End of the line

Monday 16 December 2013

*Stop Press*  Jonathan stops after first course  (of bales, that is).

Another full-on day.  The weather is being incredibly kind to us, we can't waste a moment.  We've decided to invite interested friends and willing workers to participate in a Bale Raising Day on Thursday.  That gives us three days to learn what we need to know, and to get prepared for an influx.  We don't know how many people will come, it's a busy time of year for everyone, but hey - even just another couple of people would be a great help.

So on Monday, we built an end frame for where the bale wall will stop, at least for the moment, then completed the course all the way round.

 Our super new mitre saw from the UK - now, maybe, we'll be able to cut some straight joints.  Dave was waiting for this saw before the long end frame was made, but when it arrived it seemed to be missing a crucial little part - which magically appeared this morning embedded in the polystyrene packaging.

 At work, making the frame

 

 Putting it into position.  Jonathan volunteered for the high-rise jobs, very good of him ...

 ... even the really tricky left-handed screwing to the wood frame.

 Then the last few bales of the first course went into position - Dave and I feeling pretty good about that

 And Jonathan - justifiably proud of his major contribution

 Just time for a bit of experimenting with making cut straw for plaster as quickly as possible - this is a strimmer in a big metal bin - it creates clouds of dust and tends to shred rather than cut the straw, but it is quick.

In the evening, Jonathan and I had a quiet family supper at a little Italian in Nidri, and neither of us stopped after the first course ... !