And then it was June!
No one tells you that extensions suck time. They make entire months disappear in a flurry of aching limbs and Gibbs and Dandy deliveries.
Extensions also suck money. They eek every last penny you have from your savings – and then some.
But May has been super productive, if slightly exhausting. The two bank holidays were brilliantly timed – and the glorious weather an absolute godsend. In fact the weather has been playing nice since we started – we’ve only had one or two afternoons that have been rained off.
Last update we had got the roof on but no doors. And ta-dah – here’s where we are now.
(Excuse the dodgy photography and lack of cropping – but I was so tired I could barely press the clicker on the camera!)
Nice huh?
There was a comedy moment when the doors were fitted by the manufactures out of level!!!!!!! They were then taken out and refitted. But I can laugh about it now!
Once we were fully dry we decided to make the most of the summer and focus on the rest of the external work. The inside is fairly clean and not affecting the rest of Casa Jones so it’s staying as is for a while. No sofa or paint picking for me just yet!
So through May we’ve been laying all of the pipework and drainage – dull but important. As well as digging off the old grassed area ready for the patio. We’ve talked about doing a patio for the last 3 years and have never got round to doing it – I now know why! It is hard work. Physically tough and dirty. And slow. And expensive. But it’s going to look great!
Mr J has been getting the cladding onto the extension and I think it looks fabulous – I’ve got a soft spot for this Siberian Larch let me tell you! It can be painted but we’re going to leave it and see how it weathers.
So that’s my little May round-up. We’ve made great progress and are thrilled – if drained. I’ve never spent so much time outside and have started to develop ruddy, farmer-style skin! I ache constantly but have totally mastered the right mix for cement. (It’s half a bag of cement, 16 of sand and 2 splooshes of water!) And I think the hard work now is definitely going to pay off – I’m already planning a few gatherings with the doors flung open on our sunny patio! Roll of 2014 – the year of the patio party.
What have you been up to in May? Have you become extension-recluses like Mr J and I?
A Jones Home 