- Details
A fine day, getting warmer all of the time, when Frank Thorpe of Coopers, the builders of Brundall, came and wanted to have a look round and will return with the owner soon to be able to quote for the work I need doing. Jack and Dolly came by to see my boat and the changes that we had made to the grounds and Jack returned later and helped me to start jacking up the shed again, with us using concrete blocks this time.
These last couple of days, I had fallen into the habit of having a fried breakfast and then a couple of pieces of Wroxham Plaice for lunch and I had just eaten my breakfast at 8.00am, when Frank Thorpe of Coopers, the builders of Brundall, came and wanted to have a look round. I hurriedly dressed and had an hour with them, describing the work that I wanted to do and they said that they would come back with Mr Cooper and be better placed to quote when they could do it and for how much. After I had got washed and dressed, I was making telephone calls when Jack and Dolly came by to see my boat and the changes that we had made to the grounds. She was sorry to hear about the shed.
** PRESS "Read More" BELOW for the complete story **
- Details
A disaster as my small thatched shed fell over in the wind just as I had jacked it up to the right height, but I then unbolted the sides and used the Range Rover to tug the roof back upright. No word from the builders I had been chasing but my transportable/mobile phone was proving to be very useful.
I was keen to get on with the shed and pressed on alone in the jacking process until I had the shed up at just about the right height. Unfortunately, a gust of wind then caught it and the whole thing tilted over and fell on to the floor, upside down! This was a real calamity as there was no way that the thing could be reversed. Before anyone could see, and with some embarrassment, I un-bolted and levered off the sides, stacking them behind the garage and started to tidy up all of my things. By this time, it had started to rain and I was feeling quite dejected by the whole thing with the feeling that I had bitten off more than I could chew.
** PRESS "Read More" BELOW for the complete story **
- Details
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.
- Details
A very mild and sunny day cutting back saplings and trees overhanging my boat dock and roadway and then discovering the filters on my 2HP motor were blocked and needed professional attention. I made my first link call on the VHF today and spoke to Daniel at home.
I took the bow saw and pruning saw out of the car today and made a start on cutting back the saplings overhanging my boat dock and then the tree branches over the roadway. Jack came by again and offered to bring his chain saw down the following day so that we could cut away the willow trees from the garden. It was a very mild and sunny day today and an ideal day by the Broads and I was surprised that more of my new neighbours had not come down.
** PRESS "Read More" BELOW for the complete story **