December & Christmas 2008

Christmas was in Norwich with Jean & Bill (bit of a pirate theme going on - although I don't think either of them know who Johnny Depp is?). About as far as we ventured outside was to move to bird table so we could see it from the kitchen - been rewarded with a flock of wagtails (10 in one swoop), two nuthatches, our pair of robins and the usual tits and sparrows.

November 2008

 The weather's getting colder and the desire to do outside jobs is weakening... BUT the swamp that became of the top drive needed to be dealth with, so 10 tons ought to do it - just a very early start in freezing temperatures. Also had the advantage of locating several muscle groups we thought we'd lost! Lawrence & Nicola also gamefully helped with the task of clearing the rubbish from the back of the house which was long overdue - we can now see the 'Dallas columns' in all their glory again.

Finally, inside the black room is very nearly finished. Just waiting carpets (next year) and it's done. There is a black theme - but no-where near as scary as the previous all-black (literally) one. Working up to Christmas, the sloe & blackberry gin is maturing nicely; jam-making has not been so good - but practice makes perfect? 

October 2008

Exciting times as we move back into the main bedroom - to be joined by all our clothes that have spent the last year in bin bags or boxes. Strangely they all seem to have shrunk a little - surely it's not us getting a bigger? Fabulous mirrored sliding-door wardrobe (www.gliderobes.co.uk) installed perfectly - even allowing for the rather wobbly floor and ceiling. All that's needed now is a pair of curtains, bit of carpet and a splash of paint...

 Apart from the odd bit of DIY - it's been a quiet month, and all but given up in the garden (although still cropping tomatoes from the greenhouse); From sitting outise in the sun harbourside in Jersey at the beginning of the month to a weekend struggling to keep dry and warm at the end - think summer is officially over!

Who stole Richard Hamond?

Slightly more alarming than the disruption of re-building the house is that Richard Hammond has gone AWOL from our very own cool wall. Visitors often re-arrange the little sticky cars to their own preference, but the wife always makes sure 'hamster' is stuck on the freezer. Can't see the attraction of the little man myself?

September 2008

At last it was time for a holiday in search of some sun - we took off for our first visit to John & Barbara's beautiful appartment in La Caleta Tenerife. Weather was superb, pool was deserted (thanks to going post-school holidays!) and the beer was cool. Spent a very relaxing week swimming, reading and walking along the beachfront (with the odd bar-stop along the way). Met up with John & Barbara on our final day having a great meal at a local restaurant (www.rossosulmare.es) who served what appeared to be the worlds largest gin & tonic in a pint tumbler. A great night!

On the house front, our 3-month project is nearly complete having stretched out nearly a full year. The final windows are in, and Graham and Simon have left their last monthly bill on the kitchen table (won't be missing that bit...) There's still rather a lot to do, not least tidying up as the place still has the air of a derelict scrap yard - but it's all fixable! We've moved bedrooms again - this time into the black room to allow for a bit more plastering and fitting the wardrobes in the main bedroom. Then it's just a bit of paint and carpets and we're done?!

August 2008

 Not sure where the month went - certainly have not acheived as much as we'd like. However, the produce is coming on well - feasting on beans, peas and corgettes, and the tomatos are ripening nicely. Have also been able to harvest from the top field again; 6lbs of elderberries (going to attempt some winemaking) and a great crop of blackberries. Unfortunately the sloes don't look as abundant as last year.

Our worm farm (www.wormcity.co.uk) is also now ramping up production; a little slow to start, but we are now getting a supply of 'worm-wee' fertilizer to use in the kitchen garden. The rabbit and deer defences are also working well, complimented with the addition of two fully recycled 'pallet-gates'. In estate agent speak, the area has now been upgraded to a 'gated kitchen garden with glasshouse'

With the weather being poor, we've spent little time outside. The area where the poly-tunnel stood has been ear-marked for conversion into pond and pergola - as you can see, we're still at the early stages... Did manage to cut back one of the willows overhanging the drive (when Jo say's prune, she really means fell) - Jon's somewhere up the tree in the photo. Should provide some more logs for winter once seasoned - but the chainsaw broke at the 11th hour... yet another job to add to the list!

July 2008

Ensuite technically finished; just a few painting jobs to do and fix the odd little leak... Few more windows in (still not that that exciting to photgraph) which should be finished in August ready for the winter months. Surprising how much work we put in at weekends isn't really decreasing the list of jobs... methinks someone is adding to the list?

Spent some time outside to make the most of the summer; decided to re-gravel the drive as it was looking decidedly patchy. 10 tons duly arrived one Saturday morning - and only covered half of the job. Once we've stopped aching we'll order another load, although Jo has insisted on hiring a mini-digger to help spread it around... Girls and their toys - is there no stopping them?

Gravel from Ross Hillman (Station Road, Westbury Wiltshire BA13 3JP Tel: 01373-822447) - yes a shamelss plug to gain an additional discount, but it was great service and we'd recommend them.

Kitchen garden progressing; have levelled off and edged with remaining sleepers. Created a herb bed from an old water trough although it was evidently made from 'special concrete' that weighed 14 times what it looked liked it should. Sack truck will never be the same again - but it looks great in place.

Bit of a whitefly infestation in the greenhouse, so we're trying a biological control (www.defenders.co.uk) and introduced a few hundred hungry little critters that will hopefully gobble up the pests - fingers crossed. Produce is now starting to roll in (courgettes, peas and beans) plus we have first red tomato - August/Sept should see up comletely self-sufficient for a few meals...!

Jon managed a little R&R in the Isle of Man for the National Trophy Rally with James and the dV8 team - now sporting disturbing orange team colours. A wet and cautious (read 'girly') start saw us through the first day and into the night without picking up too much greenery from the hedgerows; followed by a dry day and some storming stage wins on the second day left us 2nd in class overall.

Limitations of the trusty £30 digi-camera meant the fantastic jump on the last stage was missed in favour of the spark-tastic landing...

June 2008

We're missing Graham & Simon - nothing gets down when they're not here! (although the bills are cheaper) Progress has been a little slow and none of the bathrooms are entirely finished. The mind is willing, but time and plumbing skills are not. House still looks like a bomb's hit it with every available suface doubling up as a work bench. Hopefull July will see some of these jobs finished off - Graham and Simon are coming back!

The kitchen garden is making more progress with the greenhouse glazed and raised beds going in. Nuclear-bunny-proofing is also underway to ensure we actually get to eat some of this years harvest.

Other than work committents, one reason for the lack of progress was that Jon ducked out for Le Mans mid-month. A 'boys-only' event was excellent fun - no details can be given due to sworn pact of secrecy to keep wifes under the illusion we were all on a business trip! Apparently there was a race going on? Our beer-mountain was quite impressive (although a molehill compared to our neighbours on camp) Clockwise from left: Mark, Ash, Jon, Jim, Mark, Ben, Alex & Matt. Tips for your arranging your own business trip can be found at http://www.beermountain.com/

Another small excursion saw the DV8 Motorsport team (http://www.dv8-motorsport.co.uk) compete at Millbrook in preparation for the Isle of Man in July - despite torrential rain, it was a good practice, although the quality of team 'pit-babes' was not quite up to F1 standards...

May 2008

Having finally moved back into our bedroom (albeit a tad 'unfinished') we took a break in France with friends Matt & Lucy over to Honfleur and northern France. The fab Motel Monet (http://www.motelmonet.com/) was once again an excellent base for dumping the car and wandering around the fabulous old architecture and sampling the local food & vin.

 The weather was not perfect, but this gave an opportunity to venture inside... the amazing butterfly farm was captivating with hundreds of butterflies (obviously) orchids, koi and birds of paradise (stated on the brochure, although they looked more like sparrows in drag) Proof also that with only 100+ attempts, you can get the odd decent shot of one of the little critters with a £30 digital camera?

 Another great place was Bayeaux and the 'bit of knitting' - very interesting and great architecture. Driving through the torrential rainstorm also saw the inaugauration of the "ROUDOUDOUX Dining Club" - aimed at enjoying fine wine and food across Wiltshire and France. All four members were elected without contest and the first meal a triumph. Watch out for future local recommendations...

Meanwhile, back on the farm; Graham and Simon have left us! Only to return for short bursts of great excitement as the new windows are fitted. Not only can we see through them, but they open and close properly as well as keeping the heat in. Bit dull to photograph - so no web previews here. Bank Holiday saw the greenhouse come out of hibernation (after a year in the garage) and the great erection. Big thanks to Jon & Sarah for helping with he 3D jigsaw puzzle. Once the glass is in it will be more manageable than the poly tunnel - another e-bay exit earlier in the year.

April 2008

There is light at the end of the tunnel... or even water at the end of the pipes? A lot of faffing about to finally get the three new bathrooms & ensuites plumbed in. We now have three flushing toilets (two with lids, one with 'soft-close'?!) and a bath that holds water. Little bit of finishing off to do and it will be perfect.

More excitement in the main en-suite with the ma-husive glass shower installed and operational - it's like standing under Niagra Falls. Whilst Graham & Simon did the complicated bits, we managed the tiling, flooring and will attempt to build the units and plumb in his'n'hers basins.

Have yet to get handles and locks on all doors...we rely on whistling! The originals from the reclaimed doors were Victorian (Hobbs & Co. Cheapside) but they where fitted with traditional Victorian engineering that we cannot fathom and hence cannot get back on. Perhaps they'll go on e-bay with other remnants (got £46 for the ugly toilet we took out!)

March 2008

There is light, apparently, at the end of the tunnel... March has been spent with a lot of prep-work leading up to April's big 'Plumb-in' when all the upstairs services are going to be connected. Main bedroom has been enlarged, although typically the ceilings were (a) not quite the same height, and (b) possiby going to collapse without a bit of remedial work in the roof space... Job done, room is superb with great potential.

Stripping off the dodgy wallpaper and flaky plaster revealed (rather surprisingly) the original fireplace in the chimney breast. Unfortunately, it was really just a hole and not salvageable, so it was bricked in and plastered over. We are now searching for bendy skirting boards to match the traditional wavy flooring profile!

 Bathroom 3 (in builder speak) is progressing, although the lone toiley and radiator mid-room have been difficult to master (VERY open plan!) - anyway, the toilet has now gone (leaving only downstairs) and work is progressing for making this the master bedroom en-suite. Bath 2 meanwhile has lost more facilities (sink, wall, door...) but is still servicable - just. It works providing you hoover out the bath before getting in. Oh, and we haven't got the lights sorted yet, so it's bathing by candle light. Again.

But despite the tragic over-run on time (partly our additional plans, but anyway, we're nearly on budget) we managed a week away in Edinburgh for our 5th wedding anniversary - a repeat of our honeymoon. A very relaxing time, mobiles turned off, walking into town, and eating and drinking without being rushed. We did some more touristy things like touring on an open-top bus and visiting the Royal Yacht Britannia - and enjoyed it enormously. Would recommend it to anyone - both Edinburgh, and being married to Jo for 5 years as she's the perfect wife and builder's mate!

February 2008

Short month, but big chaos. It was the point of no return with the upstairs layout and creating a large ensuite to the main bedroom and re-fitting the bathroom. Walls needed to be removed - a very dusty lath & plaster original effort - however we did regret not moving out of the bedroom first. We have now decamped into the bedsit-purple-room - which is the only mess free room left in the house.

Also to go are the 1970's built-in wardrobes - no loss here! As usual, the cupboards hid the usual dodgy electrics, a touch of damp, the original bricked up fireplace and more iffy wallpaper. Slight change of plan also to move the doorway to the staircase that comes up from the living room to make the main bedoom slightly larger. Picure below shows stairs and new wall door to ensuite.

Meanwhile, over in the black room, the ensuite has been constructed and is awaiting fitting out. Slight issue with levels and the laws of physics (poo doesn't flow uphill) that needs to be resolved, but the spare bedroom is coming along nicely.

Talking of levels, we see here the craftsman at work - a lesson in how to deal with slightly different ceiling heights. If you look carefully you can see the subtly blended change of level. Expertly hidden to the untrained eye, but in actual fact, its a 6" piece of plasterboard held up with a few rusty nails!

In our haste to keep the project moving, but also to have somewhere to wash and ablute - the new wall between the smaller bathroom and new ensuite went up before all bits were removed. Hence the sink is partialy in the room, and the loo is now open plan in the bedroom. Seen here (right) before the new ensuite wall was put in.

But then there's time to relax - a early wedding anniversary present to ourselves (5 years in March) we bought a woodburner. Bargain off t'internet - but needed installing. Thanks to Tom for helping fit the very heavy burner in situ and getting it up and running. Who needs an environmentally un-friendly 4x4 when the trusty Mondeo will make it up the field for one of many logging expeditions to feed the burner...

January 2008

New Year, new challenges! The few days over Christmas when the house was tidy are long gone, that friendly layer of dust & rubble has returned... Kitchen first; celing down - RSJ is holding up cracked beam with some interesting plumbing... beam taken out and RSJ moved up. Back in the 70's if your ceiling had a hole in it, you just hid it underneath a 'tasteful' suspended ceiling - job done! Microwave meals and takeaways for a few weeks...

Floor to black room (above kitchen) also needed a bit of TLC as joists were buggered (either rotten, cracked or sawn through...)

Plan to move bedroom door to make new door into bathroom... all going well when we uncover another original-ish door into the bathroom 12" to the left of where we want it. This seems to be a trend - this is the second door we've uncovered.

Meanwhile, the crappy false ceiling in the bathroom (yet another 70's icon) comes down, exposing some traditional Wiltshire wiring (definitely NOT Health & Safety compliant?)

Finally, let us take a moment to savour the range of previous wallpapers we have un-earthed, and will definitely not be salvaging...