Our trip to the local forge

Well we're still not up and running with the internet. Good old BT can't come out for at least another week and calling them only gets through to Mumbai. 

James was being difficult giving me no Christmas present ideas, then inspiration struck and he decided wanted a cordless gas nailer. So it came and I let him have it early and he's used it to start putting the floor down in the cabin. We'd used a few evenings the week before to put the insulation down, so we're getting there. It's looking good and I'm excited! I've got some pictures of the inside of the cabin with the insulation down but not of the floor yet.

Last weekend we made a quick visit to the local forge which is home to three artisan blacksmiths. It's about a mile up the road and the forge has been there since the 16th century, imagine that! All the things that have been made there over the past four centuries. The original forge is still there and what's more they still use it sometimes. There were some beautiful examples of their work and I was sorely tempted by some of it. They are hosting some days when you can get hands on and learn some basic skills. You come away having made a fire poker and a few other bits. Now that's something I'd love to do and it's £150, which I don't think is unreasonable. We'll see how finances get on, it's definitely something to think on for the future.

One of the blacksmiths made little man a leaf and he was over the moon, he has shown everyone! 

We're having a short trip away soon to Bruges, so I'll post some photos and I hope to get a few Christmas presents while we're there. Bad timing for a trip to Belgium though, but you can't let these people put your lives on hold.