Far Lands

Our monster boiler (this metaphor does not include the hopper silo which is another order of magnitude, or to continue the same metaphor, it is a monster silo even for a monster) is awake. (some of) the control panels! Awake ie fully functioning. We have had hot water and heating in the cottage and heating downstairs in the house for 10 days now. But, for some reason the heat would not reach the upstairs radiators. Our plumber tried everything except swearing which I thought was unusual. The reason was that this house has zoned heating! There was an electric switch in the downstairs WC but now defunct due to the boiler removal. But, when I mentioned zoned heating to the plumber (on the verge of swearing, I felt) he suddenly rushed upstairs, took up a carpet and found under a (screwed-down) floorboard, a manual zoning switch. A flick. And we are now officially warm! If you are interested, I have 17 puffa jackets now for sale on ebay...

The project seems to have developed a mind of its own; it is reaching out for the downstairs WC, and the ensuite bathroom. A more rational explanation is that we had never previously considered the WC but with no boiler, and no airing cupboard and dust of probably 130 years old in there, it will need either its door bolted shut, or yet more builders to make good. Our ensuite bathroom has suffered from yet another leak - the cause this time is that our shower pipework (in a stud wall, so not replaced) could not cope with the increased water pressure. I'm thinking of leaving the project to get on with it, and going to live in the shed. Saturday was a chink in the chaos and rain that has engulfed Farlands - not only did I mow the lawn, but we picked a basket of OK veg.

...just to keep up with the Jones. Well, Max and Gail - apparently it was all the rage in Llangollen a few months back. So, this week it is the turn of the kitchen for mayhem and chaos. The old kitchen is now in the skip, and as a result we are eating our of the freezer and washing up in the bath. And for those of you who use ebay, I had some ebay magic this week - sold the oil barrel (39 watchers!) for £103 and the cottage oil boiler (21 watchers) for £185.

A few days in Devon which included daily swimming in the ice-cold Artic Ocean (well, it felt like it) has frozen off my project stresses and hopefully not too much else. It was great to spend time with Charlie and Jude (who had flown in from Guatemala) and Peter and Lesley in an action-packed body-boarding, BBQ and walking fest. Now it's back to the project! This week has seen visits from the builders, joiner, plumbers and decorator. We are getting there!   And if you have a few moments, this short video of our first pellet delivery is worth a look:- Coming soon!

 

Crazy week with more workmen here than at a Balfour Beatty Xmas party. Not that it has felt like a party - each day has finished with the need and not the accomplishment of alcohol-induced relaxation. But, we are getting there! This week has seen the complete and successful installation of our new water system - the water to the House (and the Cottage) is now stored (800 litres), ph corrected (ph6 to ph9), filtered (particular and uv) and then pumped. Turning a tap on is still surprising me. For those that know me it is not really alcohol that is taking me into oblivion each evening - it is in fact ice-cream, chocolate and books. I'm now into Jonathan Franzen's pre- Freedom novel, The Corrections . It's all very American so far, but has just endeared itself to me with the most fantastic simile - He ate arugula ("rocket", the old farmers called it) so strong it made his eyes water, like a paragraph of Thoreau . That has really made my week!