Big Work Weekend

I had thought it would be just Bob and Jen. Then Esther said she was free. Then Andrew and Daisy, then Ryan, Alec, Sam, two friends of Bob’s I’d never met…

I thought I’d better get the interior of the toilet done before the weekend. It’s only polite.

the tidy new toilet

And since Jorge and I had successfully finished the bunk beds, I made some sheets for them. Jack helped.

Jacks helping make sheets

I also made a one-hour bench from bits and offcuts. Came out comfy and lovely, and I will make several more, I think.

the one hour bench

Everyone arrived by late Saturday morning and work was underway. We set about de-nailing all the rest of the wood from Antony’s old house and auditing it for use in the last building to be built with that batch: the Wendy House, a two-bed bunk-house overlooking the bluebell wood.

De-nailing all the wood

Andrew, a keen and efficient manager as well as builder, was indispensable. And quick with a circular saw. He was in charge of cutting all the pieces.

Andrew being efficient

Bob and Jen made an excellent team as usual sticking the bits together and putting them in place.

Putting up the walls

With all four walls up, we put up the end rafters to hold the ridgepole…

Bob and Jen putting the rafters in place

And went and had lunch.

Lunch!

But the frame was soon done, and we set about enjoying it and being very proud.

the wendy house builders

This took some time, with people taking it in shifts to enjoy the building.

anna and daisy in the wendy house

But eventually we managed to get what we thought was the full enjoyment out of it for one day and moved on to other things.

Anna and Daisy looking over the bluebell field

Daisy, Sal and Anna started digging the trench from the water pipe up towards the house site, by way of the shower, which will be a proper shower at some point this summer.

Digging the trench

And as it all wound to a close, Andrew enjoyed a swing over the fading bluebells.

A drew enjoying the swing

I’m exhausted, but also elated, as usual, with how much we got through that would have taken me weeks on my own.

Now Jorge has gone back to Spain, and I might sleep all day tomorrow, or at least waste time on the internet, before my next volunteer arrives in the evening and it’s back to work.

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