Welding and Architraves

Welding and Architraves?  Sounds like a firm of dodgy solicitors.  But no, the place is absolutely heaving today with noticeable results.  More later I'm sure but meanwhile:

Outside the finishing touches are being done to the steel stairway, on-site skilful welding spectacularly by makers JRFabs of Keighley:

Inside, it doesn't get much more final than this - architraves around the  internal Suffolk Oak doors:

Kitchen's Here

The extension should be very nearly finished internally by the end of this week.  Today saw the arrival of kitchen and bathroom components and fitters Andy and Matt respectively.

Below - our BAAF* being manhandled up the new stairway by the combined muscle power of Hopley's builders, Wren Kitchens and Murfin plumbers:

A kitchen full of boxed appliances and fitments.  Arrived all the way from Barton on Humber at 0730 on the dot:

* BAAF = Big Ar*ed American Fridge

A Wheelie Good Weekend

Just over a week ago Pat underwent a major operation on her right foot to correct a fairly long term problem which has been giving her pain. Most people stand with their two feet at 'five-to-one' whereas Pat's right foot has adopted more of a 'five to-three'.  Just over a week ago she had the necessary operation at The Yorkshire Clinic - as an NHS patient.

All seems to have gone to plan but her right lower leg and foot are in plaster for the next five weeks during which time she must put no weight on it, meaning she must either stay in bed, levitate or hop.  We have hired a rather snazzy wheel chair which should make things a lot easier.  It has an extension for the right leg so it is a bit of a 'long vehicle' as these things go.

This weekend daughter Lorna and grandsons James and Ben have come all the way from Gerrards Cross to visit and do things, Bless Them.

Here are two old crocks having a test-run round Settle station

And here are some examples of how the family have come to the rescue:

First a sparkling oven, thank you Lorna

Then our traditional Sunday brunch, complete with pizza crust left-overs.top right.  Thanks boys.  We may be onto a whole new dish here.  May.

Now that we have a sparkling new galvanised stairway it did rather expose the old one as needing a good power-wash.  #1 grandson James did the honours.  Note his height compared with that of the standard British doorway behind him at 14 . . 

14 or not he was like a kid with a new toy with granny's wheel-chair.  A ardent supporter of Pittsburgh Steelers as you see.  His wheelchair skills are impressive and soon included wheelies and handbrake turns which quite inspired granny.

But back to business, we had our first steam train of 2020 through Settle station today.  The Winter Cumbrian Mountain Express hauled most spectacularly by the Southern Region Merchant Navy class locomotive British India Line.  These amazing machines were built between 1941 and 1949 to celebrate and commemorate the debt the country owed to the merchant navy during two world wars.

I do believe that the denim jacketed figure on the left is me.  The dedicated photographer on the bridge is about to get kippered.

An Adorable Door

Today we took delivery of two out of the three exterior doors from Aire Valley Glass.  The joiners on site were quick to fit the first - that between the outside stairs and the kitchen / dining area:

This kitchen / diner is in a splendidly elevated position, now accessed by the new stairway.   When, soon, the terraced embankment is planted it should be an absolute joy.   The full height window of the door lets in an amazing amount of south facing light.

Stairway to Heaven (Well to the Kitchen Door Really)

The outside stairway arrived yesterday morning and by dusk its framework and lower landings were in place.  Final steps and railings today then we are up and running.

The stairs will make a big difference in enabling access for the kitchen and bathroom components which arrive on Monday.

 

and by the end of day 2 almost finished bar for a section of handrail at the top and the top landing:

The entrance door at the top of the stairway the opening for which has been boarded over since created should have its door fitted, delivered today.

This is excellent as kitchen fitting starts on Monday and we shall therefore have direct access to where the delivered items are needed.

Totally Plastered

The place looked a whole lot more like a home when the plasterboards were in place but we knew full well that the bigger deal was the eventual coat of plaster itself.  Today the plaster-ing was finished and what a transformation.  Plasterer Brian and his mixer Frankie made it look so easy yet anybody who has attempted it know that it takes a lot of spilt plaster before that stage is reached - especially on ceilings where gravity is not on your side.  It is not just a matter of getting a semi-liquid to stick to the ceiling in the first place but you then must re-moisten it to slow the setting process and coax it to perfection before you are done,  Total admiration and wonderment.

The rooms are drying out well, thanks to the forced air  heat-recovery ventilation.  Kitchen and bathroom are all but dry - certainly dry enough to be fitted out - due from Thursday onwards.

Tomorrow should see the floors topped off with 9mm hardwood ply, the door architraves, skirtings and inner doors - and the start of the outside staircase construction.

Pretty uninteresting photographs but they mark a milestone.

The Snow's Not Coming? Bad News for Some

Quite a bit of outside work and heavy deliveries this week prompts me to pay heed to the weather forecasts.  Particularly the exceptionally heavy snow presently affecting Canada and Newfoundland.

ITV weatherman Jon Mitchell makes himself available on Twitter so I asked him.  The final Tweet on the subject is hilarious, given its author:

Mark Rand

@follyatsettle

·

3h

Hope we don't get that Newfoundland snow?

1

Jon Mitchell - Weatherman

@JonMitchellITV

Replying to

@follyatsettle

and

@itvcalendar

It's looking very unlikely.

12:13 PM · Jan 20, 2020·Twitter Web App

2

Likes

Yorkshire Gritters

@Yorkshire_Grit

·

2h

Replying to

@JonMitchellITV

@follyatsettle

and

@itvcalendar

Oh fiddle sticks!

t