Thursday, March 17, 2011

St Patrick's day

Good Luck to you all on this St Patrick's Day!


No better way to spend it then an excellent evening with Tim McGarry doing his monologue 


Tim McGarry's Irish History Lesson


which we saw in the Great Hall in Downpatrick


Hope you have a good time whatever you are up to!

Work Like An Egyptian

We've been moving a lot of stones these days - last week it was 5 tons of 14mm stone to act as hardcore for the floor. We only actually needed 2 tons for the floor (calculations in haste at the builders merchants!) but the rest had to go somewhere, so we put a very nice gravel area at the back of the washroom, workshop and chicken house - covers a multitude of rough patches and looks OK, and we have lots left over in just about draggable bags to go as topping for the vegetable paths (when we get around to them).


Yesterday the screed was laid on the workshop floor - a truly beautiful piece, smooth and pristine. We've not walked on it yet, but it will be so good to have most of the heavy structure in place! There was at least a ton of that left over, which was great for seating the big stones around the new lawn in the courtyard.


Today we move the last of the big granite stones away and into some sort of place. They are the vestige of the grain stores and threshing house that was in the courtyard before, sadly demolished before we arrived.


a very big beautiful piece of faced Ballymagreehan granite


the largest stone

These are fine pieces of stone, Ballymagreehan granite from not far away, and a great resource, but so heavy! When James was over, we managed to drag most of them away from the workshop, to make it accessible, but now was the time to put them in place.

moving gear 





it's like being an Egyptian, but without the 10,000 slaves!


the perfect seat!