Living the Dream Ludlow style

Singlespeeder

Saturday saw the assault on the old flue liner begin and end in victory. It was a fairly filthy job but a necessary one. I'm collecting 9m of flexible liner today and associated ends. This will be installed on Weds or Thursday hopefully, lowered in from the top where it'll be cut and fixed in place, then attached to the stove in due course.
Yesterday we had a well earned day off and went for a walk from Onibury, between Ludlow and Craven Arms.
Lessons learned ...
Jeans are NOT good for walking in , especially in torrential rain
Don't ignore weather forecasts
Human skin is waterproof
Just when you thought you couldn't get any wetter, you're probably wrong !

Ludlow is prone to flooding from the rivers Teme and Corve, driving back we came through an incredible storm, thunder and lightning, hail, and flooded roads..... fortunately we're 15m above the rivers, I feel for those in Lower Corve Street. 

Singlespeeder

Today the cat has had her first explore of some of the garden, the first half maybe..... it's linear and long, about 230' (70m) I think.  Something of a surprise I guess, she was used to 15' x 15' with no grass in Northampton. Now she has grass and trees and a hedge. We let her out for about 15 minutes to explore then coaxed / herded her back in for breakfast. 
She just wants to get back out there now....  not sure if we should just let her go and explore, or if she'll get lost. 
She's been here and locked in since about the 5th April. 

Singlespeeder

While the scaffold is up around the chimney ...there's GREAT views from up there! ... I've had a prod down the 'other' chimney, the one that goes to the front room and sealed off fireplace. Had partner listening at the fireplace and she confirms minor avalanche of muck. We would sort of like a small log burner in the front room as well as the middle room, and there would NEVER be a better time than now to at least fit the flue, so we have to decide whether we continue prodding and clear the debris out now or just leave well alone.

Poppycat1

Enjoying reading your progress.  You write so beautifully.  Good luck in your new home.

Singlespeeder

Cat has been out again and had a good mooch around, came in on her own volition 
I went out cycling in Mortimer Forest last night ... what a treat to have somewhere so beautiful 3 miles from my front door. The views from High Vinnals is stunning.

Singlespeeder

I've collected the stove liner, chimney cowl and attachment doobry and we'll hopefully have a look at fitting it tomorrow
Hopefully the guttering will arrive today and I can start fitting that while the scaffold is still up

carolbee

I agree, you write so well. I think I want to move there!

Frith

One house at the foot of Corve Street broke in half and fell in the river a few years back. 2007 (just checked). The Burway bridge was swept away too. 

Singlespeeder

Frith said:

One house at the foot of Corve Street broke in half and fell in the river a few years back. 2007 (just checked). The Burway bridge was swept away too. 

Lower Corve has flooded 3 or 4 times this year.... I don't know how people cope with that !

Singlespeeder

Mr Bob is back up on the roof repointing the chimney ...it's a slow job but definitely better just to get it done while the scaffold is up. 
I collected all the guttering yesterday so can start tinkering with that soon.
Bob bought a cut piece of steel for the stoves register plate ( look at me sounding like I know what I'm talking about ! ) so we need to return the stove to it's resting place and somehow mark up where the hole needs cutting for the flue to pass through.
And I managed to open the rear door of the conservatory ... there were no keys for it, or not one that we could get to work. I snapped the euro lock and with some piggery jokery with the cam on a chisel, managed to actuate the lock and open the door! Hopefully a new eurolock (£10) will fix it ! It's another annoying thing ticked off the list.
Also fitted another bolt on the utility room 'stable' door so the top half actually locks to something other that the bottom half.
Also want to build a decent sized wood store for the back of the house..... will look into that today ...