Week starting 2nd March. Two jobs divided by heavy showers

Some heavy showers have rather made life difficult this week.

It has been necessary to have an inside job 'on the go' as well as the primary task of completing the stone work on the far end of the house (as it joins the longer lower section of house), then levelling all the stone work at this end of the house to start the time-consuming job of adding the layers of detail that sit just below the roof line. It cannot be too wet when this job is done, so from time to time it has been necessary to cover up the completed sections, to keep them dry and to retreat to the watertight section of the house.

During the wet spells some of the ceiling timbers have been cut and put in place, so that the bedrooms are starting to take on a real shape.

Week starting 16th February - making the A frames

A good week - weather almost perfect and a great step forward.

This week Bob has been building the A frames to support the roof at the higher end of the house. With the green oak safely stored under the cover at the other end of the building; Robert was able to work to design and build the two very large and extremely heavy oak A frames, to his own drawings and plans.

On Thursday, Neil came to help and brought his block and tackle; as the problem was going to be lifting the frames into place. All credit to Neil as he does not like heights and he worked bravely all day. Amongst the photos it is possible to see the 'block and tackle' secured to a frame above the roof line.

Two towers of scaffold were constructed and this allowed each frame to be gradually lifted into place.

Once the two A frames were in place the central top beam had to be put in place and then attention has to be turned to the sloping corner beams. All this oak structure will be open and seen from inside the house when it is finished, so it is important that the structure does its job and looks good at the same time.

No apology for including a picture of the very late afternoon sunshine - taken through what will be the salon window!

Week Starting 2nd February - the insulation arrives!

A dry week - despite the forecast!

The stonework on the west gable has been completed and a use found for the curved stone that came out of the ruin.

A time consuming job has been the detail just under the roof line, this has been created with a layer of terracotta, then (standing out a little further) a layer of curved tiles (standing out even further) and finally a further layer of terracotta.

Thursday afternoon saw the eventual arrival (delay caused by storm damage to the factory in Toulouse) of the insulation and so now the building looks as if it is wrapped in kitchen foil.

The base has been put in for the entrance porch and the blockwork for this was started on Friday afternoon. The chimney stack has been begun (so we are hoping for no more high winds!)