25 Weeks Later....

Well, we have sort of reached the end of the Rebuilding of Orca House, and what a journey it has been.  Simon has gone home to Zoe and the dogs and now we are just getting Marius and his team to touch up various bits of paintwork until Thursday, when the carpet people, the bed people, the fridge people and Sybaris - the kitchen people will be delivering our orders.  Mark Rupert has already delivered our widened Victorian brass bed, and will be installing the metal railings this coming week.

Gavin and Raymond will be building our only built-in wardrobe too.

The triumph and the climax of the entire build was epitomised for us in the hoisting of the piano, and in Kevin's small but brilliant recital of Debussy and Rachmaninov. Yesterday after the last of the workmen had left the site I meditatively cleaned the keys of the Bechstein and played for a couple of hours myself.

Next year some serious gardening is going to take place.  And some serious relaxing back into retirement.  Phew, what an exercise it has been, what fun, and what a thrilling home/love nest we have built.  Let the next stage begin.

Roly, seen finishing off the hearth of the fireplace that Nick built.  Cindy has made a beautiful ceramic tile which will be stuck into the shape above the opening.  Steve-the-Chimney still needs to come and add on some more chimney pipes, and put on the metal yachting stays to keep it in place.

The piano arrives in Orca House.  Now it's going to be blanketed up, and hoisted 3m onto the upper level.

Tying the ropes and slings onto the winch.

Up she goes.

Simon (without gloves) pulling the winch, Gavin above him on the topmost ladder, trying to keep the chain from slipping off. 

About half-way...

Just abit further...

The winch looks so good here, that we've bought it from the Hire Company, and it will stay in situ there, adding to the barn flavour.

And then came Kevin's short recital, which you can see on another post here.  And even though we were all exhausted, we decided to have dinner in Orca House for the first time, and we did it in a fair amount of style too.

Kevin made the Cream of Cauliflower soup, served with truffle olive oil,

...followed by Casserole of Chicken, leek & mushrooms served on a bed of rice.

A bowl of Pru's fresh, ripe peaches.  Then coffee served with Christmas Stollen. In between courses we watched the stars come out, the phosphorescence in the waves sparkled for us, and we got a little idea of how magical our future in this graceful home is going to be.