Time to catch up

I know, I know, I started this blog with such enthusiasm and now here we are two weeks later with a blog that is definitely old news! Anyway, I or we haven't done a runner. We are still here and well and truly immersed in life with the builders. In fact, maybe that explains my on-line absence. I am so used to living on a building site that the builders' favourite biscuits and tea and sugar requirements feature on our shopping list with alarming freqency - I have even been wondering about getting in some orange squash with this current heat wave. And today, I found myself taking the roofing joiner's dog, a young Lakeland Terrier, for a walk! I'll getting in dog biscuits next!

Anyway this is where we are at now

The gable wall has been built up and the wooden posts you can see sticking out to the right will be the balcony. When we stood on the balcony and looked out at the view the other evening we did feel very lucky to live in such a lovely place. I think the balcony will be fantastic and big enough for four people or so to sit out on. The other nice surprise was getting to see the new study/bedroom which will also be a great room to work and relax in. To be honest we haven't really paid a lot of attention to up to now as we have been concentrating on the kitchen area so it seems a real bonus and vision on the part of the architect - I don't think we would ever have envisaged creating a room like this. The study will have a borrowed light window along its length that will offer a view out through the kitchen veluxes and beyond onto fields. I think for us to use as a study and for our friends and family visiting this room will really work well. I have taken this picture to give an idea of what I mean. The window will tilt away from these wooden supports. It will all become clearer as the build progresses.

Meanwhile on the front of the house, the roofers have finished most of the re-roofing. They arrived the other morning but got no further than a cup of tea from their thermos flasks in the garden before disappearing for the day! I guess they will be back. The main thing is that they have made an excellent job of the roof. They'll be getting on with the other side next and the new roof.

Phil, our joiner, has also finished the dormer windows. He has done a great job on them as they look really solid unlike the previous flimsy ones that looked like they might blow away at any moment.

David has been up the scaffolding and painted the windows and timber fascia in a mix we had made up similar to Farrow and Ball's Old White - we've called it 'Old School White'. It matches the sandstone of the house and is much nicer than brilliant white.

I think that has brought us up to date so I'll be back with more later and I'll try not to leave it as long next time!