Category Archives: House

Pointing (again)

One of the problems associated with living in a house built in (roughly) the 1830s is the lack of foundations. I may have mentioned this previously. 

Last year, I found that the wall by the back door suffered from damp. Badly so. I removed the plaster from the wall and, since I’ve a fondness for exposed brick, I briefly considered leaving it so. However, it seemed that a previous occupant had also detected dampness. Early last century, I’d guess. I say that because the solution was to apply a cement-like substance as a barrier. Some of the cement coating came off with the plaster, but a large patch wouldn’t budge. Despite aggressive chiselling. 

So, I put off doing anything with the wall because I wasn’t sure what to do with it. After a year of occasional deliberation, I decided on the only real option. To coat the wall and re-plaster. 

Today, I took the first step and pointed the wall. 

It’s rough, but it’s going to be covered, so I don’t need to tidy it up. 

The big lump of stone on the right is the side of the fireplace. I’d have liked to clean it up and leave it exposed, but it’s just not practical. 

Fire II

With some knotty and twisted, uncuttable lumbs of wood accumulated, the kitchen stove has seen a lot of use today (they’re too big for the small stove in the front room). 

Lamp

After fitting a nasty, white plastic fitting to our new old lamp, I’ve quickly replaced it with something more appropriate. 

We’re still struggling to decide on a lampshade, but that’ll come in time. 

Our house II

Well, a decision is going to take longer than planned. All offers for the chapel have been put to God this afternoon.

And he shall now deliberate for a few days. 

Our house

I love our little house. And I love where we live. Neither are anything special, but for many reasons we’re happy here.

And, now, we could be about to change all of that. We’ve put in an offer on an old chapel in Newcastle.

That was two weeks ago, a quick decision after a viewing. God moves pretty slowly these days, but we’ll hear today (or possibly tomorrow) whether our offer (or one of the other interested parties’) has been accepted. 

Last night, after our third visit to the chapel, we experienced our first feelings of doubt. Not about the chapel itself, or the work involved; rather, some thoughts about letting go of what we have now. Most of those (my) doubts related to the location as opposed to the building. 

The chapel’s non-standard construction, but it has something about it. And it has lots of potential. It’s in a residential area though. And, by residential, I mean houses, houses and flats. That probably wouldn’t be an issue for most people, it could be a selling point. But. 

So, we could have another, more difficult, decision to make this evening. Unless, of course, that decision is taken out of our hands. 

Door III

I have mixed feelings about the room merger, even though I know it was the right thing to do. But, from the landing, you can’t see that there was ever a second door. 

I’m quite good at this plastering malarkey.