More walls...

This week we lost our last remaining internal wall. It was in the way of the bath, so after consultations with the architect and the engineers we were allowed (that's 'we' as in 'the builders') to take it down...

And then build it back up thinner. 

This means we can have a proper bath AND see the amazing bread oven remains in the bathroom. It will be the best dressed bathroom in Catbrook... If you can see small dots of colour on top of the bread oven lintel you might like to know they're plastic ducks. Obviously.

The beautiful long wall behind the oak extension is almost finished and is looking stunning. 

It now just needs slabs for the top, which took us off to Black Mountain Quarries to look at stone slabs. We couldn't decide between Hereford Brown and Hereford Green, so we brought one of each home. Brown it is then... While we were there we spotted some enormous pieces of slate which would do for the hearth, we had a quick chat with BOB and we bought two while we were there. The quarry is kindly going to hang on to them until we have a cutting plan... As we don't actually have the room they're going in yet, that might be a while.

And the barn is going up - we now have a wall on that too! YAY! 

The two men putting it up are (brace yourselves) sleeping in their VANS to get the maximum working daylight. And they've worked the weekend. Tonight we're taking them to the pub to warm up... we can do caring.

We also had yet another trench dug to take power up to the shed. 

Eventually the shed will have lights, sockets and even an outside socket just in case we want to put fairy lights through the trees. Well, you never know...

And we have proper drains which don't have cracks in them, and even drains for gutters and an outside tap. Talk about thinking ahead!

The pipes were put in forming a complicated lattice work (we're very glad somebody else has to work all this out), and then promptly covered over.

Neat or what? The low wall on the left will be below the oak cladding on the music room - it will be painted stone, so it's yet another stone wall.

This week we also had a visit from Phil who is going to sandblast the orange off the walls. Maybe as early as the end of this week. Or next week. This really is going along at a cracking rate.

So we had to go shopping....

We have now chosen the units for the utility room (IKEA, Hittarp doors, Karlby pretend oak worktop) and discussed wood burning stoves with Deco Heat in Tongwynlais who are brilliant. For the size of the opening (which doesn't exist yet) and the size of the room (which doesn't exist yet) we were guided towards two stoves. As the room is classed as a new build we have to have a drafty air vent next to the fire, which is not only annoying but apparently does create a draft just when you're trying to get warm and cosy. Building Regs, eh? One of the stoves has a direct air supply - no air vent needed. YAY! So that's sorted then, choice made!

Purchases of the week:

Two beautiful bits of slate (Chinese slate, but it was end of line, so they were a total bargain) for the hearth.

A sofa cover. We don't know our colour scheme yet, but we have A Vision, so we've chosen a reddish tartan sofa cover.

Concrete. Several times over... Sadly Cemex had problems with their card machine which resulted in us paying £1200 for concrete three times over. We are now waiting for a refund and, to be fair, they have apologised profusely.

An Aga. Yes, an Aga. Oil fired, two oven, claret, ordered on Friday.