Mandela dead

christmas begins

My six year old daughter started off Christmas in our house today by making this animation as decorating erupted in every room (I retired outside into the woods). She did a bang up job with the help of uncle monkey on special effects....Hollywood beckons, don't ever change Princess OTW,

New arrival

No...not the soon to be overdue baby just my new truck!

Stir it up again.

It's that time of year again when the kids and I get to attempt making Christmas pud. As you can see there are quite a few ingredients and whilst I'm precise in my building when it comes to cooking anything goes as enthusiasm adds to taste....doesn't it? UPDATE....Pud mixed, lucky silver coin added.

Nicely done

A little bit of early winter sun and the rather heavy but fragile lintel went in on the jambs like a dream. The masons I work with all held their breaths as 6 weeks of 60 hour working weeks could have been quickly messed up as at half a ton the last couple of inches of fitting is rather hairy....well done the lads.

Coming soon

My boy is rather happy that his new sister is due before Christmas.....I think some toy tractors would make him happy too.

 pic by monkey.

Hearts of oak

English rose, English oak leaves, you can see where I'm going with this carving.......quite a bit of detail work to go yet though.

Grock 2

As can be seen from a couple of posts below my tame stone troll has been working away making my dodgy design come to life....he's a talented troll and the window lintel is well on the way to completion although I spent part of today collecting oak leaves and acorns to copy onto the stop end labels, so quite a bit more detailed carving work to go before I take delivery next week.

Maybe

This week I want one of these. If the kids can do without university and we eat less for a few years I may be lucky.....dream on!

The new new order.

Given the American publics dislike of all their politicians I would not be surprised if the mighty O decides to do away with all those meddlesome senators etc and give America the benefit of his detached uber cool imperiousness.He will of course be unfettered by that awkward tiresome and outdated constitution lesser individuals seem to rabbit on about. We poor Brits just have to make do with our wonderful hard working Queen safe in the knowledge that when she departs we have a couple of rather popular members of the royal family waiting in the wings. Declaration of independence....who's laughing now?

Grock

My friendly neighbourhood stone troll has  in the last week taken a rough 2 ton block down  to one and a quarter tons of shaped window lintel. Tomorrow it is all hands on deck as we flip it and ready it for the fine detail carving....it should be pretty epic looking on completion.

Bonkers

No work today just collected conkers with the kids, now we need to string em and wack away.

Just in time

We started on the slating today just as the first of the bad weather arrived....good timing or good luck? Either way I may just escape the coming storms if we can get the slate cutting and patterns laid out pronto.

Many a mickle makes a muckle.

Lots of small (large?) steps in the bothy build this week have made me a happy if rather tired and aching chappie. The roof structure is now ready for the felt and slate to go on, resulting in a dry interior to work in...luxury! The oak truss was also erected  (green oak is HEAVY to lift) as a centre piece of the new kitchen, not a bad weeks work.