Next ...

27 May 2015

And now the boat's nearly all done, and ready to launch on Friday, so we'll be back on the building site as soon as we can.  The East wall needs four coats of limewash, the new SE corner needs plaster inside and out - three coats outside. And then we can start planning the next phase - the West wall, the final big bale-raising, to nearly complete our external envelope.  How exciting!

Crystals and good company

11 May 2015

An interesting course on Crystals, Meditation and the Zodiac led by acclaimed author and teacher, Judy Hall, arrived in the next valley along from us.  The last two courses that came this close were on Natural Building and on Drawing, both of which have had radical effects on my life, so with the boat in the yard, and Dave involved in engine maintenance, I took myself off to a few days of something completely different.

 A lovely group of people, lots of fun and all very interesting

 Me and fellow Leo-ascendant Ali (both above photos filched off Facebook - thanks girls!)

I offered a field trip to Goat Bottom eco-build and had five takers - from left: Julie, Lynne, Suzan, Ali and Bronwen.  Hardy types willing to risk a cross-country trek with a building site at the end of it!

Bronwen had decided to make a holiday of it, and was staying an extra week.  I suggested the boatyard experience to her, and she was willing to give it a go.  So on Tuesday she helped us launch a boat for Dave's brother Pete (who had had a fall and damaged his feet).  The technique used is ancient and involves railway sleepers covered in sheep grease and a great wooden sled

 

Undaunted, Bronwen came back on Thursday and took on polishing the metalwork on Tropi.  She only told me later that she wasn't too comfortable working that far off the ground.  Oops.  Many thanks, a lovely job, Bronwen x

Hauling the Boat

7 May 2015

Much as we want to just press on with building the house, we can't any longer avoid putting the boat in the yard with all the financial and time commitment that entails. 

 Here she is, looking gorgeous in still waters with no other boats around

and then in the yard, ready for sprucing

Horticulture

5 May 2015

As a little aside - look at the flowers on our lemon tree - the one that takes three years to grow one lemon:

 Could be a bumper crop on the way?

And my favourite flower is in bloom -'Love in the Mist' - such a good name, and what a weird flower!

Technical Bale-splitting!

1 - 5 May 2015

Time to get that wall filled.  The difficult (high-up) area was left to do, and the curve of the stem wall as well as the jutting foundation pillar for the corner post meant that we couldn't get scaffolding in close enough to do the top courses.  So we moved the tower inside and stuffed bales from there - it worked quite well, as the roof slope helped to hold it steady.

 Our first five-way split bale - we needed lots of little pieces, but didn't want to use loose straw as it wouldn't be firm enough.  All the pieces need to be re-tied with twine before the bale is cut apart, to maintain the density.

 Snipping the wire ...

 ... moment of truth - separating the pieces

 The wall, coming along finally

 And from the inside, only the top left to do ...

... and then it's done!  While the scaffolding was there, I put a quick coat of plaster on three of the five squares, but that's it for now, as there are other things clamouring for our attention.