Time for an indoor barbecue

I'm working hard to get the roundhouse usable this winter so, having got the straw bale walls built, my next focus is on the indoor barbecue/fire pit. I have based my idea on a Finland style Kota Grill. Fingers crossed it will generate enough heat to keep the place warm, otherwise we'll be boosting it up with gas heaters.

Landscaping day

Having bought the farm tug, it was only right to really put it through it's paces. I have to say that, after 1 days work, it's already paid for itself. Lot's of thanks must go to Dave and the mini digger who kindly loaded the beast about 60 times to clear all the mounds of earth around the round house.

As I was up bright and early, I thought we'd have some pictures with the lights on while it was still dark. While? or is it Whilst? I'm never sure.

The new farm tug

Let there be light !!!

Well there wouldn't be if I hadn't inadvertently picked up bayonet bulbs instead of Edison Screw. Oh well, a minor mishap in a major piece of genius.

Things are really going well at the moment and I may well, fingers crossed, take delivery of a dumper truck tomorrow. Although she's not a looker, in need of a new seat, brakes may also be beneficial. The diesel hand cranked engine started on the second attempt and forward and backward gears both work. I think the brakes may be seized on a little but it demonstrated that the differential was still working on the front. There are a few holes in the bucket but at least that means it won't be full of rain water. As I'm sure you can imagine, Jane is highly enthused with my latest purchase and probably, even more so, when it arrives.

The lights have all gone up in the round house and I have filled in some of the gaps around the door way. Thierry turned up today to say that the straw for the walls will arrive in the next couple of weeks which will mean I can make the place weather tight ish.

The kids are back at school hence my jovial mood for the first time in weeks. Peter actually enjoys the fact that he also gets home work now like the big kids.

We are guest free for the foreseeable future leaving me no choice but to get on with some of the things on my immense list of jobs. I'm seriously thinking about the heating in the house, the fact that I have the radiators in now, the stove in pieces in the barn, the boiler in the workshop waiting to be welded back together, the need for a trip to the UK to pick up a tonne of copper tube, fittings and tanks etc. Thinking is, for the time being, as far as it goes as my present focus is to make the round house weather tight in preparation for Janes big 40. Those interested in attending feel free to contact me by private email andywork@hotmail.com

Round one complete