The store at the back of the house

It rained, rained and rained for the first three or four days and I began to panic about getting the work completed, but what's a bit of rain? As it happened, things got better albeit only one completely rain-less day.

I loved the visit. Its a pity I didn't get to meet up with Keith Eckstein. He could well have turned up during the hour I went awol but I didn't have his mobile number with me. I guess there is always another time.

Jobs completed...
Empty the proposed breakfast area / fit a shelf above the drawing board / fit an ikea shelving unit together / build up the window ledges in the dining area / chip the protruding stone and concrete from walls and floor of dining area / fit lock on living room door to the kitchen / render the dining room walls and inside of windows / fit the living room blind / seal the leak in David's bathroom / remove the shelves and contents from under the stairs to the new storeroom / render above door and under stairs top of wall / paint under the stairs / remove the slates down to the velux on outside store / re-slate roof, including the edge tiles / trim the store door and re-hang / fit three locks to the store door / fit feature stone inserts into the store wall / chisel around the stonework of the store / render the store walls / crepi the walls / move the pile of stone / trim the trees / clear the wood store area of scaffolding and boards etc. and relocate the timber / cover the wood store for winter / chop firewood / fit window flower box / put shelving (and everything else) into the new store / treat the canopy timbers / tidy up.

I had one surprise visit from the Vogel family who had read my blog and knew I was around. They kindly brought some crepes. It was so good to see them.

Photos...taking up where I left off.

What's going on behind the covers?

 Rendered and shaped around the feature stone inserts...

We still have the base to do and the stone to clean...

 We still have the left-hand wall to render and shape around the stone...

 Fitting everything in. It's a concrete mixer under the yellow bag. Note for any budding burglars...it's all very old stuff and not really worth the effort, but feel free...I think you'll be doing me a favour.

 On the day I left, the sun came out.

The breakfast area...

 Cleared, and window ledges built up...

 Walls rendered ready for plastering...

 Stonework to be cleaned and pointed in the Spring...plus floor tiles and ceiling etc!

Living room shelf...

Wood store area after I've removed the scaffolding and boards...

That's better!

It's amazing what the garden throws up when you start clearing up...

 Somewhere to put a bit of our stone for the time being...

All in all it was a productive time and I even had time to socialise; a lovely meal with Martin and Colette, also with the Vogel family and Gary and Carol and Derek.

I'm already looking forward to the next visit. I miss the place already.

After visiting Blu's blog I thought I'd post this last photograph. It of my mobile phone taken by my camera(not the phone camera) to show how dark it was all on my own as I sent a text to England. I've never done it before; it was a new experience, and I love new experiences (preferably in daylight). Can you see me? I'm holding the phone.

And this is another first time experience...taking a photo of my living room window at night to see if I can portray how isolated I felt. It's possible I was witnessed dancing by my neighbour who thought the  house had squatters after seeing lights on.

Boy, was it dark!