fairly unsuccessful.





The morning room is almost complete and we are now able to sit at a table to eat our meals. The AGA is still not functioning properly but, at least, we are able to cook on it and it keeps the kitchen toasty warm.



Sad to report that Dai has been unwell and has been in hospital. He was discharged today and has taken up our offer to stay at Cinder Beck. So the "silver lining" is that we have achieved our wish of him being our first overnight stay and we can bring the Visitor's Book into action.




However this has meant that we had to get on and complete the double room, oil the doors and generally tidy up so this has been a result.







The beds for Jackson's room finally arrived and fit nicely but at the moment it's still being used as a bit of a dump room.

Stuff just doesn't happen

The beds didn't arrive, the electrician hasn't sorted the AGA, or fixed the lighting, we can't get the information necessary to apply for our "Feed In Tarrif" so we're not getting paid for the electricity we generate and we can't get the bank to provide evidence that we exist so we are not getting paid our entitlement for the "Renewable Heat Incentive". So, we've done our bit by paying out an enormous amount of money and nobody else does their job and we cannot get our entitlements.

Rant out of the way.

There is an exception. Simon, the joiner, continues to be completely reliable and maintains his highest quality. He has laid three quarters of the wood floor to the Morning Room (Dining Room but you'll get used to it!). It looks brilliant and feels so warm.





Despite being a week late the carpet is laid in Jackson's room, the furniture is in and we have fixed up his TV. This completes all of the carpeting.

Once we manage to fit curtains and doors (particularly to the bathroom) we might be fit to welcome visitors.



On the subject of TVs we have some. Andrew has had his way and we have the most ridiculously expensive one in the Drawing Room (Lounge but you'll get used to it) together with an amazing sound system. No wires and he loves it.

The garden is looking tidy but bare although the views are as breathtaking as ever.

 

A stress free free day!

We had a suspicion that it was going to be difficult and we weren't disappointed.

The engineers were due to fit the AGA today but the electrician hadn't finished his preparation. The electrician assured us that he would arrive first thing. The engineer had planned to take two days over the installation. He turned up to announce that he would complete in one day as his daughter had chicken pox (?). The electrician didn't turn up. In order to achieve Building Regulations we have to pressure test the house. There are holes in the walls behind the AGA that couldn't be sealed until the electrics were completed but would be inaccessible once the AGA was installed. So without the electrician we couldn't seal the house and we couldn't install the AGA but we had to install the AGA.

The camping gas cooker has arrived

The electrician finally turned up at 11.30 and did the absolute minimum to allow us to to carry out the installation but not connected to economy 7 so we have fired up the AGA on very expensive electricity.

Game of thrones?

Fortunately the solar panels are doing a great job in this lovely sunshine which will help compensate.

The wood floor.

We ordered the wood flooring for the morning room last week and, on Monday, were told it had been delivered. It hadn't. After many phone calls, in which we were told it would arrive tomorrow, we discovered it had been delivered to Bristol. It's very difficult to spot the difference between Bristol and Nether Wasdale. We had booked the joiner to start next week after acclimatisation (the wood, not the joiner) so we thought that we would have to cancel. The wood arrived late this afternoon.

As the electrician is not coming back until next week we now have a quiet day tomorrow only expecting arrival of the single beds that will be going on the carpet that was due on Wednesday but didn't arrive.


At last we have managed to unpack some of the boxes to reveal a number of very welcome presents.







Still we had a lovely sunset.

Trials, tribulations and some smug satisfaction

Well, we are in but with limited facilities so we are having to endure visiting the Strands and the Screes for meals. Unfortunately these places sell beer. This morning was quite traumatic (explanation later) so we could not organise breakfast and, therefore, were forced to demand bacon butties from the new shop at Church Stile Farm. What a shocking sacrifice.



We have discovered this amazing power. At a flick of a switch we get brilliant light and things wash our clothes, clean the carpets and charge our tablets. Bet you wish you had this stuff.

Yes, we have electricity. Not quite perfect - sockets work but the lighting is a bit haywire, hopefully to be sorted soon.




We have mostly sorted the lounge (now to be called the Drawing Room to match the bell panel) and it feels pretty good to us. We are delighted how spacious it feels even with all of our old furniture. We have ordered the new TV/audio system and these are due to start arriving next week.





It was planned to carpet the downstairs bedrooms today but the supplier sent the wrong carpet for Jackson's room so we will have to wait another week. The double room is carpeted and furniture installed but images will have to wait until curtains and a door are fitted.



Andrew was up quite early this morning which was just as well as the installers of the solar panels arrived at 7.20. Pyjamas were rapidly replaced with suitable clothing. The installation was quick, efficient and stress-free. We have already generated 9 kw and the washing machine has been running all day for free.

Tomorrow the AGA but the electrician is running late. Wish us luck.