Simon reverts to type

The past few days I have been building stuff, but yesterday I got back to doing what I feel more at home with - breaking stuff with hammers.

After chipping away some of the plaster in the stairwell the other day, I decided that it would be a good area for us to "feature" some stonework. I also realised that the menuisier would probably be happier putting the staircase up to walls unencumbered by plaster and render.

This means that on the hottest day of the year so far (31º and counting), with all the shutters shut to keep out the heat, I was up a ladder bashing stuff with a mason's pick. I may not have been dressed for the part; shorts, t-shirt and carpet slippers, but I was effective. I wasn't using the Electric Destroyer, so I didn't feel the need for protective clothing.

Today and Wednesday are supposed to be even hotter, so I will only be working before lunch - before the western side of the house starts to heat up. I will be shifting the rubble from yesterday out of the stairwell, before chipping some more off, and this afternoon I plan to be, as one of our neighbours put it last night, a mouse hiding in my hole if it is as hot as yesterday.

This is the sort of finish we are
aiming for in the stairwell

After dinner we went to the Jardin to water. EDF have re-sited some wires that used to go across the garden - we are not sure when, but the wires were still strung the day I had to prune the nectarine tree. This makes our garden even more attractive. The cherries have just about finished - there is probably half a tree's worth of sour cherries to pick, then we can weed the veggies until the peaches, plums or nectarines (whichever comes first) need dealing with.

Simon