Another Year Older

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Its my birthday and I'm taking a day off (ish). Just had another volunteer weekend and moved things on a bit. Also received a new delivery of straw but still having problems in our quest for perfect bales. Finished the membrane on the roof so at least roof is watertight.
Bit of a frustrating week as having made a start with the straw walls we then had to wait for the weekend and our second lot of volunteers to continue with building the walls (it takes a minimum of 3 people). Anyway reinforcements should arrive this week in the shape of Carrie our woofer for a month and hopefully progress will follow.

The weekend was the usual mix of hard work followed by a late night on the beach followed by more hard work so thanks to John, Bryn, Alan, Margaret, Hamish and Sara and of course our usual brilliant support staff.

and a short update from Wendy..

And now we're going shopping... Willy wore through the seat of two pairs of trousers this week - (no photos available!). It'll make a real change from shopping in builders' merchants and the screw fix catalogue.

Willy has lost some weight and gained some muscles: I just have very sore muscles and a little bit more upper body strength than I used to.

Anyone contemplating straw bale building should know that hammering hazel stakes though 4 layers of bales is really hard work.

It was however really impressive to see that using bales of straw, baler twine and some sticks a few of us built a very solid wall with only saws, hammers, Stanley knives, tape measures and a baling needle.

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Photos

Geese were nesting in the pond
First sight of goslings

Replacement Straw Arrives
The first straw we got was too loosely packed and once rebaled most had to be discarded (caveat emptor). So more straw had to be procured

West Wall - Ground floor completion
Alan, Margaret and Wendy (John had left early as he's off back to Oz on Tuesday

Thumper who makes everyone smile even me
The local dogs are really great and taking them for a walk has helped save my sanity when things aren't going well (eg bales). So thanks to Coolie, Thumper and Pebbles)

Another campfire on the beach
Its becoming a tradition

Hamish and Sara - customising a bale
An altogether too familiar practice - ideally bales should be of regular size and have squar(ish) ends but most baling machines are old and none too accurate so lots of customising has to go on.

Sundays Work Party
Almost half of groundfloor completed