In The Snow

Another busy but difficult week. We are having real problems getting the brick layers on site and then keeping them there. It seems to get done in fits and starts - not good enough. Phil has raised the issue of contra-charges now so we are hoping that may get them moving next week.

Jim has been here making some progress with the rendering but he is also being hindered by the weather. (It has been raining all week) I can see we will be painting the walls sooner than we had hoped to get the colour even.


No - this is not a picture taken in sepia. It really is snow. We have had heavy snow all afternoon and it is now laying thick. The forcast is for it to stop early evening but we will have a very cold night so it will be frozen tomorrow. Ken is out clearing the steps and drive - salting so it is not too dangerous.




Phil is up there struggling with the wardrobe system we bought in Wickes. It is not easy to put together not the least because I made a modification to create a design feature. However it is going together OK now after a great deal of studying the manual and is beginning to look good. Jeremy is working hard on getting the porch insulated, dry lined and the doors on so we can conserve some heat.

Imogen and Ken went up for a day earlier in the week and did some clearing up and painting. They enjoyed themselves and certainly it helped to get the place more organised.
As for me I had a day in Inverness finishing the Christmas shopping and also shopping for bits and peices for the house. I have also had a busy week generally giving support , doing all the admin and phone calls. Surprising how long this takes.

The surveyour from AGA called in today as there are a few problems. If one pays a vast amount of money you expect to get a professional expert service and installation. The sevice and support can't be faulted but not only was the oil connection cracked and had to be replaced we find the flue has been installed off centre so making it impossible to get the chimney flue to fit and line up properly and when I asked him about the thermometer he declares there is no mercury in it!

I shall get some photos of the inside for my next post to show progress there. Tomorrow they hope to get some of the scaffolding down and weather permitting the slating of the garage and porch.

WEEK 24

It is a cold and very windy night and I have been looking back to see where we were when I last wrote. The mountains now have a good covering of snow and are looking very beautiful.

Phil and I had an excellent trip to Glasgow. Paul Simon was in fine form and the concert was everything we had expected. A bit different from the usual 'pop' concert - the average age of the audience being well in their 50's if not their 60's. All rocking and singing away to some of his earlier hits finishing of with an amazing rendition of Homeward Bound.
We stayed in a hotel next to the SECC, had a long awaited good curry before the concert and then shopped till we dropped on Saturday before heading home.

Imogen and Ken flew off to Paris on Tuesday leaving me in charge of the children. I had forgotten how time consuming a one year old is and despite feeling exhausted was actually quite sad to see them home on Thursday evening. For convenience I moved into the hotel and their accomodation and was in my element being able to cook in a decent kitchen for a few days.

Today is Rememberance Sunday and Ken and Imogen have been busy serving teas in the hotel following the annual service at the Commando Memorial. We have one party who make it an annual event! Imogen took William up to see all the soldiers marching and said the whole service was quite impressive - culminating in a 2 gun salute with canons! They came back frozen!!! I shall have to make a point of going myself next year.

As for Eilean Beith - things have been progressing this week and despite the weather the block work is progressing. Unfortunately I have not been able to get any decent photos but will try in the next couple of days and post one if possible. The address is now official and registered with the post office.
We have had a local tiler in this weekend and the bathroom is now tiled - Phil can progress with plumbing in the sanitary ware now. The wardrobe system arrives on Wednesday and as this forms a dividing wall Phil has only a few days to get it up before Brian comes back next weekend to tile the wet room. Brian - recommended by someone I have met through LCCF - works 3 days a week in the magistrates court and 3 days (usually over weekends) tiling. He is very good and so far we are pleased.
The porch is now plasterboarded and door frames are in place, Phil and Jeremy got the small windows in the garage loft today and Phil is making progress on the kitchen.
We have had problems with the Aga. A small leak which the engineers cured by replacing a faulty part but it is still making a noise and we have problems getting the flue to fit so the surveyor is calling in some time this week. Phil reckons the flue in the AGA is off centre and causing the problem so we will welcome Neils opinion.
The electrician has been here for a couple of days and we have most of the wiring progressed on the ground floor. He is coming back in a week or so to do the first floor and get it all connected to the mains board. We can then get Scottish electric in to do the mains connection.
Both Phil and I feel things are progressing more quickly and although we have decided that to be in for Christmas would be a bonus we have not ruled it out.
Providing the Murdo and Stuart (brick layers) turn up again this week all should go to plan. Jim is due to start the rendering tomorrow so we are hoping it will be a dry and not too cold a week. He plans to follow the brick layers round and so with any luck the house will not only have blocks but also be rendered by the end of the month. The scaffolding can come down and then it is just some ground work to be done - we shall do just enough to move in and then in the spring we shall get some decent landscaping done.

Winter has arrived

We have woken this morning to find the first flurries of snow on the mountains and the North Face of Ben has definite snow. Jeremy and Phil are still working hard to get the house done and as it is pretty cold have put the Aga on to get the house at least a bit warmer inside. Winter certainly has arrived.

The roof is now on the garage and porch - unfortunately the roofer was unable to get the slates on last weekend because the weather was very bad. Wet and windy. The bricklayers also have been delayed due the weather but we are hoping to see them back tomorrow.

Last week we had Tina, Philip and family here for the week so although Phil got on with things every day I hardly had time to oversee progress at all. He had to dig out for the water main. Hired a digger and in the process went through our next door neighbours water pipe and electric pump supply which provides Eric with water from the burn. Luckily they have been able to switch over to mains water but the repair has proved a problem as Phil has been unable to get the correct connection for the electric supply. This has now arrived but he has today had to hire a pump as the hole is so full of water they can't find the fault!

We have today been sorting out where the lights are to go as Phil has to make the holes in the ceilings and find the wiring in preparation for the electrician to put the fittings in - hopefully next week.

The hotel is now closed for the month, Imogen, Ken and children are going to Royston for the weekend and Phil are going to Glasgow. Apart shopping trip - John Lewis here I come - and to see Paul Simon in concert at the SECC. Phils one ambition in life!