Some may recall, some time back, about 3 weeks I think... I whacked up the last wall of the extension and set about moving first the bedroom, and then the office.
What I quite probably forgot to mention, was I was getting a tad tired of building. Now, the last wall, I decided was just gonna go up in one hit. Not as I had done all other walls - in 4 course bits - but straight up, cos I was sicka getting all muddied up and hauling bricks above my head, ra ra ra.
And so it was. The final wall went up, window went in and I thought 'mmmm. not quite as neat as the others, but heck it'll do'
I then set about putting my office in, which so happened to mean that the pooter was positioned beside this wall. As was the heater.
All's good. Proud as punch. People are visiting and making ooh ahh sounds. Everyone seems pretty impressed. I however, was positioned under it and as I typed away, I became convinced it was moving! Having built the thing I was certain this wall had left certain points that I was aware of, but no-one else seemed to notice.
I keep grabbing mates and saying "Can you see that?" Nah, no-one could see anything... "I swear this bugger is moving..."
I grab a brickie mate from a coastal town. "Come check this out... Can you see this?" He sees it. After about two weeks I had a 2 inch bow below the window and at least an inch of movement away from the top beam. Brickie checks it out, rolls his eyes at me because we all know amateurs should never attempt such tasks. "Ever heard of a string line?" he says. "Bloody 'ell" I fume, "Of course I have, but the bugger didn't start there, did it? It is moving!" Brickie rolls his eyes again... Like I have arrived from planet peanut or something. Bricks don't move. This is earth, I say. The earth moves! "Just render it out, square it up. She'll be right, mate" And off he goes.
So render I do. Level it all out. Stand back and think, "Ok, we'll see if that stops it." That was Monday.
Saturday comes. Girls and I are preparing for a bike rally. Mate is ready. Just about to head out. Dog lets out a weird bark. It's her warning bark. Bloody hell, must be a snake. Get up to investigate and there is an almighty BOOM! From out of a huge bomb burst of dust comes the dog, head and tail town.
Mate says "Bloody 'ell it's Belfast!" and bolts for the front door (He was there... Belfast, I mean). Girls and I look at each other, and wait for the dust to settle. We are left with a huge gaping hole, tonnes of rubble, a very dusty dog, and buried beneath the rubble is my pooter - including brand new hard drives (am I glad I deferred pick up on the flat screen or what?), antique typewriter (that would obviously survive Chernobyl, because it's fine) and the heater that flat out refuses to party with me again, and the brand new (recycled) carpet that now looks like its 20 years old!
So, I just thought I'd let you know I am mudbricking again
And I am just doing 4 courses at a time... letting them dry, contract, settle or whatever it is they do, and then doing a bit more, real slowly like... Am also on the lookout for a new window...
