Wednesday, October 02, 2013

Bye Bye Porch

Exiting time ahead - work on replacing the roof of the Main House starts soon.

It was planned for mid September, but a busy builder and full schedule on our part has lead to a bit of slippage.

So we start in a week or so. Let's hope October's weather is better than September's!

The poor old house has been the neglected 'elephant in the room' since we moved here 3 years ago, not much has been done apart from clearing and archiving the treasures contained within.

Now that we are installed in the Workshop and Gallery, we can begin the main task - preserving an historic vernacular farmhouse, built in the 1800's.

#1 job is to replace the roof - which has many holes, and is the main reason why the house is deteriorating.

Firstly, the old porch has to go - it is rather unsightly, not part of the original building, and is falling down anyway

magnificent - but that porch has to go!

crumbling down - but good slates and bricks

about 90% of the slates are saved - a good job, 

very unstable

half a roof - better than none at all? I don't think so!

that's the timber off, a great relief

the old whitewash finish visible again

mostly easy to demolish

that lintel looks stubborn

nothing a poke with a large stick won't resolve!
in the frame!

note the construction method - large stones for footings, then bricks and lime mortar, then very thick concrete render
gone

a very nice pile of bricks

looking a bit surreal now

thank goodness I had a helper for all that clearing up!

high - and dry!

A Very Special Weekend

Hard to believe, this weekend was the last in September.

We took it out with a bang! 

The Big Birthday Party for Eleanor and John, 

A family reunion with Kate & Eleanor and James and Lauren, 

And catering for Lacken Cottage Farm's Permaculture event

Turnip House kitchens pulled out all the stops, making over the weekend:


  • 60 servings of soup
  • 11 loaves of bread
  • 50 evening meals
  • 4 cakes


Whew!

the birthday girl

Eleanor and friend

checking out the new yarn delivery

Eleanor and James

Lauren James and Charlie

fun at Newcastle play park

Eleanor & Kate

Helping with the chocolate cake!

making sure to get the last bit!

testing the merchandise

proceeds from the catering went a long way to buying our Wind Turbine - like this one at Lacken Cottage Farm - thanks!