Well, we finally moved house 4 weeks ago - and boy, has it been hectic!
The first week was spent moving, cleaning, cleaning & moving...... The house we moved from was clean, the house we bought was NOT! Severely not - oh, joys!
Our first problem was waiting 5 days for the previous owners to vacate..... and he wanted us to give him an extra 2 weeks, because he wouldn't have had internet access at their new place! Needless to say, we didn't allow the extra 2 weeks!
The next problem? Well, stupid as we were, we never got a structural survey - it's ok, the building's fine - shame we didn't have any water flowing through the hot taps - not anywhere!
So hubby had to play with the pump, boiler, pipes, etc etc..... and 4 days later, voila!!
I met the neighbours.... our latest Basset acquisition who has now been moved on decided that he was a prize Turkey chaser..... so while I ran around the field, leash in hand, the neighbour was doing the same with a broom! We've made peace though, & no turkeys were harmed...although we've been promised one for xmas dinner (I bet we get the one with the bite marks on its legs!)
Anyway, it turns out that the family didn't have running hot water here for the last 3 years....... GULP! With 2 kids as well - How??
The sad thing is that hubby didn't have to spend a penny to get it sorted - he just poked, prodded, jiggled & spannered about a bit - ok, I have no idea exactly WHAT he did, but I know he got it working!!
Next came learning how to use a Stanley Range..... I'm a townie from the Uk, what did I know about using a range? haha! I DO now! It heats our radiators & the hot tank & is really efficient - I am now in love with Stan & when we eventually have the kitchen/diner renewed, I want a brand new one!
Hubby stripped it down completely...... we needed a new firebar frame & bars, new rope seals, a section of door was strategically placed.... but fell out every time we opened it..... now is repaired using fire cement, seals & such.... hubby looked like a chimney sweep after cleaning it - I don't think it had been cleaned for, blimey, dunno. It's been burning twigs - not logs, but twigs but for the last few years, but was totally clogged with them.
We now have it running 24/7 as per the manual which I found online - and have a trailer load of peat turfs to burn.... if anything, it's getting TOO hot in the house!
I used my leccy kettle last wednesday.... and since then have used the range kettle - SO nice not to be switching the leccy on for coffee anymore!
I've cooked casseroles on Stan, & earlier today I even managed the sunday roast on it - altho I did burn the yorkie puds... oops!!
The guy who delivered our peat turfs had to make 2 visits - the first time he couldn't get his tractor down the drive - too many trees! So, the lads next door came along with a chainsaw & cleared a path..... the tractor came back the following day - good job hubby was here, because the ground was so wet, the tractor wheels had to be dug out!!
We now have to make a 'runway' to the hayshed for future tractor visits......
I bought hubby his own chainsaw & he's spent 7 hours today chopping down every thing in sight just about!!
It's bit sad, because the trees are lovely - but to be honest, with so many trees around, the ground is absolutley waterlogged.... not to mention the amount of leaves! Our gardens are bordered on 2 sides by 35 acres of forest, so it's not as though we are treeless anyway... the previous owners liked to dig up saplings & plant them in the garden - don't even mention the amount of ferns he's planted everywhere!!
We have fruit trees by the hayshed too - but they hadn't done much this year - because they didn't get a lot of light & all are leaning out to try & get some. Apart from trees, there's not a lot else growing with any conviction & it's been so dark in the garden I have to look over to the field next door to see if it's sunny, but not for much longer!
So now we have logs to cut..... many, many logs to cut!! And after the garden has been cleared, it will be full steam ahead to plan & make raised beds for the veggies & hubby has to make me a chicken palace & an enclosed run - we have mink in the forest here, so it will have to be strong!
So, that's me for now - more stories of Sunwood to come - I'm thinking this is just the tip of the iceberg....
Julie.
(thanks)
