"Life is like a piano. What you get out of it depends on how you play it" Tom Lehrer

 The piano finally made it over from the mainland earlier this year. It needed a day when the boat called twice to give the couriers chance to unload and assemble. Unfortunately the weather changed that day and the boat didn't call back so we had overnight guests.

"If no one ever took risks, Michaelangelo would have painted the Sistine floor" Neil Simon

 I originally bought enough old floorboards to do the whole house. My calcultions were spot on but I didn't allow for wastage. I had enough pieces left for the last room but their average length was about 8-10 inches. So I invested in some engineered flooring and hoped that it wouldn't be too difficult to lay. A bonus is that the floor is smooth enough for Do's ballet practice.

 

"Never look backwards or you'll fall down the stairs" Rudyard Kipling

The final room to be done was the studio. I'd made a start on framing and plasterboarding earlier but I needed a way to get to the upstairs safely, avoiding the collection of trestles and ladders I had been using. So, it was time to plan and fit a staircase. Alex and I worked together on this - 2 heads being better than 1. (These last entries are not necessarily in the order in which the work was done)

"I have no philosophy, my favourite thing is sitting in the studio" Jacob Arnesen

 Having paused on the ensuite, I spent my last few days before Christmas working on the study. This invoved fitting insulation, doing some first fix electrics and plasterboarding. I ran out of plasterboard about six hours before I had to catch the ferry - great timing!

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 Update - the piano has arrived in Bolton and the courier is awaiting a delivery date. Better get a move on but for now it's time to go south to see family over Christmas...CV19 willing

 

"Acting is not an important job in the scheme of things. Plumbing is" Spencer Tracey

 Someone thought it might be an idea to have an ensuite in the top bedroom. Plumbing is one of the trades I am least confident in so I always enlist the help of Brian, the island go to handiman for watery matters. It's 90% done but completion will have to wait till he returns next Spring

The stud walls were done afterwards, it made taking up floorboards and fitting the WC and macerator a bit easier. 

"You see opportunity... Opportunity is like a window: every once in a while, it opens, if you're ready for that opportunity. So be prepared, work hard, and follow your dreams" Nita Strauss

The last big internal job is the east wing. (sounds grand but it's just the single storey bit at the opposite end to the kitchen. We're planning a studio/music room with a piano and a small dance floor) It's quite dark in there because the leaky skylight has been boarded up. It was time to fit a replacement

Although it's now much lighter on the mezzanine downstairs is a bit murky so we're going to go for a part glazed floor. I'm going to make an effort to keep this blog updated more regularly, or should I say more frequently. Watch this space

"The vision must be followed by the venture. It is not enough to stare up the steps - we must step up the stairs" Vance Havner

 With much of the bedroom building and decorating works done it was time to finally put down the stairs carpet. We'd had the runner for just a few weeks but the stair rods had been bought about 8 years ago, not long after we'd got the Manse - and, amazingly, I knew exactly where to find them

The inspiration for the choice was the wonderful Glenfinnan House Hotel - a must visit if you're ever up this way (http://www.glenfinnanhouse.com/)