Nocturnal Incursions

I got woken up at 5am this morning to the sound of a breaking plant pot. Then I start to hear scrabbling noises around the cat flap.

Found this guy inhabiting our sun room...



Of course, the cats were now also awake, active and curious. The last thing I wanted was a feline-raccoon interaction. So I went out the front door, around the house, and opened the sun room door from the other side. The raccoon shot out and ran off into the dark.

The cats and I went back to bed...

Brick oven: Modifications

Just when you thought the brick oven was a mere myth and legend...

It's been a few months since the last update, and the reason is because Alan had some repairs to make. Earlier this year, he noticed the keystone bricks in the front of the chimney were sitting low. He reasoned that lifting them with an exercise ball and cementing them back into place was a suitable approach. However it turns out that pneumatics are stronger than cemented joins... the entire front lifted up. Alan ended up having to dismantle the entire arch and rebuild it.

Which brings us to more recent times. Alan rebuilt the tunnel with a squared-off roof this time. It might not be quite as traditional but it sure is easier to construct. He's got steel beams in there for rigidity (and to hold the bricks up) and now the chimney sits flatter on top, too. So it's all good.

Below is a picture of the first fire to be lit in here, in a while.

Now, we have to light some more fires inside, to dry out the new cement. When the weather gets a little cooler, it will be stucco time. Watch this space...