Topping out

Fitting the chimney pot was the last of the work on the fabric of the bothy left to do so now its internals, services and landscaping...oh and a couple of well deserved pints for me and the lads.

Happy

4 months old and not a care in the world, my littlest daughter makes her father a happy chappy!

Chinless wonder

As our politicians continue to devolve with loss of spine and chins being characteristics of our new leaders, the leader of the labour party and potential future prime minister takes this devolution to new levels......scary.

Home from home

Its been a year now since I sold my home in Walnut creek California, a smallish town in San.franciscos bay area. My wife and I enjoyed a few months a year appreciating all that California has to offer (in my case sun and ice cream) and strongly considered a permanent move for our growing family. For reasons too numerous to mention (cultural and financial) we decided our future for now lies in England and so the house had to sadly go. This summer however we are spending seven weeks in California split between W.C. and a rental in Napa, a great road trip to Utah and my big sis is also on the cards. There are many reasons to worry for Californias future and when we considered settling there, politics and culture played upon our thoughts often, now as tourists again I must admit the lighter load makes the prospect of the visit even more pleasant....so another 14 weeks hard graft here and the golden state here we come!

Begining of the end

With the help of the first fine weather in months I was able to make some serious progress on my build and I'm hoping my completion date of the last week in May is now possible....early start tomorrow I think!

Pooped!

I had a very busy week of pretty hard manual work as being a labourer short this week I had to serve up the brickies as well as doing my own work. consequently Friday found me exhausted and sharing some quality kip time on the floor with the newest family member.....time to relax.

Back

Lots of excuses for not blogging but who gives a crap, so here for my return is a little musical offering......the mighty mighty Link Wray and Robert Gordon.

Rough and ready

I made a half size wooden mock up of a pinnacle I want my mason to make for the porch on the cottage we are building. I have trouble as I've mentioned before getting my ideas across to the various craftsmen I use and so I'm hoping this will help in getting me the result I hope for. The model is missing some crockets and other details on its upper portion but I hope to add them tomorrow. Now I just hope the stone troll says he can make them for me and hope he doesn't kill me on the price!

Plans

A bit of a slow start on the blogging front this year but workwise things have been moving on nicely. As the pic shows we made a fireplace this week and it should I hope be in place by this weekend. My long laid plans for retiring from my present profession should come to pass sometime this coming autumn and then.........? I've never been unemployed or idle before and the thought of being so rather scares me and so I've given much thought as to what my next move will be. I did offer this week to buy part of the masons yard I've been working out of but if a deal can be struck I'm not sure it is enough to fill up my time and satisfy whatever it is that makes me...me. A property that requires major upkeep combined with a new baby and three very young children combine to take the edge off my ambitions but I have to do something as doing something, making anything makes me who I am. So the quest continues as I reckon I have enough oomph left in me for one or two more adventures yet.

An apple in your ear!

If 2014 is as good as 2013 then I'll be a happy man, I hope all reading this get the year they deserve and wish for.

Merry Christmas one and all

I hope all who visit here get the Christmas they deserve, my best wishes to you all.

Happy days

I had the honour and pleasure this evening of getting my 14 day old daughter and her 4 day old cousin to sleep .....I could do this for ever.

An Oirish chrimbo

Top sounds

Only a week old and my little kitten is chilling out to some Christmas tunes....well really a

 hearing test in hospital but she looks relaxed regardless.