![\"20180630_200403\"](\"http:\/\/donatedhouse.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/20180630_200403.jpg\")
<\/p>\nThis has become the longest warm, calm and sunny spell I’ve ever known in England. It’s amazing. I want it to last forever. If this has anything to do with man made climate change, I’m almost tempted to forgive mankind for it.<\/p>\n
I’m also in a good mood, long term, because I’ve got new drugs for a slightly underactive thyroid, and because I’ve found an exercise I can do for my back that ACTUALLY MAKES A DIFFERENCE. So more energy and less pain equals me able to do things like clear out some ivy and branble stumps and remove a raised bed from the back wall in preparation for a new wood drying shed.<\/p>\n
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And at the same time, finally doing something about the giant hole in the house that pissed away all my heat last winter. I had been avoiding thinking about it all summer because I didn’t know what to do about it and my recent self has been unable to see that as a fun challenge that spurs me to creative problem solving. More like a giant scary unknown that makes me watch movies in bed all day.<\/p>\n
![\"20180625_120241\"](\"http:\/\/donatedhouse.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/20180625_120241.jpg\")
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But the new me, which is more like the old-old me, just started knocking holes in the place, figuring it out as I went along. Which was a pain when I realised the ring beam had sagged toward the inside and needed jacking up. My bottle jacks were not really doing the job, so I called in Andy and he lent me is acrow props. Sorted it right out, and I was able to get the old window frame out and cut it up to use as the new supports.<\/p>\n
![\"20180625_182644\"](\"http:\/\/donatedhouse.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/20180625_182644.jpg\")
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Insulation is now in, and I’ve put some treated wood cladding on the outside and will stuff and render the edges. Pretty it is not, but weathertight it is, and that is what I will care about come winter. I may well build a lean-to shed out from it to look a bit better and be a handy place to store tools.<\/p>\n
![\"20180630_200340\"](\"http:\/\/donatedhouse.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/20180630_200340.jpg\")
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Anyway, summer. Everything about it is great. The orange sherbet rose is going apeshit.<\/p>\n
![\"20180625_211632\"](\"http:\/\/donatedhouse.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/20180625_211632.jpg\")
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Turns out it likes nothing better than a good hard prune. Noted. The jasmine is also producing actual flowers after a prune last year. There’s something in it.<\/p>\n
![\"20180625_211650\"](\"http:\/\/donatedhouse.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/20180625_211650.jpg\")
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In other news, last night we went to the pop-up theatre in York, Shakespeare’s Rose Theatre, to see A Midsummer Night’s Dream. It was fabulous, hilarious, engaging, so watchable and so funny I didn’t mind standing for three hours in the flea pit, which is what you get for the cheap tickets.<\/p>\n
![\"20180629_192903\"](\"http:\/\/donatedhouse.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/20180629_192903.jpg\")
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The theatre is a sort of replica of Shakespeare’s Globe, but in scaffolding, built in a car park in York. It had a little food and drink village outside with actual good street food and entertaining musical sideshow. A really outstanding effort, highly recommended if you’re anywhere near York.<\/p>\n
![\"20180629_192946\"](\"http:\/\/donatedhouse.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/20180629_192946.jpg\")
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I’m having a great summer. Thanks, universe.<\/p>\n
![\"20180612_212458\"](\"http:\/\/donatedhouse.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/20180612_212458.jpg\")
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This has become the longest warm, calm and sunny spell I’ve ever known in England. It’s amazing. I want it to last forever. If this has anything to do with man made climate change, I’m almost tempted to forgive mankind … Continue reading