Barn Development 7

The new septic tank arrives on the back of a lorry. The builders have dug and laid a new waste pipe down in front of the barn and connected it to our existing waste pipe.  This was joined to our original septic tank that now belongs to the main house.  The pipe will run down in front of the barn, across and under the new floor and eventually to the new septic tank located in the back garden.

 Bijan borrowed the builders digger with permission and dug out a wild life pond while it was on site.

There were more waste pipes to be connected and soon the garden was full of deep trenches and a very large hole!  We were quite surprised at the size of the septic tank.

David climbs down into the hole to direct the digger.

The septic tank is lowered into the hole with the digger.

A small area of hard standing is laid for the new oil tank which is currently in a temporary position in front of the barn.

The top of the septic tank is left above the ground.

This is what is inside the septic tank. The disks turn slowly helping to break down the waste. We are one more step closer to becoming independent!

Pineapple Palace Cafe

I spent some time down in the café at the Pineapple Palace shabby chic barn and couldn't help my self having some of Leigh's coffee caramel cake as it was going fast! Delicious!

The café sells Panini's, soup and yummy cakes.  Leigh also does afternoon teas which are great.  The Pineapple Palace is open from Wednesday to Saturday from 10.00 - 4.00pm. 

 Jos  blackboard sign which is very very true.

Barn Development 6

We have had lots of rain!

    As the walls continue to rise the scaffolding arrives. The en-suite shower room is taking shape.

It is nice now we can see the rooms taking shape.

Barn Renovation 5

In no time the walls started going up. Some areas were built in breeze blocks that will later be covered with cladding.

A large old tree was removed and made into a soak away and next to it a new base for the oil tank, which is in a temporary position around the front of the barn.

Barn Renovation 4

It doesn't take long for the builders to start laying the footings and brickwork.  Once they had reached a certain height, they broke up a lot of the old rubble to lay under the

floors.  I was very impressed with how ordered and tidy they were.

The metal frame for the bi fold doors arrived and was put in place so they could build up around it.

A ditch was dug all around the edge for the soil pipes and the pipes laid in place. large areas of the garden were also dug away for the new septic tank and the pipes leading to it.

The old log store looks very different and is taking shape.  This is going to be my new work room!

Barn Renovation 3

The old buildings have come down and all of the rubble taken away or piled up for later use. Extra earth has been removed to allow for new foundations.

The view from the cottage kitchen.

Ditches have been dug for the wall foundations. The blue pipe is our water pipe.

A crane arrives with the concrete and a man directs the flow from the pipe that goes all the way over the cottage.

Barn Renovation 2

First the roof came off of the workshop.

The next thing to come down was the walls.

Within a few days there was only one wall of the wood store left.

Soon that was gone as well and the builders moved around the back of the buildings.

The builders then started working back up the side of the cottage, first removing the small retaining wall and then lots of earth as the ground slopes upwards.