Johnathen has been here for most of the week, working on the ceiling in the half barn and patching in some rather large holes in the low side wall which is going to be covered with plasterboard as well.
This is the only place in the house which will have one of its walls covered over in this way. And the reason why we decided to do this is because the ceiling is going to be boarded between the beams to cover over the insulation which is going in, and we needed to put a match for the plasterboarding somewhere else in the space. Johnathen was keen to cover over all of the walls. We said NO. One wall only. And the electrics will be hidden as well behind the boarding on that wall.
And so he sanded down the beams, two new ones and two old ones, sprayed all the wood with anti-termite stuff. And then painted all the wood with this divine mixture which has linseed in it.
I have been informed by HG that since we will have a large amount of wood in the house eventually, to expect the smell of the linseed mixture to be more or less always present. Apparently all the wood has to be washed over with the mix once or twice a year. We are going to have wooden ceilings downstairs. Much wood. Loads of linseed. Wafts of pleasure. Because the smell is absolutely gorgeous.
I keep popping into the half barn just to have a sniff. But then I also have a huge liking for the smell of creosote. I am even getting to be more comfy with the wafts which are emanating from the two dustbins in which are cooking nettles to make a fertilizer for the plants. Take it from me, that it is an unbelievable odour, oops! I mean, aroma!
This is the only place in the house which will have one of its walls covered over in this way. And the reason why we decided to do this is because the ceiling is going to be boarded between the beams to cover over the insulation which is going in, and we needed to put a match for the plasterboarding somewhere else in the space. Johnathen was keen to cover over all of the walls. We said NO. One wall only. And the electrics will be hidden as well behind the boarding on that wall.
And so he sanded down the beams, two new ones and two old ones, sprayed all the wood with anti-termite stuff. And then painted all the wood with this divine mixture which has linseed in it.
I have been informed by HG that since we will have a large amount of wood in the house eventually, to expect the smell of the linseed mixture to be more or less always present. Apparently all the wood has to be washed over with the mix once or twice a year. We are going to have wooden ceilings downstairs. Much wood. Loads of linseed. Wafts of pleasure. Because the smell is absolutely gorgeous.
I keep popping into the half barn just to have a sniff. But then I also have a huge liking for the smell of creosote. I am even getting to be more comfy with the wafts which are emanating from the two dustbins in which are cooking nettles to make a fertilizer for the plants. Take it from me, that it is an unbelievable odour, oops! I mean, aroma!
So here is the half barn, with all the wood pristine and perfumed.Tasks for next week: Electician to put the spot lights and plugs in. Builders to continue to break up the old flooring in the house, and prepare for the new flooring to go in. Johnathen has laid the foundations in the roof for the plasterboard, so will presumably continue with that once the electician has been in.
I am proud of our progress here. On some things we are not as far forward as I thought we would be, but on others we have made good progress. I thought the house would not have her roof on for two or three years, but that is happening quicker. I thought we would be further forward with our animals, but lack of time and the fact that much of the home-farm land where the animals will be kept is being used for the building work does not make this a a do-able project at the moment.
However, Sara of the Camels often brings us eggs to trade for sundry bits, such as Lester's skill at PC repair, and of late has been swapping lettuce, onions, and plants. It is a good trade.
Otherwise, we are starting to become familiar with the ongoing task of rotational crop planting in our veg plots. The fig tree has gone bonkers this year, so will have to start accumulating jam jars now ready for the fig harvest later on. Sara donated us some paper sacks to keep our potatoes in, and they are being stored in the half barn which is the coolest place for them. My fingernails seem to have a permanent portion of earth in them, and I am always in trousers now because of the gnats flying up and settling themselves on my knicker line if I wear a skirt.
But I have a liking for the waft of linseed. It smells very homely. If you would like to have a waft as well, just let me know and I will send you a sample in the post. I won't, of course, send you one of our beams, but I will send you a dab on a piece of calico.
Meanwhile, bon weekend, and signing off from here down in the South West of France.
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