Progress and Parties

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Bit of a hassle with the solar panels - due to Ally having broken his leg we needed to get someone else to install the panels and managed to arrange for them to be fitted on Saturday but before that we had another volunteer weekend.
Thanks to the help of Gavin, Niome, Dave, Graham, Sarah, Obi, Elisa and Stephen we completed the straw in the south wall and made serious progress on the gables.
Also a great night on the beach and the first of what turned into several barbies in our garden-to-be.

Wendy had a week off work so to save boredom setting in she joined me at Tombreck and is now completely knac... worn out. Too many late nights and early (7 am) starts.

Wendy's parents arrived on the Monday and treated us to dinner at the Lawers Hotel. We reciprocated on the Tuesday night with another barbie in the garden joined by most of our neighbours at one point or other - great night (Tober and Ray (Wendy's dad) spent a large part of it discussing the world's woes and how to cure them (at least that's what the part of the converstion I heard seemed to be about). I'm with them on benevolent dictatorship.

Ray and Eileen (Wendy's Mum) left on the Thursday to be replaced that evening by our latest recruit, Alison from New York. Alison's been stuffing the rafters with wool.

Duncan turned up again on the Friday and we turned the corner - simple solutions are often best.

Sometimes this thing reminds me of one of the old John Ford westerns with the 7th cavalry riding over the hill to save the day.

Friday evening we all went out to Lawers Hotel for a team night out - felt we'd earned it.

On Saturday - just yesterday in fact - Tom Foote from Rensus and Amery, a French student on placement (studying in the same town as Franck, by one of those odd coincidences), came along with a couple of roofers, Eddie and Ally, to mount the solar panels on the roof. They made a very neat job of it - see photo. (Though the south siode of the roof looks a bit crowded with 5 velux and 2 solar panels).

Despite the rain we made reasonable progress over the week and with a break from the weather god(s) we should finish putting straw in within the week.
Wendy and I left around midday on the Sunday after a very comfortable night in Ewan's spare room. We broke down on the way home a broken linkage in the transmission fixed, (at least temporarily), by a nice AA man. It's wonderful what a bit of wire can do - Willy has just suggested we could have done it with baler twine - which we have in copious amounts in our pockets at all times. Will hopefully find a garage to fix it properly on Monday, then it will be back to Tombreck for Willy.

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Photos

The West Gable
Climbing slowly towards the Apex

Frank beside campfire on the beach
Gavin and co camped down on the beachand we went down to help them set up camp or at least campfire

Sunday Morning Farewell
Gavin, Niome, Graham, Sarah and Dave had to leave Frank, Wendy and I weren't so lucky

Stephen and I discussing solutions to the "Corner Question"
Eentually advised by Amazon Nails we opted for stuffing slightly loose bails into the triangular gaps formed between the roof and the gable walls

Ben Lawers with Franck near the top
Franck phoned from the summit

Barbecue Again
Barbie for Wendy' parents - with Ewan, Marieke, Marcus and Keith joining us

Fire!
Aren't campfires/bonfires beautiful easpecially when combined with a glass or two and a few friends

A Sneak Preview
We dropped the Tarp to raise it higher and took the opportunity to take a quick photo

For all you doggy lovers
Thumper and Slip - all the dogs are great company and good listeners

Our First Corner
How we were going top cope with the corners had been giving us sleepless night then along came Duncan - thanks again

New Solar Panels in Pace
Thaks to Tom, Ally, Eddie and Amery

Our Solar Panel Team or at least three of them
Tom with Amery and Ally - Eddie was camera shy

Sunset
Sometimes it just feels right