Small things

A spring walk through the fields with my little uns and scouse on the stove. I'm feeling happy and rather English today so this tune is in celebration of a life made of good and small things.....dedicated to my exiled sisters and tech guy.

Spring is sprung

March tomorrow, so thoughts turn to spring cleaning!

Wide wide world

My boy took his first steps outside today and found to his joy what a great big world it is. Just what does a nine month old see, hear and think on his first ever solo expedition? it's an exciting time for us all. On the down side our neighbouring herd of cows provided the olfactory input!......the boy approved.

More kit

The Lewis has been around unchanged now for more than 2000 years, moving stone for churches,castles and buildings both great and small. I used a Lewis last week to move my gate pillars into place and even though I've used one before I am always amazed at the simplicity and efficacy of the device...it reminds me of me, particularly the simple bit.

A decent sort

As our political class takes revenge upon the press world for their uncovering of our political masters corruption they would do well to remember just how good and decent some reporters are. I watched and listened to Marie Colvins last dispatch only hours before her death and was yet again impressed with her knowledge, courage and commitment, qualities nearly all our pathetic leaders sadly lack...R.I.P. Ms Colvin

Pillar to post

The bases of the new gate pillars arrived this week and after a bit of a struggle where placed in position ready to be concreted in before the next sections are lifted on. Pillars made from composite are used by most people nowadays but being a traditionalist I am going for stone much to the detriment of my bank balance...you pay for quality.

Tool

Perhaps spicoli could have spent more time looking after his dead drug addict brother than sucking up to the latest in a long line of south American demagogues. The Falkland Islands are British by culture, history and most importantly they are British because of the blood shed by our young men in defending them from Argentinian fascist invasion. Mr Penn, you sir are a weapons grade arsehole.

Space age

Even though I only refurb and renovate period houses using mainly traditional materials and techniques I am not by any measure a purist as living in a museum wouldn't be much fun ( living by candle light has a limited appeal as I once found out). Modern kitchens and bathrooms are a must although the modern effect is easily mitigated by the use of complimentary materials. A project in the planning stage at the moment is another solid walled house which even after extending will be of rather modest size and so any space saved will be welcomed. With rising energy costs being a constant factor that needs to be addressed at the planning stage, insulation is a crucial element of any build. Studding out a wall and filling with anything from foam to wool is the usual way to make an old building more thermally efficient with the drawback however of diminished room volume, a problem when space is at a premium. For the next project I am looking at a material that is a spin off from the space programme. Aerogel not only is super thermally efficient but it also looks pretty amazing too.....I'm easily impressed!

Crisp

The remains of last years Damson crop look a bit worse for wear this morning, for me though frosty mornings are hard to beat.

The wicked wind

Putting up some fencing in a rather windswept part of the property today the chaps had to endure a wind chill factor of minus God knows what.....I don't think they like me anymore.

Moonshining

On the right we have 15 year old calvados and on the left we have 15 minute old apple brandy. The resulting taste test left all rather surprised at the more than decent quality of the brandy, made to an age old recipe (well a week or so old) by dedicated craftsmen (dedicated meaning mildly drunk) My Poteen making ancestors would be proud.

Get crackin kid

The littlest princess OTW earns her keep by helping prep the wall for our plasterer, she thinks it beats watching teletubbies anytime.

Stylish stile

The chap who does my plastering and rendering has a bit of down time at the moment until the weather lets us continue the lime rendering work. As the devil makes work for idle hands I have had him putting in some stiles around the property a task he has more than admirably performed. I would have been happy with a simple two step stile but he seems to be going for work of a rather more substantial nature...wheelchair ramps next?

Happy chinese new year

The little prince OTW is celebrating his first Chinese new year today and he and the rest of us would like to say " gung hay fat choi" to all!
Update...It may appear that my boy is doing Tai chi in the pic, in fact he is balancing himself as at 8 months old he took his first steps today...He's a good boy.