14 JULY 2008

Though we’ve been held up by an evasive plumber, the builders have still been very busy. Ceiling insulation has been going in between the pine plank rafters, and a new window frame has been made for the front end of the house. Roofers have been replacing the remaining part of the roof, retaining the graceful curve over the two carriages and giving us another eight inches or so of height in the central hall.

Once they have finished, and the glass has arrived, this new door and windows will replace the amalgam of rickety Crittal and warped wood that serve as an entrance at present. And these, in time, will open into the new entrance porch. That bit of the building is being saved until last, as it can be done quite straightforwardly even after we’ve moved in.

While waiting for the plumber, the guys have also got on with some crafty carriage repairs. The rear exterior carriage, sadly neglected (it did not even have a gutter on the roof when we bought the place, so the rain used to trickle right down the façade), was in need of some attention, in particular the south-west corner (see title picture, top right). This corner – pictures of which we vowed not to show our parents in the beginning, lest they fear we had bitten off more than we could chew – was always destined to be my study. And now, for the first time in years, I can really imagine it. The Victorian teak frame was apparently in good shape, but the rotten exterior has been replaced with neat new panels, cleverly curved to follow the shape of the train. Craftiest of all, the decayed old door has been removed and another one, from the two compartments we cut out to make the kitchen, spliced in in its place. Previously an interior door, it still sports its pale green paint, and is now out in the fresh air for the first time in close-on a hundred years….

Meanwhile, we have some decisions to make. First up: the material for the floor. Now that underfloor heating is no longer part of the equation, wood is an option again. I love the organic warmth of it, and the way it reflects light. But what sort of wood? Many people would go with oak, I know – but reclaimed oak is prohibitively expensive, and I don’t like the idea of an oak tree being cut down just to provide me with a smart floor. We are veering towards pine. I know it is softer, and will probably get knocked about and dented a bit, but we don’t really mind – and it seems somehow more in keeping with the simple ethos of the rest of the place. Pine’s cheaper, to boot – and if the colour’s too orange we can always paint it. Dove grey might be good….

There’s also the matter of the layout in the utility room. Because of the drainage there, it was deemed that the loo would go in a separate part of the long narrow area from the shower. But then I had the idea that if we got a composting loo, that would not need the same drainage, we could make a proper “wet room” with the shower, loo and basin all in one place. This would work much better. But the last time I looked, these loos were all in the region of £2000 – which, as Frank says, is an awful lot of money for a khazi. He has his doubts about the whole compost loo concept, and I suspect he’s not alone. It will be even more expensive if I am the only person prepared to use it. So more research necessary there.

Word has just come that the woodburner is ready and the radiators will be delivered within the week. All we need is for that plumber to turn up and then things can really get moving. Meanwhile others have been busy, as well as the builders. Wilma our lovely lurcher has had several romantic assignations with her long-time beau, a handsome dark grey deerhound cross named Bones. We’ll find out in a couple of weeks whether or not she is pregnant. The world seems divided between those who are excited at the prospect of puppies (and a few have already put themselves down as potential owners) and those who think we have lost our minds. Her due date would be just after we move in and just before Mary starts school. Well, why opt for partial chaos when total chaos is available?

(Portrait of Wilma by Michael Franke)