Scaffolding down and some first time block layers

We are scaffolding free this week. We are within reaching distance of the builders finally leaving. Unfortunately the builder has not been on site for the last few weeks, but thank the Lord for his sub-contractor who has been beavering on his own to get the last few bits finished. James has written a list and told the builder what we expect to be finished before the end of the week, there are jobs half done and we were promised they would be done weeks ago. There are a few fairly large jobs like knocking through to the house and rebuilding the pig sty that we have decided we will have done at a later point (with another builder). Our build was due to be finished at the end of June and the builder has gone off site to start something else so we're going it alone from here.

We also have a date of the 20th of August to start fitting the windows so soon we'll be water tight, a huge step that I am so excited to see.

This weekend James managed another first, he laid some blockwork. Our kitchen pantry had at one time been a doorway through to the outside and had been made into a pantry when the old rear bathroom was added. Between the two was a panel of plywood that has been letting in water since the bathroom extension was demolished. 

Yesterday James emptied the cupboard and removed the shelves and set about putting up a wall. It went much quicker than I expected and looks great. Today I have been cleaning the shelves and putting things back. I have thrown away lots of bits that are taking up room that we really didn't need. I had kept old vodka bottles from a recipe a few years ago and thought they might come in handy, empty bottles, what was I thinking??!! Now I know what is in there again and more importantly where it is.

There is a slightly larger doorway that will need to be blocked up too so if the weather holds we'll try and get that done now that we have an idea how long that'll take.

Today we popped along to a picnic that was being held on the common today with all of the residents invited to meet on the common land below the pub. It was warm and we all set off with some pasta in the picnic bag and met some more local people. We even met a young mum with a baby,  almost unheard of around here so that was lovely. I said I'd stop round at some point so I'll try and make sure I do.