Getting warmer.

For just over a month THIS has been keeping us warm. Well actually more like taking the nip off the air. Clicking on and off during the day and night, slowly pumping up the power bill eeek! 

But no more! 

Rowan has been busy with one of his little (big) projects this weekend. 

The fire is going in. 

Rowan spent an afternoon cleaning up bricks from Justin and Lorraine's ( the building supply specialists).The hearth  took a lot more bricks than Rowan thought. 

Toppie came out to visit... Just in time to measure and cut bricks to size. Good job Tops! 

All in place.. We had just enough bricks to finish the job. 

And as the sun set, Rowan mixed bucket loads of mortar for the brickwork. So happy with his wheelbarrow and sand! 

The next job was to get the centre point for cutting the roof hole. A job which needed a lot of accuracy. So time for the plumb-bob. Or weight on a string for those not in the know. I was in charge of making sure it hit the target.

My next job was to go up in the roof and hold the chimney in place. 

"Move it towards the cows" 

"No back a bit" 

"bit further towards the cows" 

Then we glued and riveted the flu in place. Triple checked it was straight- because a wonky flu is annoying. 

I was pleased I could help out :) 

Only a few days until we can strike the match and rip that heater out of the wall! 

The little jobs.

Rowan has been shopping. Clearly not for a haircut. Here he is quite pleased with himself after finding his 2nd "bargain" pipe wrench from the tool man. 

"You just wait untill I use this Maegs,it'll be so good!"

Hmmm I'll wait and see. 

We have had a go at laying bricks for the fireplace. We are a few short but we have a pretty reliable source for more bricks :) 

Rowan building our soon to be water-tight pump house. 

And the start of two nights learning to GIB stop. The first night didn't go so well... And that smile didn't stick around for so long! 

Our first grasses to plant care of Daphne in Ashburton. I'm really looking forward to starting the garden. But where to start! 

Marshmallows

This is how we live now. Wooly hats, thermals and hoodies. It's great that we moved  in right when winter decided to join us. It's cold. The cold seeps through slippers and makes for a very cold pair of feet. Yes- even Rowan now has his very own pair of grandpa slippers! 

The cold has also affected little mice who have made themselves comfortable in my pantry basket- or so they thought! 

Watch this space...! 

Luckily we have some VERY generous friends who gifted us some old carpet this week. Immediate relief. It's like walking on marshmallows. The shed was warmer within minutes- it even got so hot that we had to rip our wooly hats off in celebration. 

 

While laying the first metre of carpet Rowan said, " urgh, I could never be a carpet layer" 

And then he got the hang of it and all of a sudden a quick 30 min job turned into a Monday night project. Careful measuring, cutting and laying of the carpet throughout the "house". There was just enough left over to make a little door mat. 

See- Rowan kicked off his grandpa slippers! 

Brrr to cold for an outdoor photo at 7am!! There's a lot of snow up there!!! 

Next job- getting some pine cones burning on the pot belly.