This Ole House...

We bought Cornerstones fifteen years ago - and got the keys in April 2009. Bob dreamed of a hexagonal summerhouse for the garden, and in autumn 2012 we found one  - a display model, at a ridiculously low price. It was delivered, in sections, on a pallet, and stored in the garage all winter. Summer 2013, we put it it up [with help from my old friend Christine]. We painted the walls green, and Bob made windbreak panels for three walls, which Steph decorated with fantastic beach-scene murals. But we had not laid the foundations that well, and by last summer we admitted the base needed replacing and there were some parts of the structure which needed repair.  "Ain't had time to fix the shingles, ain't had time to fix the floor" as George Clooney's auntie used to sing. Also, we needed new fencing, and the structure was in the way of that work. Our good friend Peter came one cold wet Saturday to help us dismantle it. You can see how bad the base is in the fourth picture.

The guys replaced the fence, then relaid the summerhouse base. Here is the new oil tank being delivered in November - you can see the new base, with proper edging. Bob spent a lot of time repairing dodgy beams. He and I put up the walls by ourselves, and managed to get the six roof beams up. But realised I wasn't really tall enough and anyway this needed three pairs of hands. Jon and Liz came to the rescue - and yesterday eleven of the twelve roof panels were replaced. We will need to go into our neighbours' garden to fix the final section.

Very soon we will have everything sorted- and have power and lighting laid on [so I can even take my sewing machine out there!]

We hope that once all the work is done, it will last a good few more years. This ole house holds too many memories to be demolished just yet!