Starting work on the old Heronshaw garage
Starting work on the old Heronshaw garage

With the help of Jack and his electric chain saw, spent all morning lopping and clearing trees from overhanging the roadway and then modified the entrance gate by adding a splay for ease of entry. Jack took me to see his house and meet his wife Dolly and then I started work stripping out the old thatched garage, buying materials from Jewsons and starting the process of jacking it up. Troubled with the extent of work needed as a slept on Paxton Princess at the end of the day        

Jack arrived this morning with his electric chain-saw and we spent all morning lopping and felling trees to clear the roadway of overhanging obstructions. He went off for lunch and I stopped briefly for a snack of cheese sandwiches before finishing off the willow stumps with the electric chain saw. Then I turned to the acute fence angles that border Heronshaw's gateway and decided to uproot a couple of posts and cut the corner so that vehicles can get both in and out much more easily. After lunch, Jack came down and collected me to go and see his bungalow, sheds and equipment. He introduced me to his wife, Dolly, who is very friendly and liked to meet me. They live in a very humble abode, probably a council house but with no modern facilities.

Back at Heronshaw, I started work on the old thatched shed which was tilting over with subsidence and rot to the lower timbers. I cleared its contents of tools and junk, worked out the wood needed and went off to the nearby Jewsons builders merchants to get the things to do the job. I just had time to start jacking the shed up before dark and then went back to the Princess and, after something to eat, fell very tired into bed but did not sleep very well as my mind was full of the task of putting that shed to rights and the limited time I had to do it.