I took this picture yesterday and it just gives you an idea of how the gable end of the house will look. The architect has replicated the stone arches above our original windows and we also have some lovely stone cills on the others that I would eventually like to replicate around the house as we gradually replace the other windows at a later stage.
Meanwhile round the front of the house the roofers have arrived. They worked like lightning to strip the slates and nailed down the roofing felt in a day - egged on by black clouds overhead. These lads are a different breed to our builders who seven weeks into the build we have struck up a good relationship with. I guess they are here to do this one job then they move on. And although the builders will do the same they are with us for longer. Of course, they may not feel the same affectionate way about us! After all, this is what they are doing all the time, whereas for us this is all a novelty - maybe not the right word but we may still be in the honeymoon period. But it is not the norm to have a team of people observing your every move and your lifestyle unless your are candidate on Big Brother. For the builders this voyeurism comes with the job.
We had drama in our village last night when at about 10.30pm David noticed the hay barn next to our house in flames. By the time he spotted it they had engulfed the 40-foot high structure. He called the firebrigade and they spent the next 12 hours dousing it down. With our roof stripped of tiles we were a neighbouring hazard for the sparks coming our way.
Back on the subject of roofing, we're also getting the three flat roof dormers replaced. These dormers were inherited with the building and would not be a style I would think of adding to a Victorian property. We could have spent a fortune on changing them, making them pitched etc but this wouldn't make any difference to the way we live in the house whereas the new kitchen area will. So, we have had them re-built and fully insulated so these rooms will be really well insulated. Anyway here is what they look like now .....
I think they look much better and once the roof is done will blend in well. With the new windows they give you a fantastic view of the Yorkshire Wolds - I hope the kids appreciate this!
