Been working like demons for the last several days, inbetween serious rain showers, or indoors during them, getting ready to go away and leave three lovely, somewhat inexperienced but eminently sensible young men in charge of my project while I bugger off to Catalonia.
The render mix was coming up a bit wet, so we have been batch drying the sand in the sunny spot in front of the window.
That made it hold up a bit better, though we are having cracking problems now. I think it’s one or more of three things: too lime-rich, no horse hair or sand too fine. So I’ve left the guys with instructions to make up 8 batches with all variations on those variables and try them on a section of wall and we’ll see what we come up with. Above is Gill mixing up a batch to help me get a first coat on the back of the building. This was before we knew all that about the cracking. Blissful ignorance.
Meanwhile, Liz, who prefers not to get covered in render, de-nailed the rest of the panelling. Thanks, Liz!
I mentioned that at some point it would be good if we split some firewood, you know, a bit here and there between other things, and immediately CJ and Mackenzie split it all. I love men.
Anna models a rather fine bomber jacket while I compress the first floor wall in the background.
James contemplates the Chinese puzzle of the ratchet strap during the compression.
We decided that after a year it was time for a modicum of health and safety, so we put up some rails to stop people falling from height quite so easily.
This is me demonstrating another aspect of the health and safety attitude we have.
And finally: here’s me holding a jigglypuff in Hebden last weekend. If you don’t get it, ask the nearest person in their early 20’s to tell you about Pokemon Go.