Shamefully long catch up from the past...will do better...honest.

The “Then” blog. For details see entry for March 7th 2009. In brief the restoration of Claonairigh House
Friday 21st August (Fee)
Cloudy am no midges very hot pm
G and F re-corded and treated library sash window whilst peter retiles the porch roof. Took Tess for a walk and had to carry the wimp over the river. G and P felted the mill roof repairing joists as they went to try to prevent it deteriorating any further. G and F went to Inveraray this am and by an amazing coincidence parked the car just in front of Tony Horrox (neighbour from Tockwith many years ago and father of a childhood friend) who had just stopped for a quick break on his way back from Crinan canal area. Funnily enough mum is going to their house tonight for supper (they now live at the delightfully named Blubberhouses).
Saturday 22nd August
Overcast am pouring down pm. A few very wet midges
In the morning G and I went to Lochgilphead to stock up on some joists (G) and some reading matter (me). Peter left at home tiling the porch roof. When we got back it began to throw it down so G and I began to pull the lathe and plaster from the lounge wall. I retired at 4.30 to have shower (camp site) and scrub the dust from my hair- rang Mum. Caravan awning holding up well to prolonged rain exposure- only one carefully placed bucket required. Hot Pot for supper-very suitable for a chilly August night. Tessie adapts well to the changing weather- if it is wet she sleeps-all day. G and P continue with the lounge attacking the ceiling the joists seem okay but as predicted the roof timbers are past it. A couple of very dusty men appear at 8pm and were dispatched to the camp site showers at ten past!
Sunday August 23rd
Amazing rain/hail/storms briefly interspersed by very bright sunshine. Midges +++ pm
Peter and I tidied the caravan and awning up am. In the afternoon Peter and Garret continued with the mill roof repairs and felting. Incredibly hail storms and torrential rain dodged whilst working. Tess and I startled a heron today over the road-beautiful graceful bird. After a particularly vicious thunderstorm with hail thunder and lightening the mill roof and aluminium ladders were abandoned. Post storm the skies cleared and the sun shone. G and I managed a short snowball-or hail ball fight (in august!). g and p then returned from such frivolity back to loftier matters-this time the porch roof. Gas gave up mid supper so Peter had to brave the midges to change it.
Monday 24th august
Blustery am and overcast. Clearer pm bright spells, no rain. Midges pm.
Today something had to be done about the mud bath that used to be our drive. P and G channelled out the grass in the middle bit of the drive and then dug out the gradient on the slope going up to the croquet lawn where the cars go. They filled the resultant space with large pebbles and the sand and gravel. I continued to (slowly) dig out the drive round the end and back of the house. Steve the tree feller visited for a cup of coffee. G and P finally finished tiling the porch roof and cut a sapling ready for the ridge. This was treated and then the lead flashing can be nailed to it. The plan was to go fishing this evening but the boat engine seemed to have other ideas. G and P saw a young eagle flying overhead today. 10.30pm went out for an hour or so fishing, very pleasant, calm loch with peaceful views and nice warming mulled wine(however the fish were not biting and we bought home only one measly mackerel between the three of us)
Tuesday 25th August (Garret)
am rain/ sunny intervals. Pm dry. Rain evening. Midges hungry after 7pm
Fiona left with Tess at 9.30am (home 4.40 minutes later). P did lead flashing on porch when dry. Removing lathe and plaster in lounge when wet. G bedroom window treat paint and glaze new windows, fit new sill, make up check plates etc. Telecom man came midday, going to bring poles over river and then bury cable up to house. Message on answer machine saying gate are coming tomorrow.
Wednesday 26th August
Rain heavy am no real midges
Gates came 8.30am. Fitted driveway gate. Finished bedroom window. Removed all lathe and plaster and tidied up in lounge. Acro’d and supported lounge roof. Measured roof timbers. Talked to Davy Campbell a local who has loved the house for years and if he wins the pools is going to make up us an offer we can’t refuse so he says. He told us the best time to fish is an hour before high tide to one hour after using a purple shrimp with two trebles (basically a shrimp or prawn dyed with beetroot juice). He also told us that the man who found the 5 penny blacks was from Auchindrain and that the old lady who sold him Clunary knew the letters were there but since they weren’t addressed to her never touched them (it takes all sorts). The local sheriff used to live here and the letters were to do with him. The biggest car boot sale in Glasgow is at the Barrowlands market on Saturday and Sunday nearish The Royal infirmary.
Thursday August 27th
Rainy a few midges
Steve came 8.30 with a red deer that had been hit by a vehicle on the main road. G and P butchered it in dining room using G’s butcher’s tools and chain block to lift it. Chopped it up into two haunches, two shoulder joints, chops, spare ribs and neck pieces and four fillets. G and P kept fillets, one haunch to Steve. Took three hours to cut it up and clean up, Dad went back to Yorkshire with rest of meat and to pick up more wine! G went to Lochgilphead, ordered timber for lounge roof, Coop, and architect, evening started on electrics.
Friday 28th August
Sunny/rainy intervals No Midges
Finished elecs (temp). Stripped wood cladding in bathroom. Found some graffiti under it from 1896 (the 7th Oct 1896 to be exact!) stripped last of lathe and plaster from our bedroom, found some very old cloth, maybe weaved here!!! Dad arrived back at 9.30pm
Saturday 2th august
Mainly dry during day, rainy at night. No real midges until after 20.00hrs
Went to Dalmaly show to pick up gate hinges. Watched how to make sheep horn handle walking sticks, watched a shinty match (a load of big girls blouses playing girl hockey! Nothing like as good as the man’s game of rugby!!). late afternoon I cleared rubble and rotting joists out of bathroom. Dad undercoated upstairs windows.
Sunday 30th
It bucketed it down last night and most of the day. Midges wet and scarce.
Made up bottom panels of front door. Stripped down rest of stud wall in kitchen, we finally reached the heights of lunacy. I found and fell in love with a 7 or 800 wt lump of granite. We “barred” it up onto round pebbles and then across the cottage and finally onto the trailer.
Monday August 31st
We are waterlogged. The hole under the skylight fills a wheelbarrow with rain water in about 8 hrs.
Finished dismantling stud wall between kitchen and utility. Chased out channel for new block wall and concreted the channel.
Tuesday 1st September 1992
Finally a bit of blue sky (of course it was surrounded by grey and pissing it down but nevertheless and definite upturn)Pm dry, nice evening. No midges
Started building interior wall in kitchen, rendered some more of porch inside and filled between some of the safe lintels. BT started putting some poles in so we may have a phone early this week or early next. Duck season starts today, so Steve informs us.
Wednesday 2nd
Rain am, dry pm. Ground starting to dry out. Midges biting down at T’mill.
Building wall in kitchen, set door in Kitchen wall, boarded up mill window. Telecom have fitted all poles except island pole. Watched the Heron walking very proudly up and down the path by mill (looking for frogs etc maybe). Venison, sauerkraut, new pots and ratatouille for tea.
Thursday 3rd August
Sunny/showers no midges
Building wall in kitchen rendered inside of porch, pruned damson trees. BT connected cable to house.
Friday 4th
Mainly dry and sunny. Drizzle evening. No midges
Removed lathe and plaster from lounge hall. Cut up old cottage roof timbers for fire. Made weather seal for porch flashing. Patched up the damaged harling finish on porch and rest of house, patched up cracks in harling, p removed moss from bottom of harling around the house.
Saturday 5th August
Clear Blue sky am, sunny and warm. Cold evening. A few midges....very hungry.
Rang up a demolition/ second hand dealer about building timber, maple and other floorings, gutters, chimneys, slates etc went to L.Head. Supplies from Coop. Went to Harcross to check if all our roofing timber had come in (it hadn’t). Man from Clydesdale bank came to check on our progress.. Cut up and cleared large branches telecom had cut off into river. Took the ceiling down in hall and replaced lintels over window in same.

I am still in the slightly unreal, un-anchored state that I usually assume when the children head back to school...I have sort of got used to having them around. Yesterday I did not really notice too much as I shot off to the Osteopath halfway through breakfasts, I did actually leave Garret to finish off rather than leave the poor couple with forks at the ready wondering what was going on. I battered my way through torrentially impressive rain to Helensborough for a bone crunching time and an amazing correction of a displaced thingy (a well known medical term, e mail me if I am too technical for you) round about my knee cap leading to tight hamstrings. he is the magic man!! Onwards to TK Max for me to not purchase any new sheets and to be generally very disappointed. I then hit Primark and had a hugely interesting time earwigging to other peoples conversations. It is a close fought competition between the mother and daughter flipping effortlessly between English and some other language mid sentence giving me tantalising glimpses into the conversation and a couple of women swapping tips on how to sneak out to meet a paramour (!) of a night without ones partner getting wind of it...apparently tonging or straightening your hair is a dead give-away "men notice these things"....... After I had been released from custody on the charge of stalking I made my way back through the rain to little old Inveraray. As life swings back into its normal term-time routine I was back at jogscotland mid-argyll for a 5 miler along the canal bank and some catch up gossip, then home for a wee glass of red and the breakfasts to sort.

The “Then” blog. For details see entry for March 7th 2009. In brief the restoration of Claonairigh House
Sunday 16th August
(Garret) Rain/sun intervals a few midges in the shade
Opened up dining room fireplace, removed rubbish and rubble from Kitchen and the dining room. Found old spit mounting eyes, some nice old fire bricks and 2 very ornate bricks which we’ve kept (obviously I have been away from Fee too long when i have feelings for bricks). Had quite a lazy day, really back in the caravan for 18.00hrs. Dad had a bit of a doze and I read The Oban Times. Had to re use the two catch plates and plane the porch door again for the umpteenth time. I swear the door or door frame is growing 1cm/day. In fact it is growing so much I am looking for leaves! Marjorie arrived 1900hrs, looked round house, had a cup of tea and I took her to the B and B. Walked Tess down to the campsite to phone Fee, phone u/s for the third night. I am falling asleep and Tess has got the best place on the bed.

Monday 17th August 1992
We have decided that Claonairigh is Gaelic for “Place of the trench foot” Rainy in morning, sunny afternoon. Midges few but hungry.
Started on last of the safe lintels over lounge doorway when the wagon from Bonawe Sand and Gravel came with 10T sand and 5T gravel which he could only tip in the gateway. 4 hours later we had moved it. Cost £122.70. Marjorie painted windows until 3pm. G and P then replace the lintels 3 type C and 1 type B 1,500m Didn’t get them all reblocked above the lintels as we went to the George with Marjorie, she had salmon and seafood cause, G had steak in pepper sauce (Tess had ¼) and P had steak too.
Tuesday August 18th
Cloudy/sunny Intervals
Midges 7pm onwards
Finished lintels over lounge doorway started on dining room fireplace. Had shower and rang Fee/ Linda at campsite. Saw two lads carrying about a 6lb salmon that they caught this morning.
Wednesday 19th august
Cloudy/sunny Intervals. The wee timorous beasties were out in force pm
Went to Lochgilphead. 3 bags of cement and provisions from the Coop and Harcros. In the afternoon had a delivery from Harcros, 100Ltrs of 5 star, 10bags of cement and two packs of concrete blocks £400.74. Patched up the dining room fireplace. Put warning notices on Mill and boarded doors “There’s trouble at T’Mill” Needs safe lintels repairing quickly.
Thursday 20th August
Changeable Midges 7pm onwards
Finished patch dining room fireplace. Started tiling the porch roof. Fee arrived 7.40pm.

Arghhhhhhhhh..............

Thats it...that is the entry for today. In fact I shall say it again but louder this time..... ARGHHHHHHHHHhhhhhhhh


The “Then” blog. For details see entry for March 7th 2009. In brief the restoration of Claonairigh House.
Tuesday 11th August 1992 (Garret)
Sunny Am Rain Pm no midges
Went to Lochgilphead, paid architect, co-op, picked up 20 lintels and ½ ton sand, 2 bags cement, ½ bag dry pebble dash (strong trailer!) fitted mortise lock catch plate, removed lathe and plaster and ceiling around lounge doorway to reveal wooden lintels and mess of back filled walls...looks rather like a Victorian lash up. Gable end resting on 3 foot 2”x4”, load bearing on the 2” section which is woodworm ridden and rotten. Will have to be very delicate to begin with. Burnt last of porch roof. It is nice having Tess here.
Wednesday 11th August (Garret)
Rain, hail, cold, Midges gone South for the summer.
Patched lintel support where pieces of wood removed and voids had been left. Acroed doorway. Mark Page called (forest manager) to say road would be repaired in a couple of weeks and that they were moving the bottom gate.
Thursday 13th August 1992
Nice until 5pm
Nice Full moon
Evening Midges ate Dad while he changed the gas.
Fitted lintels to kitchen/dining room doorway. Fitted three lintels to hall/lounge. Removed lathe and plaster from part of library.
Friday 14th
Sunny and hot until 8pm, light rain. A few midges.
Went to Lochgilphead for four lintels and ¾ ton sand and 3 bags cement. Went to Inveraray for cash from machine and cheese from the Spar. Saw a piece of cloth in inveraray Church that was woven and printed over 200yrs ago in the mill (they call it Clonary) Dad began to open p fireplace in dining room and removed harling off of wall above the doorway (dining/utility hall) put lintel through above wood. Safe lintels to hold wall for tomorrow. Had shower at camp site
Sat 15th august ‘92
Raining all day (clear sky at night) when rain stopped midges started (bastards!)
Replaced lintels over doorway from dining room to utility hall. Diesel genny and petrol cement mixer are well worth their money. Acros have paid for themselves ten-fold already.

Run rabbit run.....

Tidy up day with the Quinns coming tomorrow for a couple of days. Toby and I took time out for a riding lesson and a cappuccino (not simultaneously though) in the morning and I went for a very stiff run in the evening. Not stiff as in difficult but stiff as in "Ooooo me bones and joints...." Ginny came with me and danced around pretending to chase deer but did not actually go too far in case they were scary. No Lucy as she has had a limp for a day or so and needs to take it easy (er). Very nice guests in at present which makes life soooo much easier and nicer!!
The “Then” blog. For details see entry for March 7th 2009. In brief the restoration of Claonairigh House.
Monday 10th August (Garret)
Sunny 4 midges....all bit me!
Fitted mortise lock to front door, rendered porch outside, partly inside. Primed raw woodwork outside porch and porch door. A couple out walking popped in to chat a little, they used to play in it 12 years ago, he said it looked a lot better with new windows!! (they were worth the work). Pulled lathe and plaster off part of the hall and library to get at lintels. Measured for some lintels. Fee went home at 10am, walked Tess down to telephone at campsite, she chased some bunnies, I talked to a very lonely fee and Dad spoke to Mum. Dad is naming all the large trees, No, Not oak, beech, larch but Richard, Oliver, Raymond. Maybe he is working too hard or he needs more lemonade with his wine

Naughty slacking blogger....

Oh dear what a bad blogger I am...a whole week without comment. Freya and I took off for Ayr on Tuesday for an unexpected break at a friends house after dropping Toby and Rosie off for a week on the Oceans wave sailing around Mull and Jura. They had a great time and so did we! At last we got to see Howard and Myrna's lovely house (so clean and tidy!) and had a very pleasant lunch with them. Back to B and B land now, full pretty much every night and as always with some very nice people indeed!

The “Then” blog. For details see entry for March 7th 2009. In brief the restoration of Claonairigh House.
Monday 3rd August 1992
(Garret)
Boy did it rain last night! Midges all drowned
Checked on oak logs in river, not only have both logs gone both tree trunks have also gone out to sea! Well this is hopefully the last night of powerless life (light is very useful when it is dark!) sorted screws, repaired porch window, cleared some rubble out of bathroom, dug driveway up to porch.
The “Then” blog. For details see entry for March 7th 2009. In brief the restoration of Claonairigh House.
Tuesday august 4th 1992
Showers, heavy rain no midges
(Garret)
Dad arrived 09.00 connected batteries to my car and caravan...POWER!! Unloaded Dad’s car various items. Lead and wine (home brew) most important. Dug up driveway to croquet lawn. Patched up kitchen roof, removed old porch roof. Found a large section of oak tree down on beach.
Wednesday August 5th
Showers, few midges (Garret)
Went to Lochgilphead. Paid in some cheques. Coop, 5 star and saw from Harcross, went to council and gave Mr Halliday the estimate. Fitted lintels and wall plates to porch burnt half roof. Mr and Mrs Milner came, showed them round the estate, seemed to like it. Fitted window locks.
Thursday 6th august
Fine and sunny no midges until 20.00 then there were clouds!!
(Garret)
Parched up the porch window frame made and fitted A frames and bricked up the gable end. Rang Fee worked until 22.30
Friday 7th August 1992
Fine and sunny clear skies
(Fee)
Arrived after 5 1/2hr journey-found one father-in-law but no husband. G was away visiting neighbours and sorting out Mum’s accommodation next weekend. Touching reunion between man and dog! Petere working hard to get porch roof covered before next rain. Tess ecstatic to be back.
Saturday august 8th
Fine am midges/drizzling pm
G and P had a ½ day off when we went to teh mid Argyll agricultural show in the Kilmartin Valley. Idyllic scene with marquees and animal pens scattered over a smooth green field. Over the normal show noises were the constant releasing of cartridges indicating the grouse shoot and the merry voice of the commentator which became increasingly more merry as the afternoon wore on. I went to the campsite to ring Mum and Linda on the bike only slightly hampered by the absence of a back brake. It took aprox 3 minutes to get there and about 20 to get back. All well at home, Mum reassured that she won’t have to suffer Chez corner just yet. P and G had their noses back to the grindstone pm emptying the porch which is half full of well-stamped down rubble. I am now pretending to prepare supper (Hare Casserole followed b baked bananas) whilst in reality listening to the Archers and tasting some excellent elderberry wine-what a life! PS Stand corrected-clay pigeon shooting!!
Sunday August 9th 1992
Shattered showers midges pm
Woke late 10am wonderful what hard work and elderberry wine (well, mostly the wine in my case) will do for you. G and P fitting casement and repairing the porch door. I started scrubbing the lime off the stonework on the house side of house wall inside the porch. Will look great when finished. Continued to extend the drive pm. Went for bike ride with Tess, or rather took Tess and bike for a walk. When one is of a nervous disposition the thought of hurling oneself off the edge of a small cliff with no back brakes is a bit daunting. The consequence of this is that I walk down the hills because of fear and then walk up the other side due to a lack of fitness. Had a wonderful shower pm courtesy of the campsite.

Fantastic!!!

A fabulous day today...with the drizzly morning it was touch and go..."G-Force" in Oban or bikes on Gigha?...well, judge for yourself which one won!!


The “Then” blog. For details see entry for March 7th 2009. In brief the restoration of Claonairigh House.
Sunday 2nd august 1992
(Garret)
Rainy, midges so-so
Had a sleep in until 10.30. cleared glass and large rubbish out of porch, took it to the litter skip on road. Removed lathe and plaster from our bedroom. Pulled up floorboards in our bedroom.

Just an everyday kind of day

Weather pretty much the same as it was in 1992...apart from the midges. The usual guest scenario morning was interrupted briefly by the arrival of Toby's new phone ordered the day before yesterday after much agonising and a burning small coming from the money in Toby's pocket....we will all have the pants literally bored off us in the next few weeks about the marvels that this phone can perform. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!!! I dragged the girls away from books and computers and out for an 8 mile cycle this afternoon. I ran and they cycled and jolly grateful they were too as the rain blasted into their faces, the mud splashed them and the wind threatened to blow a gale from the first few yards onwards.....Oh and Freya's chain first came off on the first hill and then finally snapped just before the last one.

The “Then” blog. For details see entry for March 7th 2009. In brief the restoration of Claonairigh House.
Saturday 1st August
(Garret)
Warm and wet midges biting
Mum and Dad went home 12.00 left me with puffy eyes and NO BATTERIES (Not even in my car!). work stops one hour before the light goes. Tiedied caravan and cleaned glass up in house. Rang Fee
NB The phone calls had to be made from the Caravan Park a mile or so away, as did showering and using a W.C!