No workers Friday, the weekend, and now Monday

 Here we are again, after a longer weekend than expected as the men weren't in on Friday due to college calling Halil and he having to leg it over to see them.

Rosie riding the trolly, sat on the shelves

Tiles for the roof terrace, waiting to be unloaded

Rosie sweeping up in the lounge

Jumping in puddles and getting soaked

Helping mummy with the noodles

Saturday was a cracking Daddy Saturday. First thing we went out shopping to buy more shelves (you can NEVER have too many shelves!) and collect tiles for the roof terrace. Rosie was most impressed with the fork lift truck that put the pallet into Thomas. When we got back it was TV time while I unloaded the tiles, then talking to Grandma and Auntie Nods then play time them nap time (and everyone slept) before a fun jump in muddy puddles session. After THAT Rosie helped mummy prepare dinner. And then she slept while I had a really enjoyable paint and chat session with a good friend in the UK.

Fog in the valley, clouds in the sky but no rain

Rosie bouncing high in the air

We all had to enjoy the sunshine

Rosie's fairies and their house

Walking the puppies

Moon and stars

Sunday was a cracking Mummy Sunday. We woke to the rain finally stopped though it was still cloudy first thing. I got to spend time with Rosie on the trampoline first thing before she went out with Angela to do a few more bits and pieces shopping in town and I did some hobby and my vlog and other things. At the end of the day we did a little play in the garden then Rosie asked to take the dogs for a walk and so we did. We went up through the village, down the hill and a bit further than our usual round eventually making our way back up by one of the new tracks that have been put in to assist the electricity workers. Rosie walked every step of the way and held the lead for Louise all the way as well. She was awesome. Sunday night we saw the moon for the first time for what feels like weeks as well.

Finishing up for now in the games room

Going up the ladder

Taking good tiles off now

Louise finds a sunny spot

All the tiles are lifted

And so we get to today and the workmen were in on time and finishing up the tasks from Thursday, such as fitting the last of the shelf supports that I have (more are on their way) and then finishing the wiring and putting bulbs in the lights on the balcony. After that and after some discussion we decided to do the entire roof terrace now, much as it upsets me to be pulling up good tiles now. They made good progress on this and the early fog burned off until it was a lovely day. Unfortunately Halil headed off early as he wasn't feeling well and now we're set with no tiles at all down up there and the potential for more time off from the workmen. It's feeling less and less likely that we'll get everything done before the weather really closes in now.

Heading down the hill for another walk

A beautiful autumn view

Dark clouds on the horizon

Rosie saying "cheese!"

Thelma, Louise and Rosie run

Amazing colours

Rosie moves the chair back where it "should" be

Once again after school Rosie asked to take the puppies for a walk, as our walk on Sunday had started late so we hadn't been able to go as far as she wanted. We got ourselves set and headed out, going through the village again and down the hill but this time we made our way all the way to the bottom of the hill by the sheep farm and then climbed back up the long way towards the new pylon. It was a glorious walk, with beautiful views across the valley to the changing trees. We saw a few people on the way, and some cows, and then when we got to the headland the puppies (and Rosie) were off their leash and went for a run. We ended up right at the end of the headland looking down on the river before heading back for dinner. It was a lovely walk and when we reached home Rosie saw that one of the chairs was no longer in its right place so she moved it.

And there you have it. I don't know if we'll have the workmen tomorrow so we shall see. Thanks for reading.

Bits and pieces

 Today has been a super busy day for me, and a day of bits and pieces for the men.

Halil measuring for a fill-in piece

This section of the roof is completed

Putting up the curtain rail in the library

Fitting new lights in the balcony

More shelf supports going up

My dad's drill still being used

The first thing the men did when they arrived was go on up to the attic and finish the plasterboarding. That area is now so much nicer it's really awesome to have it done. Next week the weather will change and they can get back to the outside tasks but I'm very tempted if they have to come inside again to get them to complete the "entrance area" and even put the walls up to separate the two zones in the attic. Very exciting indeed. Anyway, with the finished the next tasks were to put up the curtain rail in the library and then fit the new lights in the balcony. It was very funny to find that the lights were only fittings and we didn't have any LED strips to go in them. Oh well. They will have to be purchased tomorrow. With that job done the final task at the end of the day was to start putting some more shelves up in the Games Room. I am also considering taking the black plastic shelves down and replacing them all with the flexible shelving and I may get them to just stay in there tomorrow and do this. It was very awesome to see my Dad's old drill still going strong and being used for this job.

Rosie "working" at mummy's computer

After school there was play time with Rosie and Peppa Pig as well. She also wanted to "work" on mummy's computer and she now has a file that she is typing into. During today Angela cleaned and tidied and put together an entire new set of bedding for Rosie who was VERY pleased with her unicorn bedding. She's a joy (mostly).

So there you are; thanks for reading, as always.

No power... again...

 Today has been a very frustrating day without power and with a broken generator, however life goes on and progress with the building has continued at least.

Playing our game

Fog starts to roll in from the valley

Plaster board goes on the roof

Taking a look at the generator

Last night Angela and I got our game played and we had a really fun time :) She beat me, of course, but there was lots of laughter and it was just a good fun time. I slept in this morning as the recent early starts were really catching up with me. When I did finally wake up the fog in the valley was gathering and shortly it was around the house. I got stuck in to work and the men arrived and went straight to the roof to keep on with the plaster boarding and then at 9.30 the power went off. No trouble, I thought, and started the generator, ran the extension up, and still had no power. After some investigation (plugging the hoover directly into the output on the generator) I discovered that it was not pushing any power. We took it apart at home but couldn't see anything obviously wrong. Angela had picked me up some more fuel for it as well so it was pretty heavy however into the back of Thomas it went and I drove over to our normal garage. Unfortunately they weren't interested at all and initially started taking a plug socket off a wall because they thought it was just the socket broken. I almost choked and pointed out it was probably a broken alternator (like on a car). After a long wait and not much happening I left with the generator still not fixed. And not very happy at the service.

Men working and telling me to stop

One side of the corridor complete

Getting close to finishing the other side

Rosie and the puddle

On the way home I was delayed slightly by the people working on the power. They are returning the overhead line and hopefully this means these power disruptions will stop soon. After lunch Halil and I went into the big town to find a shop to fix the generator. The third place we reached took it and hopefully in a few days I'll have it back and working. All that matters now is the power does NOT go off tomorrow. Up in the roof Bekir had made huge progress while we were gone and they carried on and are now only a couple of sections from complete. Tomorrow they should complete that and then get a few of the other tasks done. Also today Angela ordered new tiles for the roof terrace. Sadly our lovely blue sky tiles are no longer available and the tiles that were removed were not salvagable. She's found so lovely ones and we'll be getting them tomorrow so when it is nicer weather next week the roof terrace can be finished off but with new tiles. After school Rosie and I went out into the rain to jump in puddles and she had a great time!

So there you are; here's to reliable power tomorrow. Thanks for reading.

Rain rain go away

 Well, what I can say. It's rained. A lot. And that's about it...

The puppies aren't impressed

Even I lit the fire

Rosie jumping in a puddle

Louise hiding in the duvet

... but you don't get off that lightly so here's the update. I worked all day Saturday pretty much (having been woken at 3.30am by Rosie who heard the rain and woke and wouldn't go back to sleep) so Angela and I swapped Daddy Day to Sunday. It was cold enough that I even lit the fire while I was in Room 13. On Sunday it was still raining most of the day but we did get to town and then a bit later I got to go with a walk with Rosie to jump in puddles; we found some on the land but the most fun was had on the lane. It really was cold and miserable and yesterday the men called in that they weren't coming to work. At the time I was disappointed but I really couldn't blame them at all.

Cloudy start and more rain

Bouncing before school

Roofing and insulating

Ready for a game

This morning there was an epic thunderstorm that woke me at 3am again and this time I couldn't get back to sleep (Rosie wasn't bothered) so I got my work day done early. The men were in and they spent all day up in the roofspace lining the ceiling with insulation and plasterboard. At the end of the day they were about to start doing the lowest down sections and they'll probably continue that tomorrow. The forecast is for more rain all week and then from next week to dry up. Here's hoping. We've set up a gaming table in the lounge this evening to play a game on for the first time for ages so that's going to be fun.

So there you are. There's the update. Thanks for reading.

Rain day so roofing

 Today has been a day of two halves, with the threatened rain closing in after lunch.

Rosie with her rocket

Making a start cleaning up the tiles

Halil grinds the old mortar off

The pipes for the petchka up in Room 13

Before school I got to spend time with Rosie again which was lovely; I had a very bad nights sleep so was late down but still got time and that cheered me up to get the day done. Bekir and Halil arrived to a dry but very threatening day and got stuck in to cleaning up the tiles that were piled outside. I really wanted my petchka reconnected, however, so after moving all the furniture out of the way I asked them to come in and fit the pipes back up. This took a bit longer than expected as somehow we've got a shorter run than before however if the temperature drops I can now stay comfortable up here. Angela has already been lighitng the fire downstairs but more on that later. After the pipes they got some more time outside on the tiles before the rain started falling and very heavily so they had to come in.

The men get started on the ceiling

Rain rain go away

Plasterboarding progress

Dark, dusty, nasty work

The first task we asked them to do inside was to put up the new curtain rail at the end of the library however we discovered that the pack was missing its wall mounts so that has been put back. The next task was one that made me very excited indeed. Years ago long term readers may remember Angela and I putting a huge amount of effort into carrying plasterboard into the roof, and then attempting to insulate and line the short corridor and vestibule out towards the Roof Terrace. This hasn't been touched since then however today Bekir and Halil have got stuck into finishing this off. It's a horrible dusty dark job but they are cracking on. This will be the task for them to do while it is raining over the next few days of work and it will be so awesome to have it completed.

Thelma happy in her cave

And so that's that. The fire is lit downstairs and Thelma is the happiest dog in the world again. I've got the door shut up here while I do this update so it's not too chilly however I do have a rug wrapped around me so winter is definitely coming. It is still raining.

Thanks for reading, back Monday.