The Best Laid Plans

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Burns said it and so it is.

Stayed home Monday to get car repaired and manage dto pick up bits and pieces in our local screwfix (new sander for all the posts and beams. Also phoned Treecraft (who had just returned from a 2 week shutdown) to be told we wouldn't get delivery till the 25th rather than by the 16th as we had expected.

Back on site Tuesday by 8 am (Wendy had to get up at 5.30 to fly down south with work) so I had breakfast and set off around 6.30.

Weather back to normal (showers or longer periods of rain sums it up).

Installed cross beams and finished soffits (boards that run under the eaves) enabling us to get on with the last round of straw. Unfortunately rain remained constant threat so little progress on the walls but Alison and Franck made a start with sanding down the posts.
Sue niece Elanor was staying at Tombreck for a few days so we had another barbie, this time on the on the beach, on Tuesday evening and it stayed dry.

Friday - picked up Wendy from Stirling and went shopping . Our friend Steve arrived to look at the windows (he's a builder and is going to come with a couple of his guys and fit them). Fred the fiddler was reported to be playing at the Fortingall so most of Tombreck went to the pub. Wendy stayed behind intending to have an early night...

I did have a much earlier night than Willy. I sat in the Cartshed reading, then went to bed.

On Saturday we finished the bales - the walls go all the way up to the roof. They still need to be thumped straight and trimmed so fingers crossed for some dry weather. Decided tro have a barbecue /party to celebrate completing the walls. Despite the rain it turned into another one of these late nights with the neighbours.

Sunday was Killlin Clanscape (a celebration of local culture and produce Tombreck were well represented but Wendy and I elected to stay and begin persuading the walls into shape. Eventually gave up due to persistent showers (also a bit of "morning after the night before"). Decided to head down the road about 2 pm.
Roofers back tomorrow (Monday) weather forecast not good.

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Photos

Post showing before and after sanding
Bit sad to take pictures of posts what

Steve - our first overnight guest
Steve turned up to discuss the fitting of our windows and asked if he could sleep in the house (he had his own sleeping bag which he set on 4 bales and "slept like a baby"

Finishing off the west gable
Stuffing, stuffing and more stuffing

Completed west gable
Now all we need are the windows, and the lime and the plaster and the ............

Barbecue - the morning after
We had another barbie and a few glasses etc to celebrate completion of the straw bales