I'd been working on Teacup Cottage in the morning, doing skirting boards, and finishing off the pot sink. That was after the shopping, any wonder I'm feeling tired? It was an early start today, mind you when I woke up it felt much later than 7 a.m., even Harvey was still snoozing, it took him a while to come to, he's worse than me!
This is what the call the 'dry' fit, making sure you've got all the right pieces, the right way round and in the right place. I also checked the other pieces, windows and doors. All are there, and there are two parts to the windows. This time the roof is a solid piece, not the mount board as with Teacup Cottage. It also has a tiny pavement round the front. It isn't as upmarket as the other cottage, no stairs, just a ladder. To think such places were homes once.
The right hand side. It will soon look very different. The instructions also have details of how to do the brickwork. I had wondered if it was the air dried clay, but it is filler, the powdered stuff. A mystery solved. That means I need to get some practise, it sounds rather like the molding paste. I intend to have a bash, I've got some spare pieces of wood. The roof is given the same kind of treatment, and then has tiles laid on it. Instructions are given as to how to make the tiles, the same as as I made for the large house. Just a LOT smaller!
Last pic, the plain left side. Which could end up with a chimney. Well I have a template on the other cottage, and just need some wood! Got all I need, may as well experiment.
I'll pick up a packet of filler tomorrow, the instructions say that the cheap stuff will do. And some stiff card, for the fences, and for some paving stones. The card I have just isn't stiff enough, or it is too stiff, need something in between, probably mountboard. My painting skills are about to be put to the test as well, good job I have plenty of paint, and lots of brushes.
I did use some emulsion for the inner walls, I wanted a rough look to the interior. And I got some landscaping material, well a whole pack for a pound? Who could resist? By this time next year I'll have a whole villlage! These small houses sort of remind me of the village my aunty lived in, Market Deeping, which has changed greatly since the 60s. That was when mum would take us for our summer holiday, my aunt and uncle had both been in the RAF, then they were posted near Peterborough. They chose to rent a cottage in Market Deeping rather than stay in quarters. My aunty was not very domesticated, which is what I loved about her, she preferred to enjoy life. She was very arty, would try anything, and usually found she had some skill at whatever she tried. She'd have loved these little houses, anything creative in fact. When she died we found so much stuff, Chinese painting kits, so many other crafts she'd dipped into. She also did the very fine crochet, with cotton, she taught mum. It was beyond me, far too fiddly, I could just about crochet a square.
Yes, definitely tiredness is starting to set in. I slept like a log last night, a change from last week when I couldn't even get to sleep. Dinner was going to be an omelette, then somehow I ended up making a batch of chilli con carne. Going to get another pack of quorn and do some cottage pies. Well, the colder days are coming, soon it will be stews simmering in the oven. I remember my mum making a meat pie, oh boy was it delicious, she used a can of meat, but with it she put the most gorgeous gravy, we all loved it. She hated cooking, yet she was a very good cook, I think she enjoyed it when I took over some of the cooking, I'd do the fancy stuff, stir fries, curries, and she'd do the staples. Dad wasn't keen on what he called 'foreign' food, when I was younger he would cook the Saturday night dinner, which meant steak, usually very, very well done! Well he did try, he also got us kids to do the housework, so mum wouldn't have anything to do when she came back from work. I think we always used to be relieved if mum suggested fish and chips. Her best dish was scouse, which was most Mondays, made from the leftovers from the roast. That is all scouse is, lamb or beef, from the Sunday Roast, chucked into a pan, some potatoes, left over gravy, and left to cook - trust me, it is stick to your ribs food, and very comforting. Sadly, I can no longer make it, so have to go to a cafe, or make do with a scouse pie. Not quite the same.
Right, all from me, just watched Corrie, do you think they stole the story line from Brookside? You know that they won't be able to move the body... ! I did like it when Sarah asked if he was dead, considering he'd just been hit with a heavy wrench, then yep, he was dead. Please will someone end the Callum story line? It is now very boring.
Back tomorrow... the cottage may be glued together!
No comments:
Post a Comment