couple of months catching up with finishing the house

We have a few months before we head off once again on another holiday. At long last Judith has managed to convince me that we need to relax and enjoy ourselves, and put the house build into perspective.

Do as much as we can, but enjoy yourself as and when the opportunity arises.

And if Judith has her way this is most weekends. Why not.
Nevertheless, we still manage to finish the first fix downstairs. Wiring, plumbing, insulating and plaster boarding the utility, master bedroom, wardrobe, bathroom and stairwell.

When the weather improved we managed to get outside and move the scaffolding. Or should l say the small section we have left. Managed to sell the majority to my friend Billy, who needed scaffolding for a new project. Meant that we were able to recoup the majority of our scaffolding costs.

Then with off cuts from the metal roof, we were able to fit sections to clad the front of the balcony. Although we weren't able to complete before the rain arrived.

Hopefully we will find the odd few days to complete and add the plastic angle bead that neatens everything off and makes it waterproof.

We were going to use matching steel from Tata steel, but the cost was 8 times more expensive than the anthracite plastic that we eventually used. It wasn't the cost of the product, it was the shipping that made all the difference.

Popped down to Carlisle for a few days, mainly to see our accountant. What an excuse for a few days away. Stopping at Drumlanrig House, The Castle was amazing set in wonderful grounds. According to the spiel the Castle has 120 rooms, 17 turrets and four towers and the producers of Outlander recently used the Castle for filming their second series!

They have Rembrandt’s and family portraits by artists such as Thomas Gainsborough, landscapes by Paul Sandby and the Dutch masters, and cartoons by Rowlandson amid the finest furnishing and antiques.

The 90,000 acre Estate boasts miles of beautiful walks and acres of gardens.

The Castle is the stunning Dumfriesshire seat of the Duke and Duchess of Buccleuch and Queensberry, and they hope you find it as inspiring as they do. We did, and the weather was kind for our circular walk and lunch of apple, chorizo and hardboiled eggs with crisps in the garden.

Stayed in the Premier Inn then out for dinner before meeting up with Ian, then it was off to Dumfries House, one of Britain’s most beautiful stately homes with an outstanding collection of 18th-century furniture including many examples of  Chippendale furniture, and all down to the intervention of Prince Charles. The grounds and walled garden were truly magnificent, although the coffee shop could have done with more observant staff. Nevertheless, we found great inspiration in the gardens for our own little homestead.

a very pleasant time we headed over to Troon for a couple of nights, using our favourite site ITISON. Great hotel and restaurant deals all over Scotland and the North of England. This hotel was exceedingly good, although in deed of finishing off.
Out for dinner on the first night, then the following day we headed out for a walk from Irvine to Troon. Brilliant, once we found the walk markers. Interesting hill walk including dragons, and the beach with its wild birds and quite a few massive jellyfish beached on the falling tide. Troon town centre is interesting, but Irvine has a wonderful maritime museum. If you are into that type of thing, which we are.

Then back to work to finish off the downstairs section ready for Virgil to plaster and Kevin to connect the electricity.

Managed enough time to pop over to  Glasgow for a break. Visited the lighthouse to see some of Charles Rennie Mackintosh's furniture. Most had been transferred from his home whilst it was having emergency restoration work completed. It seems that the national trust are considering covering the whole house in a massive glass construction, in an aim to minimise the ingress of water.