Damage to hall 001a Wm[fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=
 
 

Once the dust had settled we took a closer look into the hole Mike’s foot had made.

I’d always wondered what that boarded ceiling concealed. After all, in other downstairs rooms there are exposed beams. Why not in the hall? As it turns out, and much to my delight, the old beams are still there.

True, it’s something of an electrical superhighway now and the damage that’s been caused by routing the wires is plain to see. But there’s still an opportunity to be had. The main fuse box to which they all lead will itself be relocated one day. And then perhaps I can restore the old ceiling to how it should be?

 
 
Damage to hall 002 Wm[1]
 

Original ceiling beam and more interesting historic paint

 
 

Of course it does mean that when we finally get around to decorating the hall there will be a lot more work to do. Mike, as you can imagine, is doing bunting and frolics already.

The trouble is I’ve seen them now.

I know those beams are there..

 

.

 

In the meantime the plasterboard has gone back up.

 
 

Damage to hall 004 Wm[2]

 

Kind of..

Still some making good to do.

 

By heck that stuff is heavy. Yours truly had to hold it in place above her head while the new screws went in. I’ll need stronger arms if this keeps up.

 

.

 

It’s not been the best of weeks all told.

On Tuesday the power went out. Not ideal at lunchtime. Nor with the shopping about to arrive. No power means the gate won’t open. The intercom doesn’t work either. And if the delivery man tries to ring us instead? Nope, no phone.

And no sooner had the power come back..

“Where’s all this water coming from then?”

Mike had stepped in a large puddle on the kitchen floor.  The contents of the cupboard under the sink were swimming too. The tap needs a new ‘O-ring’ wouldn’t you know. And not the sort to be found at B&Q either.

 
 

Study 032 Wm[3]

 
 

But it’s not all doom and gloom.

With the new floorboards (firmly!) nailed down there is at last a feeling of progress.

 
 

Study 031 Wm[1]

 
 

In old houses it’s not uncommon to come across strange things hidden under floorboards.

Over by the wall we found these old razor blades. Apparently it was once common practice to poke discarded blades into gaps behind wash stands or perhaps down the spaces between the boards. Easier than having to take them down to the local tip I suppose. You can be sure there’d be a premium on disposal, even way back then.

Does it tell us something about the historical use of this room I wonder?

Or maybe just that our distant predecessors were also plagued by those wretched mice..

Whatever the reason, we’ve left the blades where we found them and nailed a board back over the top. Call it superstition, but some things it feels right to leave alone.

 
 

Study 033 Wm[1]

 
 

Fillets of wood have been glued and hammered into the largest of the gaps.

 
 

Study 034 Wm[1]

 
 

Already there’s a clue that the colour across the floor is going to look a lot more consistent after sanding..

 
 

Study 035 Wm[2]

 
 

Et voilà!

 
 
 
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