When we arrived home in mid April the first thing to do was to get some drainage in the vegetable garden, then rotavate it and plant a few things. We were too late for seed potatoes but got peas, 2 kinds of beans, beetroots, shallots and leeks going. There were lettuces too but the chickweed got them. Any tree that pokes its head above the plastic tree protector gets eaten by deer and we worked out that the memorial trees we planted for John’s parents were drowning. We moved them to a drier spot and will have to see if we’ve got them in time. After a lovely spring, it was a dreadfully wet summer and we didn’t make much progress in the garden.

It was certainly nice to be out of the caravan. It’s still there and I can’t believe we spent a year and a half in it. Meanwhile we have camped illegally in the house while laying the rest of the floors downstairs, plastering and adding finishing touches. Externally there was cladding to finish. We thought that we would have the downstairs finished this year. If we don’t make it we will not be far away.

Breaking Val’s rule again, we have a deadline of Christmas, thanks to Jo and John coming back on holiday and wanting to spend Christmas here. Key events upstairs were getting the wiring and plumbing done, hardboarding the rafters so that we could get the insulation in before winter, getting a stair designed and installed and the upstairs bathroom functioning. The office has been moved up to its new home and we are able to see how the dining room and living space will actually work.

On the whole, I think we are both very happy with it all. The very cold weather at the end of 2009 really tested the log fire theory and we’re relieved to say that the house was toasty warm even with -6 outside. You do have to keep the fire going all the time at the moment as there are still some cold spots upstairs and in the downstairs hall. Next year. we will try to get certain things done before the building warrant expires, rather than get an extension. We will then at least be legal. Next summer will see more time spent on the garden and landscaping and we’ll get back to the decorating and so on next winter.

The full story can be read on our blog www.larickhouse.co.uk