More plasterboarding

Today has been another day of steady progress upstairs so let's get to it without any further ado.

Bekir checks out where the next piece will go

Lots of odd shapes here

Halil uses a broom as a helping hand

Another section slots in

Getting down towards the walls

The men were straight up and cracking on with the plasterboarding and insulating, working from where they finished yesterday to get all the roof above where the new walls will go completed. There was quite a lot of fiddly bits to do with some of the odd angles at this part of the roof so there was a slightly slower pace at first but once they got past this section they were cracking on. Halil was doing the cutting, and supporting, while Bekir did the measuring and fitting. Through the day they worked down the slope of the roof and got nearly to the side walls before it was time for the day to finish. At this rate they'll probably have all the required plasterboarding done this week and next week can get back to building the walls.

Rosie and Mummy having book time

When Rosie got home from school she had a lot of fun reading Mr Men books first with Angela and then with me. It is lovely how much she likes her books.

So there it is; another day done and onwards to tomorrow. Thanks for reading.

Onto insulating again

Another day done and time to write about it - it's been a good day of progress upstairs.

Final state from yesterday

The promise of this morning did not hold

Bekir chiseling out for more conduit

Cement done for now

Fitting plasterboard onto the roof

Chiseling down a beam to be flush

First of all I popped up to see just how far the men had got yesterday and they had done all but a very small area by the window. First thing the day promised a bit of sunshine but that did not last and it has been mainly overcast and horrible all day. When the men were in I set them to finishing up the cement work, so that final bit from yesterday and down the left hand storage area, and this involved more channeling and drilling for electrics which was very loud being almost directly above my head. With that done they completed the cement up to the agreed point and then they moved onto insulating the roof and putting up plasterboard further into the roof. The purpose here is to get this area done with the plasterboard so they can then build the block walls that are going here. They have found that some of the beams (not put up with any real thought to being boarded, and also having twisted quite a lot over the past eight years) were not very straight and there was quite some effort trimming some down to size. Still, they made some good progress and will be back on this task tomorrow again.

So there it is; a short update but good progress. Thanks for reading, back tomorrow.

More on the floor

It's been a few days since the last update as the men weren't in yesterday; let's get the weekend and that out of the way before seeing what progress was made today.

Rosie riding her tricycle

Digging sand with the excavator toy

Getting the lounge tidied some

Rosie loves driving her police car around

Out around the land with Rosie and Xena

Rosie feeds the birds

Mummy and Rosie with her new drawing pad

Saturday was a glorious sunny day, as was Sunday and yesterday actually, and Rosie and I went into town for a quick trip to pick up a new clothes basket and a few tools for me and then we had a lovely talk with Grandma and my sister. After a rest it was time to go outside and play with trikes and digging tools . All in all a lovely day with plenty of it spent outside. Sunday Angela got stuck into removing all the decorations in the living room and I helped a bit, as did Rosie. We also got more time outside with the police car and Rosie and I played some hide and seek and had a lovely stroll around the garden. Rosie also fed the chickens. Rosie was back to school on Monday and she received a gift for one of the other kid's birthday - a pen and pad and she is LOVING it. She's starting to learn how to hold a pen correctly, and is filling the book with lots of writing. Very cool to see.

Bekir runs the cable through

A temporary hose attachment point

Halil mixes up a load of cement

Over half done already

The weather changed dramatically over night and it rained heavily and today it has been raining and very windy - still no snow and it's warm; this winter is just not right. The men were in today, however, and first off they ran the power across from one side of the new room to the other, for the power points I want up there. then Bekir fitted a temporary tap onto our water tank so they could use a hose from there rather than bringing it up from outside; smart. Finally it was a lot of mixing of cement and spreading as they worked to finish the floor in the new room. It was a good day of progress and I can't wait to get up there tomorrow when the cement has gone off to check it out. I still need to work out the lights I want up there though.

So there it is; the day is done. Thanks for reading and I'll be back tomorrow.

Second beam done

We made it to Friday, against all the odds, so let's get this update done and out the door.

Bekir drills while Halil supports the roof

Drilling out the old beam

Chiseling a step for the new beam to sit on

Lifting the steel up to the roof

Both done, now tidying up

Blocking holes with chunks of breezeblock

Mortered into place and secure

I was dropping Rosie to school again today and once more the men arrived just as I got home. Their job for the day was to fit the new beam in place and so they got stuck in with the task of removing the old column and beam in the same way as before. Bekir drilled out the far end then used the new grinder to remove the rebar while Halil used the crowbar to lever the beam from its nails. Then they chiseled the step away from underneath the other half and the whole beam came away nicely. It was then a task of lifting the new beam up which was a bit easier than the first as they measured and cut it downstairs. Very soon it was lifted into place and then the rest of the afternoon was taken up with securing it and then filling in the gaps in the wall for both the beams. The space opened up is just awesome, I'm very pleased we went this extra step, and I think this little room is going to look great, maybe with the pool table in it.

So there you go; the end room is to size and now we need to finish the floor and electrics and get it all plastered. Thanks for watching, back on Monday I hope.

A bitty day

Today really has been a bitty day for the men, and an exhausting day for me for some reason.

Sun over morning mist

Happy and ready for school

I was up and took Rosie to school again today as Angela continues her recovery and the sun was rising through the mist while Rosie cuddled her teddies on the way.

The steel beam we bought

The men have treated the steel now

An example of a bit messy roofing

This used to be lots of little bits

The men followed me in up the hill on the way back from dropping her, we had to wait for the bin lorry together at the top of our lane, and they were almost straight back out again as they went to order the second length of steel for the roof. They had to go to the bigger town but were successful there and it was delivered to us really quickly. They then put a couple of coats of paint on before having to head out once more to return a load of pallets to the local builders. For the very last bit of what was a very bitty day they replaced some of the more hacked together ceiling with larger pieces of plasterboard (I was sure they hadn't understood me when I saw what they had done here and I was true; they didn't think we actually wanted it to look GOOD here!). And that is that.

So there it is; tomorrow will be putting that second beam up. Thanks for reading, back tomorrow.

Fitting the beam

Well I decided to get this update written today rather than lump it in with tomorrow. Let's get to it.

Rosie showing off her new trousers

The sun rises over the village

This morning Angela was up and well enough to help with Rosie's hair again which was great, but I still ran her to school which was also fun. On the way back the view from the top of the village was amazing but my camera couldn't capture the peach haze. Amazing.

Getting the beam into the roof

Bekir builds a prop

The new prop is secure

Chiseling out the old beam

Cutting the new beam to size

Our new grinder and it's great

A hole for the new beam

Getting the beam into position

Tying the half wooden beam to the old upright

Fixing it all in place

I was back to work again and was disturbed early by the sound of the men lifting the 5m beam left over from the carport up the stairs. They got it to the landing outside Room 13 then I went out and helped a bit. First of all I enabled Rosie's Model Railway to be shifted out the way as much as possible and then I leant a (very slight) hand in the hefty task of manouvering it into the roof space. It went up OK, and now we need to buy another and get it up there again. Anyway, this was their task for the day so next Bekir built a temporary prop (if only I had a couple of accro props that would have been a 2 minute job, not half an hour, but never mind) and then they removed the old upright and cut out the wooden beam that we will be replacing. They had to go out today to buy a new grinder as the old one was not fixable however very quickly they got the new beam cut to size and lifted into place. It was then the task for the rest of the day to fix it in securely which they did with welding and straps; I don't think it will go anywhere.

Rosie driving her car

When Rosie came home from school she demanded to have her police car and went and put out the cones for her course herself. She had a great time!

So there it is; I did get it done. Thanks for reading, and back tomorrow.

Not the greatest start to the New Year

It has been a very sick beginning to the year for all of us, sadly, and this means I'm late to start writing this update and actually as I begin I don't even know if I'll complete it all today. We start, however, before the virus caught us.

Leaning into the turn

First of all a final picture, and a video, from Boxing Day of Rosie outside with her police car having loads of fun. She has driven it around a lot through the week between Christmas and New Year and loves it - such a successful purchase indeed.

A hazy sun

Keeping the fish tank going

Getting started on the stones for the day

Flying ants not ready to fly yet

Quite a big hole, but unused I think

Lots of progress, more to do though

Rosie just loves this game

Moon and evening clouds

Absolutely lovely goat curry

The 27th dawned similarly to every day this past week, cold and foggy but with the sun trying to break through. I was planning on working on this day however we had some very odd issues with our power where we were getting very low voltage through, such that the lights were flickering, the kettle boiling would turn them off (if it even managed to boil) and my computer wouldn't stay on. It got so bad we called the electricity board and also Bekir; Bekir turned up (but just as he did, the power returned) but the electricity engineers never showed up. Typical. Anyway instead of working on my computer I got outside and did some more clearing of stones down by the entrance, in the process uncovering some flying ants a bit early for them (they all went deeper very quickly) and also a large burrow that looks abandoned but was very interesting. Inside Angela was working hard on my favourite meal of the year - the Goat Curry from Christmas leavings and she cleaned off the bones from the goat leg and gave them to the puppies who had a great time! When I came inside I pulled out the bagatelle game again and played with Rosie and she loved it again. It was a lovely day indeed and the curry was superb as always.

Rosie getting her old paints wet again

More fun with sticklebricks

On the 28th I did my half day work in the morning and spent the afternoon playing with Rosie doing painting and having fun with her toys from Christmas. I don't have many pictures, I was too busy having a good day.

Ready to play Sorry! (and win!)

The Guessing Game

Rosie's temporary race track

Heading out for another awesome walk

Playing the bean bag throwing game

Rosie eating dinner out

Balancing on the bar

By return on the 29th I took Rosie all day and had a great time. Before Angela went for some well deserved time in the art room we all had a great game of Sorry! that Rosie won fair and square, which was great fun. After that I stayed playing games with her for a bit and then we went onto the patio again with her little police car but this time I laid out some plant pots into a track for her to drive around and she loved it! After this we put Thelma and Xena onto leads (while Louise went to see Angela) and went for a really nice walk up to the headland again. Then it was back home for more games. It really was an epic day and then in the evening we headed out for dinner to our favourite restaurant and Rosie had lots of fun in the play area.

Well that was as far as I got yesterday evening before I headed to bed so let's pick this up again now...

Daddy and Rosie cuddles

Xena hot after a crow

Mummy and Rosie having a race

Drawing all over her balloon

The 30th was when I started to feel sick and I went downhill quite quickly to be honest. It started off well with a cuddle with Rosie in the morning before Angela was up and then the girls went out shopping while I did another half day of work. I was sat out in the sun when they returned around lunch time and was being entertained by two very young crows who were super friendly (though Xena did not like them at all and was chasing them so hard I had to send her inside). Fortunately they came back when Rosie was home and she was able to watch them hopping all around her feet. Brilliant. In the afternoon we built another race track but this time got Rosie's remote control car out and she raced her police car against Angela driving the remote controlled car. Once the sun went down we were back inside and Rosie did some art, including drawing on the balloon she had been given at the restaurant the day before by one of the waiters.

Rosie in her lovely white outfit

Xena giving me a cuddle

New Year's Eve I was feeling very rough; I came down the stairs and said good morning and found that I had basically lost my voice completely and that set the day up. I helped Rosie get dressed into a lovely outfit from her wardrobe which she wore all day and managed to stain with juice - typical. Never mind. For my part I was useless all day and getting worse and worse by the minute. I sat around or slept all day, watched Rosie play a bit with her car, but was in bed by 5pm without even eating any dinner. We had to cancel our regular visit to the neighbours which was a huge shame but I did wake around midnight and get a video of the fireworks including some of those from next door. I was back to bed and asleep again quickly though.

The sun rises on a new year

Xena from a year ago

Xena now!

Yeah I wasn't feeling my best

And so to New Year's Day which was probably my worst day as I was aching, shivering, had a very high temperature and was in bed a very large percentage of it. I was awake early, having had a disturbed night, but then back to bed again. I was pleased that I remembered to get Angela to attempt to recreate one of our first pictures of Xena from last New Year's Day when she was first found hiding in our wood shed. She's just a bit bigger now huh. The last picture is me sat next to the fire wearing multiple layers including my outside coat and a hat, and I was still shivering so badly my teeth were chattering. Crazy.

Sorting and breaking up firewood

Working on more distribution boxes

Shifting old roof tiles

Rosie feeds the ducks and chickens

We have a light fitting

Stones get removed from the soil

Sat on the tree house enjoying the view

Halil takes his firewood and heads home

On Monday the workmen were back but also I was finally on the mend however now Angela was down very sick and she actually slept the entire day which is totally unheard of. I spent the day with Rosie while the men got on with their tasks. Halil was back outside first of all making up some bundles of sticks from the wood he's taking and then he moved all the roof tiles and old floor tiles over into a neat stack next to the green building. Bekir meanwhile was working away in the roof on the electrics, getting everything connected up and fitting the lights and switches for the storage area. Rosie helped me to feed the birds as well during the morning. After lunch I let Rosie watch some films while I dozed on my chair as I was still feeling quite rubbish and then we headed outside for the last of the sun. Halil was, by now, sifting out the small stones from the plant bed next to the new path and was doing a great job. Rosie and I headed up and sat on the tree house for a lovely little while before playing some very slow hide and seek. At the end of the day Halil carried his two bails of firewood away and I made beans on toast for us, of which Rosie ate twice as much as I could. Crazy.

Rosie has a Xena cuddle before school

Bekir looking at our broken grinder

We are above the clouds

More ducting for the lights

Halil sifts out more stones

Lights in our storage area

Gathering together more firewood

And so I reach yesterday. Rosie was heading back to school after her holiday and having (apparently) amazingly dodged this illness. Angela was still very very ill yesterday but she made it downstairs to wave Rosie to school. When I got back from dropping her the men were in and I made it clear to them that, as Halil was also recovering from the same illness and Bekir starting to cough as well, I expected them to take it easy. Fortunately the sun came out and it was another warm day and I was able to do half a day as I was also back to my work today but I only did manage the half day. The men were doing basically the same as they day before, with Halil very slowly carrying sand upstairs so they could mix the cement up there for the next floor section while Bekir finished the electrics and now we have operating lights in underneath the eaves. Halil also readied more firewood to take home with him.

I am going to leave it there; I may do another update this evening or I may do today and tomorrow in an update tomorrow but I'm finally recovering and so should be getting back to speed. Thanks for reading this epic update.