A very rainy October day

The rain has stopped and a little sun is peeping through, before it gets dark. This time of year when the sun is low it shines in through the slot window in the bedroom.  I sound as though I am speaking of experiencing living in the house at this time of year, but this is the first October we have been in the house, however when it was in the process of being built I remember the sun flooding in through this little window, although for most of 2014 the house was wrapped in blue tarpaulin.  The windy nights having to get up and go out to make sure the house was still fastened down, over....... all now just a distant memory.

Mark has put the roof trim on the studio and it looks very finished now, except for some varnish removal on one of the windows.

However, there has been a problem with the roof, due to our inexperience as builders, and water has started to pond on the roof, the weight of the water making the roof sag, and therefore creating more ponding which in turn, etc. etc. I am sure you know the story.  So to remedy this we have a metal beam, which Henry and Susan helped to put up last night on to the Acrow props so that we can slowly lift the roof back up again.  I will have a splendid metal beam running across the studio, which I will be able to hang stuff from using magnets, instead of having to find fixings in the ceilings.  

We now have to gently raise the beam until it brings the roof back to its level.  

Inside the studio

the beam has to raise up this much - little  by little

Will keep you informed of developments.  

Re the garden, hope that by next week we will have news of a start date for the paving.

Still all go here.

Waiting for front garden developments

The view from the kitchen window.  Just an update, to say that nothing much has happened over the past 10 days or so.  But as soon as it does the pictures will flow again.

Today we have had the telephone pole surveyed again, probably the fifth person to look at it since August last year.  It has to be replaced, so they are wondering how to get a new pole into position.  Talks of big cranes from the school yard next door;  scaffolding; maybe putting the new one beside the old one and cutting the old one off, which might suit us.  In case you didn't know you can claim wayleave from BT if you have a pole on your property.  But I think it is a one off payment, so maybe if previous owners had claimed we wouldn't have got it. Anyway a one off payment of £160 can't be sniffed at in this day and age.

Working on one of the chairs.  Clearing out the Elle Decoration magazines from the studio.  Anyone want about 60 back copies?

Think I had better sign out for today, rambling. 

Have been away......

Sorry, no posts recently.  I have been away, enjoying warm weather and rain in Spain. Gathering ideas and inspiration. And making a Catalan basket.

Nothing much happening on the house front, just the landscaping.  I am hoping my friend who is a garden designer (Tatton Hall, Chelsea) will look at my plans (now sketched on a bit of paper) and give me some further ideas.  I think I know how I want the front to be, but another input is really helpful.  Especially from such a splendid designer. (Will ask her if she minds her website details going on my blog). The landscape builder has confirmed for the end of the month, so will need to get the rest of the materials together.

Am getting closer to getting chairs reupholstered.  Have asked Craig's who did the sofa to come and quote me for loose covers for the Ikea chair, and to totally refurbish a wee chair that has been lingering about in our old house for years: bottom falling out, springs shot, but it is just the right size for our sitting room/tv area.  And if you keep things long enough they come back in style.  Or as my son says "on trend".  I am finding it difficult to source reasonably priced material in a retro design, that is suitable for loose covers.  Seen some splendid Frido Khalo designed fabric, but no use for chair covers!

Whilst in Spain I noticed that they use a lot of Corten steel, on buildings, ornamental flower beds, gates and doors.  One particular idea I liked was a sliding gate (it was on a first floor balcony, so presume it was used to get things up onto the first floor as the house was extremely old.  I think a sliding gate at the side of the house would solve a lot of problems;  hanging the gate, the width of the gate, the part of the house onto which it would close, all things that are potential problems.  But a sliding gate could slide along the wall, would be secured to the wall, and would just close against the house side, without having to have uprights to close against.  All worth thinking about - don't know if Corten steel is out of the budget, but ideas and inspiration and some working drawings will come soon.

sliding gate

steel edging in public garden - it was angled back so that the top edges could be used as seating