What comes down must go up.

Sorry about the delay in posting blogs, I've not been grounded by volcanic ash, just busy with easter holiday activities. Maja is back at school now and I'm back on the building case.

Huge changes, everything was stripped out and preparations were being made for truss arrival. They duly arrived on site and were offloaded by a large team inside an hour, keeping disruption to a minimum.

The guts of the house are being prefabricated over in Ireland, the team were due to come over for a few days to get started. Ian ran past the house on the Saturday and the Irish guys were still on site working away. Weekend workers, great stuff.

Last week Richie was looking for our thoughts on finishes. We chose our sofits and gutters, something that I can honestly say I have no or little opinions on.

More importantly, kitchens, my domain, time for my dream kitchen. I have, on the other hand, done the ground work, read the magazines, spent many happy hours coveting designer modern,"Elle Dec'", or traditional hand-painted in muted farrow and ball shades,"Country homes and interiors", even the concrete uber- modern shabby chic, "Wallpaper".

Maybe I've seen too many, but I am finding this very tricky, modern yes, wood possibly, definately underfloor heating under the cream tiles.

I visited some showrooms today, still undecided.

Yesterday I was on site for a quick look at progress, the trusses are up, there is a floor upstairs, or is it a ceiling downstairs, one mans ceilings's another mans floor. The Irish guys have extended their stay until Friday to erect the internal kit and line the roof.

I could really see it taking shape, so, thats when I decided to change some things, little things. moving 4 doors, removing a wall, ok 2 walls, and adding a window.

Things are really moving fast, indeed the whole process has ben quicker than I had anticipated.

This week I plan to have a decision on the kitchen, some options on bathroom fittings, layouts etc and speak to the good folks at the stove centre to refit the woodburner, choose windows and finally pick up some fabric samples and paint charts, time for mood boards.

Busy weeks ahead, loving it.

The Point of No Return

The guys are doing a grand job in mass destruction, Rough cast is being removed,the roof is completely off, and the chimney stack, the only standing structure that was left in the house last week, has gone.

Little conversation I overheard between Maja and neighbours two kids."Maja your really lucky that your house is getting smashed down in the summer, because there is no chimney now, how would Santa get in?"

Majas reply "yeah, I think thats why mummy and daddy did it now." Pause....."MUMMY IS THERE A CHIMNEY IN THE NEW HOUSE?"

After a good number of dry months, it seemed that the moment the roof was removed we have had rain, hail and snow. Thanks to Richie and his team for having that great Scottish spirit, where the weather is concerned, they just got on with the job in hand. So in the middle of a snowstorm trusses and ceiling timbers were duly taken down. Richie was saying that they were all in the kitchen with snow falling on top of them. It is officially british summer time, surely the snow will abate now.