The Return - Thursday 19/10/10

Arrived back at Lammas at 20:00 Sunday evening. Was a fantastic feeling. Definitely one of returning home, which says alot to me.
Monday morning i was thrown straight back into the mix for what turned out to be a phenomenal days work. It was the stage i have been looking forward to. A stage that gives this build the visual and psychological leap forward into tangibility and manifestation.
The timber framework at this point resembles a henge.
Had great fun playing with a tripod i made with Rudolph. Ayres had a bit too much fun i fear.

 

Although we were only gone from Lammas a week, therer appears to have been an explosion of progress and activity in our absence. Andy and Jane's turf roof is on, as is Katy and Leander's, Paul and Hoppi have also finished roofing and waterproofing their barn. And as of Monday morning Simon D has begun work on his workshop and already made substantial headway.

Another leap has come in the form of long term volunteers. We now have 6 more people here, three of whom arrived during the week we were away.

This, and the aforementioned changes have resulted in me feeling rather out of touch, if not lefty behind somewhat. Am hoping in a couple of days i'll have settled back in and caught up.

Ayres and Marianne had a visit from the BBC today. Was rather surreal really.

Woke up around 08:30/09:00 and stepped outside looking nicely dishevelled, to be greeted by a camera and sound crew filming Ayres chopping firewood. As sods law would have it, our awning door was right behind Ayres and bang in the middle of their shot. Will no doubt make an entertaining out-take!

We looked after the children whilst the crew interviewed Ayres and Marianne, i think on the subject of money and their relationship to it.

Don't think i can imagine a more mundane 15mins of fame quite frankly.

If they had asked me about my relationship to money, i'd have to say it is very much akin to a one night stand, as illustrated by my trip to the petrol station today. Can't help feeling i've been screwed/

Late afternoon i took to wandering and delivering bottles of my hawthorn brew. Am very glad i did. Was humbled and grateful to meet a chap called Dave, who it transpired was a reader of my blog and gave some very kind feedback. A very very big thank you Dave! Hope to see you back here again soon!

M Jones

An Alarm Is Inhuman And Unholy -Thursday 07/10/10

Was pre-warned yesterday to set my alarm in order to get up and be ready for work at the ungodly hour of 09:00. This was a shock to the system, as we have gotten used to sleeping our fill each night and rising when we feel we're ready. This is normally around 09:00 and breakfasted by 10:00. Between the numerous and repeated groans and protests from Emma, i joked about how awful a life it would be if you had to do this everyday. The hardship of only being allowed to wake when you feel like it, just two days of the week. Then it hit me. As perverse as it sounds, i believe alot of truth was said in my jests,. No other creature on earth forces itself to wake at a set time each day.
No other animal in nature forces itself to work when ill. In fact, i dare say, there are very few other beings that continually force themselves to engage in an activity they do not want to do 5 out of 7 days a week, then kid themselves they are happy doing it and that's "just life".
Today was about milling timber. Ayres had booked Adrian and his 'Wood-Mizer' and we processed 13 or so logs. What surprised me was how little usable timber is milled from one tree.
Got a good amount of practice reversing with a trailer which is invaluable when you own a caravan.
By 17:30 i was very tired. Slept soundly in the knowledge no alarm waited to disturb my restful slumber.

M Jones

Gone The Other Way - Tuesday 31/08/10

So far a week of fantastic weather. All good for building. Tinkering with the foundations of the timber post. The aim is to get them level, which will make life easier rather than being a necessity. Andy, another plot holder, has gone the other way and not bothered, electing to cut each timber. Steady progress.

M Jones