Well, we have certainly had plenty of weather. We don’t have a shortage of water in the rain water containers. If we had a wind turbine, I think we could have lit up the Ariege.

Chores have been split into “indoor” and “outdoor” tasks. When we have had a window of opportunity to get outdoor stuff done we have grabbed it. Shifting plants and replacing the woodwork on one of the raised beds. Indoors, and most exciting,we have installed our new wood burner.

We called in some additional hands to get it out of the van and over the fields to the barn. It came on a pallet which, conveniently, fitted in the bucket of the mucktruck. A very slow ascent up the hill with a spotter on either side to get it to the door. Climbing slings underneath to lift it in and to the bottom of the stairs. Then chain winch up to the first floor and onto a trolley made from a recycled piece of worktop and some wheels from my Dad’s garage.

A delay of a couple of days until there was enough “indoor slots” to adjust the chimney and the base plate fit the height of the stove and then the same muscle to slide it gently into place.

This morning is it’s inaugural lighting. Slow to start as the wood has been rained on, and slow to burn, which is great. This is meant to be the heat provider whereas the Godin at the other end of the barn is the atmospheric “open” fire which heats the immediate two metres of airspace around it.

As Autumn has arrived we have also started a jigsaw.