Lean-to re-build: hooray for the experts!

'Oh, don't worry about the plasterboarding and skimming,' L.'s DIY savvy friend said. 'That's something you can easily do yourselves.'

Well, Lubo's been busy working since 8.30 this morning, and I must say, I'm really glad he's the one doing the work.

Starting with the insulation - a feat accomplished in under an hour as Lubo used both hands and feet to measure, roll, cut, and stuff with astonishing speed.

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Next came the vapour barrier--a slippery task.

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And finally, the plasterboard.

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Observe the tricky edges and precise cuts:

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Especially around the beams:

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I believe L. will join me in saying that it was definitely worth the extra expense....

Rooting out the passion fruit

Yesterday was a sad, sad day. Spurred on by an episode of 'Help! My house is falling down' (where the whole house was being pushed apart by tree roots--cracks so big they could fit their hands in! The horror!), I decided it was time to tackle our own rooty problem.

You see, our beloved passion fruit vine decided long ago that the space between the foundations and the pavement was much better than all the room in the planter.

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As they had taken root very close to the drains as well, there was nothing to be done but to hack the lovely vine down.

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Fortunately, at least one thin plant had obeyed the rules of domestic garden citizenship and stayed in her pot, so now she has the task of colonising the whole wall.

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And, because all that destruction was making me a bit blue, it was time to pot my lovely little strawberry plants. May you take root and be fruitful, you lovely little things!

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Lean-to re-build: the outside completed

I'm pleased to announce that my work on the outside of the lean-to is done. No more climbing on rickety ladders, no more hasty clean up of errant blobs of paint. Well, that's not entirely true. There were a few bits where my fear of heights was greater than my desire for a perfectly painted lean-to, but in these cases, I believe L. will be the one tottering on the ladder....

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Lean-to re-build: the beach hut-ification

Today, the lean-to moved away from looking like a shed and towards looking like...well, if I'm honest, a beach hut. I think it's adorable. Hopefully, L. will agree.....

Stage 1:

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Stage 2:

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We went for a cheaper wood cladding....which has meant sanding each board and patching quite a few holes. Needless to say, my arms are questioning whether the cheaper cladding really was a good deal.

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Stage 3:

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A few more coats of protective paint, and we'll be ready for winter.

Floors in a night

Starting at 6 last night, I decided to get the floor varnished. I've been watching the bare wood get dirtier and dirtier, and every time I see a new footprint, I think how much of a pain it's going to be to get it clean. Last night was one new footprint too many.

So, out came the electric hand sander and my trusty brush.

Bare wood before (in the dying evening light):

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10 hours and four coats later:

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And later this morning, after the final polish, we have a nicely protected floor:

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And in other happy news, I was rooting around in the shed yesterday and what should I find but the remnants from our kitchen countertop! I believe we have the solution to the problem of hiding the washing machine! (More on this later...)

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Fish plates

I am now the proud owner of no less than seven (7!) glass fish plates.

It started innocently enough. While walking past the local charity shop, I thought I'd stop in to see if there was anything of interest. And behold! there was, in the form of a bizarrely interesting, large, glass fish plate.

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So, I asked the nice charity shop lady how much it was. 'Oh!' she said, 'Didn't you see? It's part of a set.'

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Yes, friends and family, a set of no less than seven fish plates. 'Hum,' I said. 'I don't know if I'll be able to use seven of these things.'

'That's easy - just invite friends 'round for dinner!' she replied, now looking at me a bit suspiciously, as if I perhaps the sum of all my friends was less than the sum of all the fish plates.

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Hopefully, that isn't the case as I now have a whole school of lovely - albeit a bit weird - glass plates.

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The lean-to in use

A bit prematurely perhaps, but I've decided to serve dinner in the lean-to (because I've been itching to see if it really will be everything we dreamed).

As you can see, it hosts our current table with plenty of room to spare:

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Ebay and I will become good friends again, I think, as I do believe we have room for something a little bigger...

And, in other related news, the view while washing the dishes has greatly improved.

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And I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the weekend will be rain-free as I've found the perfect colour of paint:

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(If you disagree, L., you are advised to contact me ASAP...)

Lean-to re-build: the return!

I've just gotten back from a lovely visit to L.'s family, and behold! Progress, glorious progress has taken place while I've been away.

When I left, the lean-to was but a bare frame.

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But, as you can see, it is no longer only a frame....

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There is still some work to be done, though...

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Ah, such a beautiful little room! However, the first downside has just made itself known (at 7am this morning, no less!). I was just snuggling back into bed after a quick pee and a peek at our new addition (I got in at 2am, so was hoping for another blessed hour of sleep) when the door bell rang. Yes, it was our friendly neighbour Barbara.

'Oh, I just had to come over and say hello,' she said, 'and I knew you was up since I saw you in your new conservatory.'

Plans for clothing-optional breakfasts in the lean-to are currently on hold until curtains can be arranged!

The shed reborn

And now for a 'before & after' for which I (happily? sadly?) can't take credit.

Back when we bought the house, the shed was pretty much hidden under a curtain of vines, but even then, it was pretty clear that said shed would eventually need replacing.

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Nearly a year later, very little had changed...until L.'s brother set to work.

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The vine is now removed....

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And unfortunately, its removal showed what a sad state the poor shed is in.

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Decaying and devoid of any foundations, Lubo thought the best course of action would be to tear the whole thing down.

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However, M. was more optimistic and set to work.

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He fashioned a new roof out of the lean-to's old one, covered gaps, strengthened walls, and stabilised the structure.

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The end result:

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By no means perfect, but much brighter, stronger and (hopefully) more weather-tight.

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With any luck, we'll be able to put off buying a new shed until next year.

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Dekujeme mockrat, M.!