I’ve realised I never get anything done on the house over winter – there is always a 3 month gap in the blog. I keep planning to do work over the winter like the electrics, the kitchen, the floor in the ballroom but it never happens. Nothing ever happens over winter especially now I have Netflix.

This year I’m planning to out-smart the house by spending the summer getting on with all the winter jobs that have been building up. Apart from maybe when the weather is nice and I can be outside doing things…

(Photo 2017 when it snowed).

Lime season is Late April to late October apart from the middle of the summer when it’s too hot. Shrinkage in the new green oak gable timber frame needs some oakum to fill the gaps.

Linseed paint season is late July to early August and the front timbers need a coat of boiled linseed as they are dusting and shedding black pigment onto my limewash. And the front door needs another coat of yellow.

The flat roof toilet block extension needs to be painted in terracotta limewash. A bit bold but probably better than Magnolia. My strategy is to paint it in a different colour from the house so I can pretend it belongs to someone else.

It’s the indoors stuff that is really holding me up. It’s been a real pain finding trades. Trades are all very busy and quotes these days are 4 times higher than usual. This year I’m planning to do all the stuff I would have preferred to outsource. I can get on with everything else next year.

Also I’m thinking about buying an E-Type project to keep me busy over the winter. I’ll need a garage for that…