Truss weekend

The weekend proved to be:

1. Really really really really really windy on Saturday
2. Productive, fun, tiring

Jim & Lil came to stay this weekend so we had great company. On Saturday morning James P had offered himself as an early starter so he and Jaimin met on site at 7.15. The first few trusses took a while and were massively hampered by the wind blowing the apex string off center, which proved impossible to resolve despite spending a lot of time on.

At around 10.30, Jim arrived and after a brief "handover" with James, got properly stuck in. The wind battered them all day, with grit in the eyes being a major issue. 

Jim the joiner - scary fella

 Jaimin's new Makita cordless impact driver was on show, and proved to be an excellent tool helping to make the structural wood screws sit flush in the newly made double trusses. The girls and children delivered an exemplary lunch (best soup ever, according to Lil) to refuel the boys, and Lucy even did some impact driving!

Lil & Finn, just chillin'

Jack hiding from the wind

Lucy teaching Jaimin how to use the impact driver

Saturday ended with making the final double, then heading (wind blown and tired) home.

Sunday was a more reasonable start - 10 am - and included Jimmy as well! Good teamwork meant that the faff of un-securing, laying down, sliding, lifting and re-securing trusses to the east gable, to allow us to restart the main line of trusses in order, was efficient. By the time the lunch delivery arrived with the families they were all done.

Having braced the internal side of the rafters with angled sarking, we downed tools to have a picnic, and less than 5 minutes later a proper shower came through forcing us in to the barn for lunch! At least we had a view.

Truss erection done

Heavy shower, retreat to the barn...

After lunch we headed up the hill to explore the fishing loch behind the plot which we've known about but never visited. A beautiful little place, perfect for a stroll and a sunny afternoon and made even more fun by some old stone ruins nearby for the kids to play on/in.

The ruins are in the background.

A phenomenal effort from Mr Lusty, transforming himself in to Jim the Joiner within minutes of arrival. His name is added to the list of contributors that will be "etched in to the fabric" of the cottage. Thanks Jim!