Aerial View

 Drone shot, as we stand. Doesn't look such a big job does it?

Access

The news we've been waiting for has arrived: we have been given a license to build our access road. We're very very very pleased.

We can now start the real work. Thanks to all who lobbied the Town Council, attended countless zoom meetings, encouraged us, supported us and cajoled us.

Onward

Falling Down

Builder Paul has been well busy making use of the recent dry weather. The arches on the front section were degrading very quickly, and likely to collapse completely over another winter. We really like the job he's made of fixing them up.

..but why all the props, you ask? Well, I'll tell you why. The whole edifice is falling down, that's why.

Our engineer is so concerned about movement of the lower section, and the unsupported upper section, that we're not allowed to approach it. We've also had to prop it up temporarily. Without an access road over which the necessary building waste could be removed, to allow proper setting out of the footings for steel work that would hold the whole thing up, we are faced with constant worry every time the wind blows from east or west. This all means that despite gaining verbal permission for the access road LAST AUGUST, the constant delays have meant that our project is likely to end up as a pile of rubble before we even get started. I really can't thank those concerned enough for the past year (and still counting) which none of us will ever get back. I sincerely hope it was worth your trouble.

In happier news, Paul has begun shoring up the walls of what will eventually become my shed.

Say what you like about our Paul, but he can certainly chuck bricks together.

Onward.

Graveyard whomp

 You see piles of dead brambles, wood, masonry and general rubbish...

..I see piles of dead brambles, wood, masonry and general rubbish AND A CLEARED GRAVEYARD.

I know this doesn't look like much, but I can testify it was a hard day. More to come, no doubt, but absolutely worth it.

Getting wet

 Progress in today's rain has been impressive, I hear. Not going there myself, someone has to man this desk :)

Main steps are now straight:

Some more graves have been un-brambled..

Builder Paul in his full rain-protection gear:

We'll be spending the coming weekend clearing brambles from the rest of the graves on the south side. And dodging showers of course.

Graveyard stomp

Builder is busy with the many lumps of stone left over from clearing and tidying the graveyard. Here's a sample of his work:

An excellent picnic spot in times to come, I'm sure you'll agree

Transformations

 Bit of wall repair has happened. Actually, a lot.

When this:

..becomes this:

You start to feel like this could all be really nice when it's finished.