Author Archives: nickjtj

If clutter depresses you look away now. Migration: The movement of stuff round the house has not stopped since our house building project began. Before we got here I’d looked into buying a shipping container in which to store building materials and personal effects on site, but it seemed doubtful whether I’d be able toContinue reading “Migration and colonisation”

Plastering: Day fifteen. We finished twenty (25kg) bags of Thistle multi-finish and borrowed three from a neighbour while waiting for another twenty to arrive on Wednesday morning. Thursday – Jef plastered the east wall (under the flat ceiling) and all the open-plan window reveals, finishing the kitchen end of the room, then left for aContinue reading “Just about Keeping ahead”

And a touchy feely cable problem. Saturday 25 June 22: It’s been a good week as plaster covers more walls and ceilings every day. The psychological effect is notable. Partly perhaps it’s a symbolic closing, hiding the working parts and shutting away the mess and effort, a marking of the beginning of the end ofContinue reading “That echoey sound”

(Sun 19 June 2022) Building: On Monday morning a van with yellow step ladders on the roof scrunched down the drive and two of Iain’s young electricians got out. Where cables stuck out of the walls and ceilings they cut holes. They were careful with the alignment of ceiling lights but in three instances theContinue reading “Last of the big dust”

First: holiday Second: building Third: pictures – where we were: a year ago; two years ago HOLIDAY: We’ve been home less than a week from our first holiday since beginning the build two years ago. I’m indebted to Tash for prising me away from the build! We drove a zig-zag two hundred and fifty miles,Continue reading “Holiday & moving deadlines”

So that’s it, our friends arrive tomorrow to catsit for a week while we drive north with tent and kayaks. Indoors I’ve prepared all I can in the time available; out in the porch the swallows have five eggs but have been worryingly absent for a couple of days. On site it was a four-dayContinue reading “And breathe (must I?)… it’s holiday time”

Preparation: Tuesday 17 May – I have seven working days before plasterer Jef expects to make a start and there’s quite a bit of preparation to do. Holes need to be filled, all external angles need angle bead, some edges need stop bead and window sills would be a good idea… Beading gives the plastererContinue reading “Quick, before Jef gets here…”

Faced with inclement weather and outdoor ambitions, we postponed our two Easter bank holidays and took them last Monday and Tuesday. The offer of a friend’s mum’s flat in Edinburgh was the deciding factor. So it’s been a short week. We had our share of art – Robert Blomfield (University library) with photographs around EdinburghContinue reading “Edinburgh and the three-day week”

5 May 2022 The house: the end of the plasterboarding is finally in sight, though a plasterer is not. Martin left me with all the difficult bits of boarding done and just the things I could do singlehanded remaining. Brilliant – thanks again! So far this week (three days) I’ve made and put in twoContinue reading “The bird secret”

Nature first, building second: It’s been busy and the springing of spring is keeping us happily occupied. Among other things. We didn’t take either of Easter’s bank holidays but are saving them for nicer (kayaking & camping?) weather. Two weekends ago we went in search of an old cemetery on the far side of LochContinue reading “Where’s the blog?”