HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Just a very quick entry to wish you all a very very happy new year and I hope you dreams come true, don't stand on the side lines waving at life go by, jump on and ride it. Its what you make it and more. Pete and I know that you learn something new each day.. like today we learnt not to drop wood when your foot is under neath it ha ha... Seriously though we have learnt so much since we have been here, some really good things and some things we wish we didn't have to learn but a great experience. We have just come in from working on the Mill and I think that will take up very waking hour for the foreseeable future!! But to friends, family, guests and of course our tribe of animals Here's to you and next year, whatever it may bring, make the most of each moment. XXX

LUNCHTIME

After a successful doooo on mas eve we then laid up for Xmas day and had a Christmas lunch for 11 of us, It went ok, you always worry things wont be hot enough or cold enough but the 4 different starters went to plan and the lunch with 8 or 9 veg went ok too, everyone said they enjoyed it, mind you they would be too frightened to say otherwise eh!! or stupid!!  Ha ha It was  a nice day and glad to sit down for a few hours ready for work on Tuesday 27th Dec...I didn't say which year though did I !!!!,

OLYMPICS 2012

The house was given a present too for everyone which was Olympics 2012 for the wii so everyone could have a go, that was quite funny too. Obviously we rang everyone when we got up just to let them know it was Xmas so Mum came out not at 5am! but a little later to play a few games before lunch. I reckon she would be good value for money on U tube too! I must get a video camera!!!! Laura was in the lead and did quite well, Mum I think was well.....priceless! I am not really sure you need quite the moves she was doing but good try!!

ADDICT A BALL

Did anyone else get one of those for Xmas an addict a ball, it drives you crackers, Pete got one as did Steve and it kept people quiet for hours on end, quite impossible but a good puzzle, worth getting if you like to be driven nuts! Pete and Steve were in a puzzle off and then Dad had a go but I am not sure who is in the lead at the mo!!

STEVE GETS MORPHED!

Steve needed a bike so Santa kindly obliged and the other thing he wanted was a morph suit, and I didnt really know what they were, but Steve got one , a green one and it was the funniest thing ever. He looked quite good in it though, worryingly! Oh and a penguin hat....random!??

NEW MEMBER!

I was given a great present form Steve it was my very own panda called Pinky, I love him, he came in a box all curled up sleeping, the cutest thing I have ever seen, ok Pete you are too  haha ha ... And Laura gave us a segway experience so cant wait to do that I have always wanted to have a go on those things, could be dangerous with Me and Pete though, hope they have insurance!!!! SO this year we were realllllly lucky...thanks XXX

SANTA CAME!

We were really lucky Santa turned up and gave us all some pressies, usually we get up at 5am as I cant sleep, I get too excited. But I did promise to let Laura and Steve have a lie in as they are 20 and 15 years old!! BUT Laura was the one this year she woke Steve up with "I'm hungry" at 4.45am! So needless to say we all trundled down stairs to see if any Mr Claus had been. And sure enough he had, thankfully!

SHADOW ON WATCH

After pinching every ones sandwiches for a pass time Shadow was on guard in case any one turned up Xmas Eve, she stayed out there for ages until she realised that no one was coming out to work, therefore no sandwiches to pinch!, she looks so sad here waiting, dont worry Shadow they will be back and they wont have learned to put their lunch up high so all willbe back to normal soon X, we were all in waiting for Santa!... And I expect Santa will come to you too Shadow!

XMAS EVE!!

Finally we actually made it to Xmas eve, and I am really surprised as at one stage I thought I might be going do-lally!! Mind you I think Pete has gone, look at this picture, we always dress up as Mr & Mrs Santa for Xmas Eve and thanked some of the people who have worked on the Mill with us so far... and this was a picture of Pete getting ready and he thought he would try out a new pose with half his Santa kit on.....Not the most flatting picture Pete! Boy am I glad I have the camera and I am not on the other end too!! But I think it says it all really even lucky had to do a double take. Good job we haven't got close neighbours they would put us on U tube!! or get us sectioned one or the other!!

WE HAVE STAIRS

We have stairs fitted to the top floor of the mill, which means we are getting there (only on the top floor), we just need to work through January evenings and weekends to build the partitions and stud work to bathrooms ready for the plumbing to go in, the electrics are being first fixed at the mo, well Ash is on holiday so he will be back recharged in January to finish, he has been virtually living here with all the rewire of the house and mill and office etc, god knows how much it will cost us, best not to think about it eh... I have a big bucket of sand ready for head!

OFFICE AND CARPORT READY FOR ACTION!

After a really hard couple of months and I mean really hard, we went to the last minute really moving in the office on the 23rd Dec, the front steps arent done yet or the car park area but the actually working office is moved and up and running. I was so pleased to get it done as Xmas Eve was looming as were our guests and Xmas dinner after, so after working by flood light and every waking hour we were there just about just bits and bobs to finish.

PETE AND BEDDING!

I just had to escape from upstairs, 1, my stomach is hurting laughing at Pete and 2, I need to add some entries before its 2012 or I will have missed Xmas!... I stupidly asked Pete to put the clean linen on the bed, well I forgot what a performance was about to happen... He doesn't really do beds, but he will have to when we open again, as he said we have to open the two cottages and he talked me into it, as he said he would help, so bed making Pete here we come. He was in a right pickle up there, a bit like a kid attention seeking but in a funny way. So I am still not entirely sure if he was in fact struggling inside the duvet or he was playing me up, either way it was the funniest thing I have watched in ages. So I thought I better nip down and add some entries!

WHITE XMAS?

Nearly a white Christmas, it was hailing for Britain yesterday or the day before cant remember what day it was, but it was heavy hail bouncing about and it actually hurt when it hit you, shame it didnt stick too long, but maybe there is hope for snow, that would be perfect, just on Xmas day and Boxing day though as I need to start work again then!

NEARLY XMAS

Its only a week to go until the big day and am i ready???? NOPE! Well I have bought most of the pressys but regards the food and cleaning the house and cooking Xmas Eve and Xmas day I am no where near ready, I will have to send Laura to the shop!!!... We are still flat out on the build every day and every night, whilst trying to desperately keep up with our real work, it has been really hard the last couple of months so looking forward to a day not building but cooking Xmas day! Apparently some people think that all people should have a day off Xmas day as they cook all year, but how would we get our dinner if we all thought like that eh! I dont mind at all at least I get to cook and eat all the things I like eh!! Lets hope there is food left int he shops when I finally get to shop!

FIRST PARTITION GOING IN!

The first partition for a bedroom on the top floor was being put in today, we can start to finally make sense and move forward a bit, instead of ripping out. We are only attacking the first floor initially...one we haven't got the money to do any other floors and two we need to get moved in the top floor to put this one on the market in April! No pressure!.. We have now got the flue in for the chimney /log burner so that's good, its quite exciting really, well it will be once the office is done and we are moved in there, then we can concentrate one build and not two, as that is extremely difficult...but look what we will have achieved with a bit of hard work and commitment eh!...Dad the rubble is gone so you can come out its safe, we wont make you work with your bad shoulder ha ha...roll on Xmas day eh!!

XMAS CAKE DONE

I was in me ol' wellies but had clean hands! My cake is done, we finished it off today with brandy, marzipan and icing. It takes multitasking to a whole new level this building lark here, I can work in the architectural business, take calls for the Mill cottages, sort out the builders and Ant and Andy, go get supplies and still be making my cake....not bad eh, I might try the broom up backside tomorrow or maybe see I if I know proverbial from elbow perhaps  haha

HARD DAYS WORK FOR SQUEAKER!

Its such a hard life for squeaker, she has to get up and chase around in a box from 4am! and then have breakfast, wash and go to sleep, its a real hard life, she always looks so comfy I wish I were a cat!

ITS NEARLY XMAS

Some one said it was nearly Christmas, I cant believe it, we have had our head down and working so hard we didn't even realise it wasn't summer any more.. ha ha...Well the summerhouse although not quite finished inside, only a work top to fit, but we are too busy to sort right now...It has nice outdoor twinkly Xmas lights, they will remain there all year as I like them but cute eh... The guy inside is Ashley our electrician who has sort of moved in lately, we have been plying him with bacon butty's and chips and anything really to get it done here, he left one night about 10pm!! Thanks Ash! One down a few more to go, I wont tell him he might cry! PS Sorry ASh about your breakfast sandwich...Gem didn't realise it wasn't for her....Although I dont think you knew Gems name as you were calling her a different name, whilst chasing her and sandwich down the drive!!!!  ha ha

PV SAGA

The Pv saga has been going on and on, its been the bane of my life and caused me and Pete stress like you can never imagine, but they finally got installed ....albeit late, that's another story...and we had only 72 hours to get it signed off, so after chasing the installers and then the government website to register it went down...very convenient!....they finally sent our certificate through...in the WRONG NAME! I have chased this about 15 or so tomes a day it has completely taken over my life, there was so much at stake... But to cut a very very long stressful tale short, we are now signed off and fully fledged PV'ers before the midnight deadline...yipppeee ruddy do at last, its made me quite ill actually!

STORM A BIT BETTER

These aren't very good pictures as I wasn't expecting to see what I saw so only had my phone with me. But Storm has been very poorly almost to the point that we wee talking about making some harsh decisions. I sat down there int he stable one night and talked to her, now you are thinking...silly mare fancy talking to a horse....well I reckon they understand you because the very next day I thought I would try to give her a walk, I opened the stable and usually she couldn't get up or walked in sever pain...This time she shot out of the stable like a cannon, haired around the field bucking and kicking and neighing, the other two were really wound up too, Studley was rolling around and running as was Ruby. So going from deaths door to that was quite something! I think it was mostly adrenaline as she did lie down for a while after, but she is definitely on the mend, my pep talk must have worked...so there you go all you cynics out there!!!

SO FAR....

I know it doesn't look like it but this will be my kitchen/dining area, the stairs are coming out they will wind the other way, there will be a cupboard there....come on use that imagination!!

This lovely old post that was in The brambles is now the centre point in our lounge and structural, it stands above the stairs and holds up one of the foot square beams. The lounge area had to have all new beams cut in Douglas fir as the old ones were not seated in the wall ok for the span it needed now the wall is gone. Just behind this post will be a small log burner, it will all make sense when I move in!!! ho ho ho.

Oh and this is looking from the landing up to Steves new room there will be a window going in here, and obviously some much needed stud work! so as you can see its at its bear minimum at the mo and we have a few bits on the roof to fix, now that will be entertaining as its a 45 degree pitch and 3 storeys on the front.....I can make it up 7 steps with out getting dizzy...not quite enough maybe!!!!!

And this is looking to where Laura's mezzanine will be....you lot have really got to get that imagination going. it will be fine, no idea when but it will be fine....we have first fix electrics in two weeks...do you think we will make it??? at the mo not a chance.....but we will see and first fix plumbing in three weeks, another pie in that sky or can we reach it.....that's only the top floor, we are only tackling the top floor to try to get that habitable by April to move Laura and Steve over there to put this house on the market... I wish we could do this full time instead of having to run a business full time too and the animals and school stuff, and family etc....One day eh! Its a little daunting at the mo!!! I bet dad will read this and thank goodness he has just had his shoulder op as he can have a few weeks off, so now when they come to visit they are safe, no more "dont suppose you can take this to the dump on the way back" and certainly no more humping and dumping plasterboard with me for a while, I reckon he's wearing that sling and he takes it off when we arent looking,!!! ha ha only kidding Dad I know it hurts like mad but 6 weeks and you'll be as good as new....bet you cant wait!

DOORS ARRIVED

The doors to the office have arrived from Sweeden after a 10 week wait! ANd they are damaged...badly , we didnt notice until we (Steve, Me , Pete and Auntie Lou)lifted them off the lorry they weigh a ton, really heavy, then finally got them where we could see them and the courier hadnt strapped them properly so they were a mess.....Now we have to wait for replacements...just what we needed another hold up and we are on  a really tight schedule, no margin for errors....aaaaHHHHHHHH

The other picture is Ant on a mission with the angle grinder!  And thats another story! You dont want to hang round Ant when he has one of those I can tell you!!

ANOTHER SLEEP OPTION

I think our cats are trying to find the most strange place to sleep just to get on the blog I reckon! Now squiggly has taken to sleeping in Steve's sock drawer!

WEIRD

Its the end of November and my hydrangea has flowered again and they are huge blooms bigger than both my hands put together......very bazaar....maybe Geoff gave it a drop of grow faster at wrong time of year juice?? Cant think of another explanation!

NIGHT SHIFT

We have been working on the car port ready for the photovoltaics by floodlight just to get it finished in time, but we had a phone call on the day they were supposed to be coming saying they have been delayed, so we could have had the roof we wanted after all, too late now, not even sure we will meet the government deadline of commissioning before the 12th now.......What a nightmare, we have a purpose made building for them and needn't have wasted our money doing that if we don't have them fitted soon, we will be too late, what a pickle.... some one will have a lot of explaining to do when I turn up at their offices if they are not here next week and completed... I will be visiting them make no mistake!!! Why does it always happen to us, nothing ever goes smoothly!

BEEN BUSY!

When your busy and you are really looking forward to something to eat...Well I bought some nice ham for quick and easy ham , egg and chips. I put the ham on a plate and went to the freezer only 10 paces away and when I got back all I could see was Shadow with her elbows on the worktop ...ok so a dog dosen't have elbows as such...but she was surfing the worktop and gobbled up all the ham.. I was jumping... ham and eggs it was then!...Ruddy dog!

STORM POORLY

Not sure whats happened, but Storm suddenly couldn't walk this morning, we had to have the vet ...no idea whats wrong but I have stabled her, what a game that was to get her in...but shes in and on painkillers see how she  is tomorrow....I have put her on Shavings as she will eat the straw and possibly get laminitus, which would be disastrous. Just what we needed today whilst roofing...Poor Storm hope she will be ok. I have to poultice her foot tomorrow just in case it maybe some grit or abscess....

LITTLE AND LARGE!

We haven't had hardly any eggs lately no idea whats going on.... We have also had 5 chickens here on holiday while the owner went away, and they haven't laid either!...But I think they like it, it must be the Woodmill vibe or should I say The Mill vibe now!... its a bit like Geoff he came to help me for a few hours with the gardening nearly 5 years ago and he still helps me once a week, Ant and Andy did a job for us 4 years ago and they haven't left either... so bear it in mind if you turn up to help....odds on you probably wont ever leave!!!! I think mum and dad are afraid to visit too, as every time they come something is going on one crisis or another!!...Its funny when your son comes out of school and the first thing they ask is " well whats happened today!! whats gone wrong?" Its just that kind of place!!

VIEW FROM BRIDGE

I think Lucky likes the view fromt he bridge or is it just the cuddles from Laura...not sure yet!!...I think Laura was glad to be sat back up the right way as she had been upside down trying to stain the underside of the bridge....She loves coming home !!!!!

SQUEAKER!!!

Squeaker is such a lazy cat all she does is shout for attention and eat and sleep ont he warm radiator! Ok so whats wrong with that ...I wish I were a cat or one of my cats!!!

HALLOWEEN

I forgot to post these pictures that Laura took of the ponies eating her pumkins after halloween. Her and Aaron made one each, and just for the record Aaron....Laura won!!!!! Hers WAS the best ha ha....The ponies loved them...

MYRNA & KEITH

A great friend of ours had an op today and I have just heard from Keith that she has come through the very big op ok and it is good news it was successful, so Myrna we are all thinking of you tonight and wish you well on the road to recovery now. I know you are in ICU for a while but just to let you know we are all thinking of you:)... Hey soon be time for your holidays eh! Love and smiles, soon be up and jumping around eh.... XXXX The picture above is of our acer which lost its leaves today all at once!...a Royal red carpet for you X

WHAT A WEEK

After only having the base plates in last Monday we have had to move quick, the carcass of the office needs to be up in five days, so working by flood light most evenings and having the cars lined up to give us extra light. The rain hasn't helped and its been one headache after another, we have felted the roof three times now, the bad weather took it clean off the first time, the next time we covered it with a tarpaulin and when we tried to get the thing off, the water was stuck in it, and its such a large roof it was difficult to move so Ant and Pete got on the roof to try to save the felt again, but it just went right through the lot at the last minute, ruining the felt yet again, so tonight we have been out there trying to felt and hard sheet at the same time, we have got three sheets on, so that's a start, but it got too dark and on a slippery roof it was just too dangerous to keep going for Andy up there. It been a real hard week, wouldn't like to do it again that's for sure. I usually say its an adventure, but this one has been soul destroying at times! and I am dizzy a lot and not feeling great so that doesn't help, I just get angry with myself!! So I am really looking forward to getting the Pvs on and then fitting out the office and then we can slow down a bit the pressure to finish will be reduced which will be a welcome break. These photos were taken on Wednesday last week and by Sunday night we had the full carcass up, made from scratch!!

SOME ONES IDEA OF FUN SOMEWHERE????

Ok I have had it today, yesterday we had a phone call from someone to say that the government who some people voted in have decided to mess about with the PV feed in tariff making it not viable really....Now this in its self is a pain but for us who have purposely and painstakingly designed a building to take a 32 panel system and agreed time frames, finished roofing etc etc, we signed a contract to install before the March deadline which has now moved to December the 8th (courtesy of the people up in the big house who seemingly know nothing at all and this just confirms it, god I wish I took up the offer of standing for MP I would have had a field day with this) for commissioning and installation to get the higher rate to make the pay back around 8 years and not 18!! which is crazy amount of time!!!! So now we have to 1. start the building, and 2 finish the walls to take the purlings by this Monday that's 5 days....so we have ordered floodlights courtesy of our electrician, who also has to move his schedule forward to be ready to commission and installation of power, we have had to cancel the elaborate roof system that we have researched for months as it cannot be got in time so now we are having to have a lesser product and no idea what it will look like.....this needs to be fitted 14th November ready for PV installation on the 21st Nov to get commissioned in time as it is not final until the forms are dotted and crossed and in front of some one to say yes you have made the deadline, then and only then are we safe....Its going to be a rocky 5 days!!!! OH and top of that my account was hacked last night and some idiot took £3500 which I haven't got so now over drawn so had to deal with the fraud squad this morning too! oh and a meeting with the pensions guy to iron out some mistake on that too, but at least that one is sorted!....Its not a fun day. I have a good mind to drive to London and tell them exactly what I think and how ridiculous it is to move the goal posts so quickly without warning, they reckon there is a consultation period which finishes on the 23rd December but the changes will take place on the 8th Dec, now how on earth does that work, it doesn't work in my field of work, consultation is consultation and then only at the end of that can a decision be made, but government don't get it. it must be run by jumped up individuals that clearly have no idea how many people it will affect let alone the small companies involved.....now you explain to me how that's right.......AAAAAHHHHHGH

A BIT OF WOOD!

We moved this pile of wood this weekend, Luckily Ant came with his truck and is going to put it through his Rayburn!! I hope he lives to 150 as hes going to need to to use all this up eh! But pile is gone, mission accomplished, one pile down and many more to go, the rest is rubble so it will be a little harder to shift, maybe do 20 bags a day or something!! Or just leave it until the rubble making process is over and do it in one swoop! Back to school tomorrow for Steve and back to uni for Laura this afternoon, when she returns I need to be ready ish for Xmas or something like it!!! AAAAHHH ...dont think about it, we have an office to build first!!!

SLEDGE HAMMER STEVE

Steve has been on half term and had a few days of golf but not all, so I thought it was time for him to help with the mill, gave him a slegde and asked him to knock down a wall! It was really really dificult as there is and inch of render each side and cement that must be 1 to 1 mix but he did it, took him hours and blisters to show for it but all done...at least he earned his ticket to see the football eh! I also got him bagging old insulation bit of a job that was, I expect he might quite like to go back to school??? OK no thats taking it tooo far!

PIGS MOVED FOR WINTER

In the winter we move the pigs up to their winter grazing area its warmer up there when it gets frosty, but woody was plastered in huge sticky balls and we couldn't get them off the more we tried the more he got like the truly grumpy old man he is...hey Pete your not related to woody are you? ha ha only kidding...you have different colour eyes!! ok Ill stop before he kicks my other leg under this table!!...But mission to move them went ok and they are safely in their new wooded home until the Spring, we still feed them but its just warmer.