Its been brassy...

...but pretty when the sun comes out...

...and I have been busy inside...

...trying to work out where to put the bath.

The last few weeks have been stressy in the real world due to ...

1. an unexpected influx of surveying work resulting in no building progress last week
2. no 3 and his gep ya (jealousy) - next stop the moon
3. a car crash - suki now just about recovered.

But after a relaxing weekend in Goteberg (thanks Catharina and Kent) I am recharged.

The studs are up and wiring in - only three days work for Barry.

CEDAR NEW FRONTAGE

The roof covering is now finished. Happily, I am still alive. Had I fallen off it would have been the Durufle Requiem - out of choice. Having been to the top of Centre Point this week (thanks James) I have renewed respect for all high rise buildings!

Richard and Doug are putting on the cedar cladding for me. Hoping to get the exterior done by Christmas (2011).
 

REAR

Simon is wearing a vest, short sleeve cotton shirt, cashmere jumper (Johnstones of Elgin), second jumper (from Aviemore), English Arts Chorale fleece, brushed cotton jeans, knee protectors and Clarks shoes (holey reliable).

After a few hours walking on battons your arms get longer and swing like an orangutan.

Roofing in bad weather is tough. I am siding with Wat Tyler and should be at St Pauls protesting about credit default swaps on Greek Debt made in my name by my bank. The copper clouts and rivets have caused my lips to crack and its we haven't yet reached November - only about 800 tiles to go.

I am out of touch but is there anyone concerned about Jeffrey Archer handing back the the throne of England to the RC church. What's this bit of sea for? What's the Tower of London for?

As I watch the harvest moon rise over the sea I consider the soreness of my bum - only a weekend biking in the black mountains is comparable to tiling, notwithstanding the bath mat I have stuffed down my shorts.

"I was now heavier than the barrel, and half way down I met the barrel coming up, receiving a severe blow upon the shin". Fortunately this is a lightweight pulley made from the washing line - suitable for carrying lunch but not much more, though I did walk into it and saw stars for a day.

After the first week I have just over a quarter of the tiles on but am gradually getting faster.

WINDOWS AND DOORS

I know not why, but I'm more uncertain than when I started. The first anniversary of commencement has gone by, and the next task - the roof covering - is daunting. I rode a horse called Rocky yesterday and that was bad enough. Mounting and dismounting the worst, so I shall need good roof access arrangements. When you look into the horse's eye he appears to have the knowledge of the world, but when you hear the steady printing of his proud feet, you realize that riding is just the bi-product of one of natures great eating machines. The best thing I learned from Amanda is that you can ride a horse into another horse as easily as the milkman reversed into my car last week. Not sure whether I believe this and would prefer all milk to be delivered by horsepower.

Everything is buzzing down here - the timber merchants are so busy they need a new lorry. All I hear on the radio is gloomy. This shows that by the time all those statistics have been requested, collected, reviewed and published, they are at least a year out of date. If it's as bad as all those clever economists would have us believe, my mother's policy of growing vegetables to ward off the German invasion may yet bear fruit. However, I maintain that the better way to be a success in the capital markets is to pick your moment from a deckchair on Winchelsea Beach.

ROPES PULLEYS AND GEARING





After a sleepless night in the tent ...



I finally came up with a system of ropes ...





To haul the windows up to the first floor - fortunately Suki is very strong.



PRIVATE PARTY

Some things are under-rated.



But Suki insisted on walls before her big birthday party.



An everyone was relieved.