So apparently stoves are like hens teeth these days, demand for them has rocketed in line with spiralling fuel bills. I’ve been trying to track one down, our original choice had a 14-16 weeks lead-time on it so a bit of digging around on the internet later I managed to find a Country 16B Multi-fuel that was in stock with a supplier so hopefully will be with us before Christmas.

Plastering is completed (except for final tidying up and the wall behind where the stove will be).

My main task has been cleaning down the water staining from the two oak beams that provide the supporting structure for the first floor. I’ve used a variety of techniques which I’ll write more on shortly. Suffice to say that it’s a time consuming process…

I’ve started tiling the floor of the two bathrooms (after they were ply lined and then unibonded to provide a water resistant film), natural slate which makes life interesting with its varying sizes and thickness’s.

We’ve also started painting – my favourite clay paint watered down by 20% for a first coat after lightly sanding down the walls. Coverage seems good, a second undiluted coat should provide a finish.