When we first saw the Granary back in Jan 2007 the weather was dreary, cold grey and bleak with a biting East wind just to make sure it cut right through to the bone! This week the sun has been blazing down from a cloudless blue sky, birds are singing, and it’s so hot I had to go for a swim!

What a difference three and a half years make – and the big news is – the Granary is finished – it’s official!!

 

We travelled down on Saturday evening with the forecast set fair for a week of completing jobs, and enjoying the best that Pembrokeshire has to offer. After church on Sunday I started by mowing the hay – well the lawn was so long it seemed like a hay crop! In fact by the end of the week I had cut it three times to get it down to a tidy length. And that was just part of the gentle gardening for the week. We must have pulled out over 100 little Ash tree seedlings, planted Sweet Peas, refurbished the tubs with Geraniums, replaced one Fuschia that had definitely died, and generally got the garden looking lovely.

We also did the last two tasks on the original “construction list” – painting the kitchen window, and sorting out the window lock on one lounge window. We also painted the outside furniture and re-hung the farmyard gate where the mortar was cracking round the hinge.

The pool had lots of attention, both maintenance and use! First we needed to swap two of the filter tanks round to try and lower the input of phosphates to the pool as they promote algal growth. Then there was much cleaning, and towards the end of the week we received the chemicals needed to commit “Algaecide” in a big way – the results remain to be seen! The best bit however was that with the sun shining, the pool was quickly up to over 22C so on two afternoons I had a lazy swim, joining the three Newts and other wildlife that make the pool such fun.

 

BBQ’s were cooked, meals eaten outdoors, gentle walks taken along cliff paths, and relaxed evenings spent together in the quiet peacefulness of the countryside.

It’s what the Granary is for!

So this will be the last posting in the blog – for although there will always be jobs to do on any home, we can really say that from now on, trips there are for fun and relaxation – at least till the next project…….. 

Remember there are lots of photo’s from the whole project at – http://pics.livejournal.com/oldgranary/  happy browsing!
 

As runners enter the final lap of a distance race there comes the bell – well after a wonderful eight days down at the Granary, and as the “Three Year” marker looms into sight, I think we may be coming to the last lap.

This was to be our longest stay so far in the Granary – eight nights – so we set off full of hope and excitement arriving late on Sunday evening. Whilst we had been away there had been a frisson of excitement as the smoke alarms had gone off, but we were glad to find all in order as ever.

The week has too much in it to try and recount as a full diary, with plenty of time for socialising - a lovely evening with the neighbours, a day visit from our friend Catherine, and a wonderful chatty tea with Georgina – plus multiple walks exploring the immediate locality, and exploring the nearest parts of the coast path and beaches.

The pool got plenty of attention as I had finally assembled all the parts to get the filter “working”. I’m not sure we have got all the bits right yet, but we did manage  to clean many areas of the pool, though towards the end the return water seemed quite green making the pool a bit murky to see what one was doing. It soon cleared though and as the plants start to fill out is looking very inviting – if still a little chilly!

 

On the garden front we mowed the grass (twice actually, it’s really growing fast), spent many happy hours tidying up and pulling out about a hundred little Ash trees which had self-seeded. We were delighted to find that many of the plants we had thought were dead are showing signs of life following the long cold spring, and added to their number several plants brought from home to fill in odd gaps.

Outside we spent an afternoon sealing the gaps above windows left by Eric, and then painting the new timber we had put in. I also got the “Poles” in for a day to do all sorts of pointing jobs including the front steps, and parts of the west wall where we think rain was getting through. I finally got round to re-doing the gutter above the Bee House door where Eric had kindly left a leaky joint right over the opening! 

 

Inside we finished off the cupboards and desk in the Pool room, finally giving them their last coat of Danish Oil, and also painted the window frames so the place looks really smart. We also sorted out the sticking back door and gave that a coat of paint, and did the upstairs “front door” too. So all looking spick and span.

 

The reality is that there are very few jobs of any significance left – we are in grave danger of having to say “it’s finished” – and then what will I do??

We have a reputation in Butterhill for bringing the rain! Well this time we brought the sun! John, Sarah and Andrew had been down for ten days enduring storms and rain in prodigious quantities  - until we arrived! A week of solid sunshine followed!

The first three days were spent enjoying the best that the area has to offer. Not just fun trips to the beach with young Andrew (and Maria who had joined us for the week), but also a morning spent Karting, a part of John’s birthday present which proved that he is much lighter, faster, and fitter than his old man! Good thing I still have the bigger car! I did fit in the odd job in between times, mowing the lawns, getting all the garden furniture out for the season, and fitting the safety barrier to prevent toddlers accidentally wandering from the patio straight into the pool!

Sadly the family had to leave on Saturday morning, but we had five more days yet! Much time was spent in generally relaxing but some jobs did get done (or at least attempted!). The pool got much attention. I had planned to firstly fix the small leak in the top waterfall pit, and then to clean the pool using the new filter. I duly drained the top pit, but each time the water in the ground outside was such that it flowed back in, rendering any attempt at painting hopeless! May try again in summer, or may just accept that it leaks a bit! The filter was the other objective. No problem filling it, but the hose connections and the hoses didn’t match up at all! Several calls and abortive bits later, still no joy, so the pool got cleaned pumping the water away as before. The pool looks much better but we still have a tendency to brown algae which we are trying to eliminate.

 

The winter has been so cold that some of the less hardy plants have perished, a problem for all in the area it seems. So a trip to the garden centre was duly made, and some new stock put in. There are a few more to do, but the place is already spring up nicely.

The other project in the pool area, subtly linked to the title of this entry, was the installation of the sundial that Liz kindly bought me for Christmas. After due consultation it has been installed to show BST rather than GMT on the basis that the sun shines more in the summer! So far I am pleased to report the sun is keeping very good time!

 

Inside I pottered on with the Pool Room cupboards, fitting the remaining knobs and catches – next time we’ll get them finally varnished. I also installed a couple of small shelves in the Utility Room to take polishes etc – amazing how much stuff one can fit in such a small room!

Finally on the last morning I decided that the walls over and around the arch might benefit from another coat of waterseal; John and Sarah had reported drips on the inside during the worst of the storms in the previous week. Next time down I think I’ll have to get the Poles to do some pointing!

It was a wonderful, relaxing trip – made more so by time with the family and fun with Maria! And we’ll be back in ten days!!

 

5.00am is VERY early – but that is when the alarm was set for so we could get away early on Monday morning to enjoy three quick days in the Granary! The sun was shining and the birds singing as we arrived!!

A quick unpack and the normal Monday jobs rattled off, and then it was time to play!  The spring weather has brought the garden to life (well the Daffodils are out), so the first task was to bring out the mower and give the lawn a cut – the place always looks so much tidier once that’s done! Next I decided it’s time to get the skimmer running again on the pool, and with a little fiddling it sprang into life – and the time clock even obliged by running forwards (not always the case!). After a lovely lunch with Anita, I set about one of my main objectives – making the well safe for when Andrew next visits. It’s a bit cold and boggy down by the well, but before long I had a fine “gate” fixed in place – plenty of access for small animals etc, but safe for a boy!

 

Next morning my priority was to press on with the Pool room. The electrical sockets at each end of the room have ended up inside cupboards so need to be relocated. It’s a bit fiddly making the connections standing on your head in the cupboard but before long we had one end complete – we would have done the other end, but I was short of connectors so that will wait till next time! Once I had done that, Liz was free to press on with Danish Oiling the work to date.

Then it was back outside to enjoy the sunshine, and try and stop some more of the gaps under the eaves before the birds move back in! It’s messy work trying to get the stuff into the myriad of small holes, but at least we have blocked up the majority, including gluing in some stones where the birds have been pecking the foam out!

Finally as dusk threatened it was back inside and on with fitting the remaining doors for the cupboards, work which extended right through to Wed lunchtime. They look very smart – though I turned out to be “two knobs short of a cupboard” – if you see what I mean!

 

Then clean up ready for the family to return in two weeks, and off to Bristol for a meeting on the way home – there’s no rest for the wicked they say!!

PS - Oh, and I forgot the camera, so these photo's are courtesy of my phone!
 

What was originally planned as just a working trip turned into a visit with Bob, Ingema and Maria all the way from Norway. Drove down after a scrumptious Sunday lunch arriving early evening so as to be ready to welcome our guests who duly arrived a couple of hours later. Happy evening chatting and settling in!

It’s more difficult to get so much done with visitors, but next morning my first job was to modify the pond filling system from the well. We found that when the filters have been standing for a while, the well pump struggles to get the bed moving, so I modified the electrics so that it now gets a short blast from the mains before the pumps kick in – works beautifully! After a walk on Druidstone in the afternoon I cleaned the pond, taking out most of the old leaves and the other detritus – looks much cleaner and should prevent problems when the water starts to warm up.

Next morning it really was time to get onto the jobs again, so I completed the desk, finally hanging the doors of the cupboard and tidying up the top etc. Then I set about building the last unit – bookshelves beside the archway. Maria was very impressed with Uncle David’s craftsmanship! Meanwhile Liz cleaned up the big old saw we had bought for show, and the following day I hung it, like the sword of Damocles over the archway!

 

The other main task was tidying up, started by Ingema on the Tuesday, and then completed on the Wed. The Pool Room has been a workshop for the past six months so it took a while, but now it looks spick and span, and really homely! Finally it was a quick clean through everywhere else so it’s ready for Rob and Bethan followed by Fraser and Polly – lovely to see the place being used!

And so home – for one day before we head off north…
 

Only ten days past, and we’re back, yea!! Yes a second trip, neatly sandwiching the snowy bit, returning to continue work in the pool room! Drove down Sunday night, lit a big fire and snuggled down warm and cosy!

Monday morning I rapidly got odds and ends of work out of the way before heading off to pick up some more timber from Ratford Bridge, and also a non-return valve for the pool filling system. When we arrived I noticed that the well pump was running, but no water coming out. I hoped this was simply due to an air lock (for which I needed the valve, but I suspect now is because the filter material settles when not running, and the pumps haven’t quite sufficient pressure to get it moving. I have a cunning plan (as ever), but that needs the mains to be running…. and that was still frozen – doh!! A job for next time!

So now it was on with the inside work which really continued for all the time there, carefully fashioning a desk for the far end of the Pool Room. By the time we left on Wednesday we had a fine three-drawer pedestal, a cupboard and a desktop all nearly ready for sanding and oiling! Meanwhile Liz had been busy with lots of the “unsung” jobs. She tidied and pruned outside, hopefully shaping the apple trees up to become heavy croppers in years to come. She spent ages painstakingly cleaning up the visible pipework in the Utility Room, and once again proved her prowess filling the gaps between the cupboards and stonework before they get oiled!

 

 

On Tuesday afternoon we took advantage of the sunshine, and went for a brisk walk on the cliffs at St Brides – it was lovely to enjoy this special area and remind ourselves it’s not all about the jobs! And so the time passed until it was once again time to lock up and head for home, this time via the Slate Workshop to collect my Christmas present, a fine stone sundial that will eventually grace the patio – then all we’ll need is some sun!

The first trip of the new year amidst one of the longest cold spells on record! The roads were fine as far as Haverfordwest, but clearly the road to Dale and the Granary doesn’t rate in the priority for gritting and was very icy and slippery. Still, it wasn’t as bad as the patio which was so bad that we moved the car round to the archway, and carried everything in through the lounge when we arrived late on Saturday afternoon. Soon we had a roaring fire going, and were as snug as anything as the mercury outside plummeted!

Our main objective was to press on with cupboards in the Pool Room, so we started bright and early on Sunday, before heading off to St Ishmaels for church – we increased the congregation by 50%!! Then back home to press on with cupboard construction and painting in the Utility Room, before heading over to Nolton to see our friends David and Jude for the evening. The roads over there were sheet ice, with loose snow on top – what fun!

On Monday I picked up the last of the timber from Ratford Bridge and then on we pressed with the jobs again, making somewhat erratic progress, mainly because we both had heavy colds and found concentration remarkably difficult. Walked down to Richard and Liz’s for a very snug evening with a large bottle of wine before slithering back up the track to bed!





Tuesday dawned fair, but with the forecast of snow later in the day. We worked through to lunch, but then with the skies darkening set about packing up. By 3.30 it was snowing hard as we left. Sadly the main road to Haverfordwest was blocked as two cars had decided to drive into each other, so it took us 2 ½ hours to get to St Clears. By the time we got home we were well into the heaviest snow we’ve seen for 30 years, and were glad to be in safe and warm.

Everything looked so good for our last trip of the year – a day longer than usual, a good project on the cards, and all set fair (well apart from the weather) as we set off on the Sunday evening. We got nearly to St Clears (about 200 miles from home) when the phone rang to say my Mum was on her way to hospital – we had no option but to turn round there and then and head back, arriving about midnight after a six hour round trip! By next morning we had things back under control, Mum back in her care home and on the mend, so we headed back, collecting a rather fine water filter (for the pond) on the way.

On the way down on the Monday, the joiners had rung to say that had had to “remanufacture” some of the boards we had ordered to a smaller size – we were a bit perplexed but thought no more about it. So, after a quiet night on the Monday, I set off on Tuesday morning to collect the boards etc – only to find that the “remanufactured boards” were not at all suitable – grrrrrr! Completed the shopping, and headed back to order what I wanted via the net – duly ordered for next day delivery – oh well, another day lost! And then, a few hours later emails and phone calls to explain that whilst their site said “in stock” it meant “sold out”……. End of project for this trip!

However, no trip to the Granary is ever completely wasted so I decided that the time had come to tidy up some of the pipe work etc in the Utility Room – fairly awkward work getting pieces of wood to fit round the mass of pipes and holes. There was also the small matter of preparing the stonework etc behind all the pipes for painting, and filling the holes in the ceiling where the pipes go through – fiddly work with masses of polyfiller that Liz willingly stuck to (the job, not the filler!) gradually tidying us up and sealing against draughts.

Wednesday was a social day – we had Georgina and John (our B&B landlady from before we could sleep in the Granary) over for coffee in the morning, and the neighbours round for wine in the evening. In between times I dreamed up some finishing touches in the Utility Room (while sitting on the loo in there!) and made the boxing etc look even smarter using up some old tiles to make a splash- back – looks very smart!



Thursday was the last day and I pottered on finishing some jobs that have been on the list for years – like fixing the bath panel in place! And so off home, calling at Ratford Bridge to collect some timber for the new cupboard doors which will get made over Christmas at home!

See you all again in the New Year!

Whereas October had been mild, November turns out to be stormy this year. A big storm, the first of the winter, was on for Saturday – and we drove down that evening after a fun day at Andrew’s first birthday. Mid afternoon we had a call from Richard to say that a tree had blocked the drive, so we came in via the west drive – it’s not really suitable for low-slung super-cars, but we made it without leaving the exhaust anywhere!

Inspection in the morning showed the tree down, and that the cowl had been blown off the top of the chimney – that must have been some gust! A working party had been arranged for the morning, and before long we were all hard at work chopping down trees! Well, boys must play! After lunch we took a walk at Wooltack point, and watched the waves and the seals – what fun!

On Monday however it was time for some work, so I set to fitting the cupboard doors which I had made the week before at home. It was slow fiddly work as nothing is ever quite square in the cottage! However by evening time all five doors were on. Meanwhile Liz had been busy filling all the holes between cupboard and stonework with plaster.

On Tuesday Liz set about the mammoth task of Danish Oiling the cupboards, while I mixed concrete to complete the hearth - Eric had laid two old flagstones from the Dairy to make the basic shape, but it was so out of line that we decided to put a wooden border on, and concrete fill the gap – now it starts to look much better! I also finished off the electrical box under the stairs – another job that’s been on the list for over a year!

Finally, while I planned the next round of jobs, Liz went for a paddle in the pool! Well, to be precise, she put her boots on, and went round cutting all the reeds etc back as we had been instructed!

And so home – as the forecasts spoke of the next big storm, torrential rain and flooding to come…..

With Liz scheduled to spend three days in North Pembrokeshire with her ladies from the ASK network, I decided that I might as well spend the time in the Granary as at home, so come Sunday evening we happily drove down amidst reports of violent storms the night before. Certainly the roads showed signs of just how wet it must have been as we arrived, to find the place all snug and dry!.

Monday morning we took it fairly easy, getting odds and ends done, and completing “work” type tasks (isn’t broadband wonderful –I can work anywhere) before lunch and then running Liz up to Pont Faen. I returned in gathering darkness and rain picking up two bedside cabinets via Freecycle. Supper was the leftovers from Sunday lunch – but that isn’t what the title refers to!

My main task for the trip was to build some cupboards in the passage between the lounge and the pool room. It was a task that would take the rest of the trip. Virtually all the materials are spare bits of the oak flooring, skirting, old architrave etc, carefully crafted to form what we hope will be cupboards for toys, games, things for the pool etc – in other words, “fun” things! Each stage needed to be carefully planned to make sure we had enough of the relevant shaped bits of wood to make it all match!

It was satisfying, if slow work, but it was with great pride that I brought Liz back from Pont Faen on Thursday morning to show her my handiwork – and to rope her in to start the laborious task of plastering in the edges, and then applying Danish Oil! It’s quite a transformation from the pokey little place under the stairs, full of rubbish, that we first encountered two years ago!

   
 
The timber for the doors, which did have to be bought specially was duly delivered, and we’ve brought that home for some “offsite pre-assembly”. Oh, and just as we left the sun burst through under the clouds to light up the valley – the photo really doesn’t do it justice!