Slight Progress Again

I've been enjoying the last few weeks, in a lazy fashion.  Planning for the "service wing" re-build is still a major pre-occupation; sorting out the contractors is now almost second nature, and quite easy when you use the same ones!  (I must have done something right the first time as they are all happy to do another job for me.)

However, there is still a planning issue with the County Council's archaeologist who is interested in our footings.  I think we can get round all that, but it means that we will, after all, have to pay for a professional archaeologist - another thousand or more down the drain.  I should point out that Jane is actually quite excited by the thought of an archaeological dig on our own property.  I think I would be as well, were it not for the expense and the delay (as winter is rapidly approaching).
 
Recent work has been slight; the fireplace people came back to install our woodburning stove (left), with which we are very pleased (although of course we haven't actually lit it yet!).  The whole thing is a huge improvement over the fire and floor which used to be there (below right, obviously, although it didn't actually slope).  They have also just fitted a cowl on the chimney above the decorative arch fire which they fitted in the lounge; this had to wait until the bird's nest was empty.  They did NOT have much fun clearing it - there had been a considerable effort by the big black things (I was never exactly sure whether they were crows or what) in completely blocking up a chimney which was swept only last November.

In preparation for emptying the "service wing" for demolition repair, I have purchased and erected a small (7' x 5') garden shed with a pent roof (i.e. a single slope, not an apex).  The next task will be to fill this!  NB I have it on good authority that, although we have no "Permitted Development Rights" in this conservation area, this is still legal as it is less than 10 cubic metres in volume, so we don't need any permission.

Apart from finishing off around our new double sash window, I have also been tiling in the kitchen, using 10cm square tiles.  If you've never used these, they are quite tedious to put up, being so small; I much prefer the 25cm x 33 cm ones we've used in the bathroom as you cover the space so much quicker.  Another disadvantage of the small ones is that it is very easy to get out of square, especially on uneven lime plaster.  (I must hasten to point out that I am not criticizing the plasterer's work, but rather just pointing out a fact of life in old buildings.)