Over the years, as bits and pieces have dropped off this building, concrete has been used indiscriminately to fill in holes. So during Jonos work in replacing and repairing shutters, he is also looking at the hinges and pins to hold them in. In this case, he had to pick out all the old concrete, and was left with a hole like this. The original split stone will have happened because they would have put an iron pin into the stone, and wedged it with wooden pegs. As the wood brought moisture into the gap, it made the iron pin rust, and on expansion, it split the stone. And someone came along afterwards and chucked concrete at it. Not a good idea, as concrete makes the stone around it sick, and crumbly. Anyway Jono took out all the old concrete. Luckily we have a pile of old stone and stone blocks, He then carved blocks that slotted into this gap, and sealed them in with a proper lime plaster. I think its an amazing job, and I can’t believe that he can do these things himself. The real issue is having the time to do all of this. He loves doing it and gets a great deal of satisfaction from it, but it took quite a few days in total, what with being interrupted all the time. If we had had someone here to do this for us, it would have cost at the very least, 1000 euros. I think anyway.
Here are the photos of the various stages, although not quite in the right order. I think its amazing !!
Luckily its been hot with no rain, at least for this job. He has also finished the area outside the art room, where he has put a stone cap all along a small wall there. Before we lived here, I didn’t know all of these things, and never really understood why walls fall down when they have no roof. Speaking of roofs, the time comes closer for us to have the new roofing put onto the ‘porcherie’ bits of the barn. Its leaking all over the place. I have put down a bag of chicken food, but as we are finally predicted some rain tonight, am trying to remember whether that bit of floor is one that is usually wet when it rains. It hasn’t rained properly for so long that I can’t remember.
The chickens on the other hand, are rather happy with their lives. Two hens are very protective mothers, and their 11 chicks in total are growing up fast. I need them to grow fast, because I have another two hens sitting on eggs, and I am sure they will hatch soon. Stupidly, I didn’t mark the day they started sitting, and I cannot for the life of me remember when it was. I have to move them into the ‘safe’ pens that the other two mothers are in. Those mothers will then have to educate their young to go up the ramp into the big chicken palace. There really is never a dull moment. I am finding it all a bit much, and often have a plan to sit down quietly and so some admin, with a nice cup of tea. Three hours later it actually happens. And then Jono comes in and starts firing questions at me. And then Monty comes in with oily hands and has something I need to do. And then the phone rings. Oh forget it, and off I go again. I think everyone is like this, but I like having a moan about it every now and then.
I don’t know if anyone remembers the story of how Monty went off with Xavier, to collect some giant bales of hay, and one rolled off the trailer and down the track ? Well they are haymaking again. This time, Xavier has borrowed the tractor and fingerbar mower. And the fingerbar mowers bit of wood has collapsed. So he called Monty and said not to worry, because he has fixed it with a bit of oak. Lovely work I would say. They have been making hay in all sorts of small fields, between the houses, and woods. At night, they have just left the tractor there. We chatted to a young man emerging from one of the houses as to whether he thought it would be safe. He said there was never anyone who came down that lane. Its true that it can be eerily empty in some villages. I always wonder why people are in their houses with the shutters shut. Perhaps they are keeping the world out. The cold weather, the heat of the sun, and perhaps they want darkness to watch television. We on the other hand, live with our shutters wide open.
Over the years, as bits and pieces have dropped off this building, concrete has been used indiscriminately to fill in holes. So during Jonos work in replacing and repairing shutters, he is also looking at the hinges and pins to hold them in. In this case, he had to pick out all the old concrete, and was left with a hole like this. The original split stone will have happened because they would have put an iron pin into the stone, and wedged it with wooden pegs. As the wood brought moisture into the gap, it made the iron pin rust, and on expansion, it split the stone. And someone came along afterwards and chucked concrete at it. Not a good idea, as concrete makes the stone around it sick, and crumbly. Anyway Jono took out all the old concrete. Luckily we have a pile of old stone and stone blocks, He then carved blocks that slotted into this gap, and sealed them in with a proper lime plaster. I think its an amazing job, and I can’t believe that he can do these things himself. The real issue is having the time to do all of this. He loves doing it and gets a great deal of satisfaction from it, but it took quite a few days in total, what with being interrupted all the time. If we had had someone here to do this for us, it would have cost at the very least, 1000 euros. I think anyway.
Here are the photos of the various stages, although not quite in the right order. I think its amazing !!
Luckily its been hot with no rain, at least for this job. He has also finished the area outside the art room, where he has put a stone cap all along a small wall there. Before we lived here, I didn’t know all of these things, and never really understood why walls fall down when they have no roof. Speaking of roofs, the time comes closer for us to have the new roofing put onto the ‘porcherie’ bits of the barn. Its leaking all over the place. I have put down a bag of chicken food, but as we are finally predicted some rain tonight, am trying to remember whether that bit of floor is one that is usually wet when it rains. It hasn’t rained properly for so long that I can’t remember.
The chickens on the other hand, are rather happy with their lives. Two hens are very protective mothers, and their 11 chicks in total are growing up fast. I need them to grow fast, because I have another two hens sitting on eggs, and I am sure they will hatch soon. Stupidly, I didn’t mark the day they started sitting, and I cannot for the life of me remember when it was. I have to move them into the ‘safe’ pens that the other two mothers are in. Those mothers will then have to educate their young to go up the ramp into the big chicken palace. There really is never a dull moment. I am finding it all a bit much, and often have a plan to sit down quietly and so some admin, with a nice cup of tea. Three hours later it actually happens. And then Jono comes in and starts firing questions at me. And then Monty comes in with oily hands and has something I need to do. And then the phone rings. Oh forget it, and off I go again. I think everyone is like this, but I like having a moan about it every now and then.
I don’t know if anyone remembers the story of how Monty went off with Xavier, to collect some giant bales of hay, and one rolled off the trailer and down the track ? Well they are haymaking again. This time, Xavier has borrowed the tractor and fingerbar mower. And the fingerbar mowers bit of wood has collapsed. So he called Monty and said not to worry, because he has fixed it with a bit of oak. Lovely work I would say. They have been making hay in all sorts of small fields, between the houses, and woods. At night, they have just left the tractor there. We chatted to a young man emerging from one of the houses as to whether he thought it would be safe. He said there was never anyone who came down that lane. Its true that it can be eerily empty in some villages. I always wonder why people are in their houses with the shutters shut. Perhaps they are keeping the world out. The cold weather, the heat of the sun, and perhaps they want darkness to watch television. We on the other hand, live with our shutters wide open.