Muckin' O' Geordie's Byre

Having put up a picture of part of a room in the byre yesterday I thought I'd post one showing the size of it. The top picture is the byre just over a year ago and the bottom one is today. 3M very kindly let me spend money on having the old asbestos roof replaced. This allowed for transparent panels to let more light in and a Velux balcony window at the right hand side. Unfortunately, we had to remove the chimney on the lower part as it was only supported by four bricks. Did I want a chimney there? Yes. Could I afford to have it rebuilt? Sigh ….. no.

The lower section nearest the camera (where yesterdays picture was taken) was tacked on in the 1920s but overall it is big. So much room in there we haven't got a plan of what to do. Some people have suggested that we convert it for holiday lets to which my response is “No! Mine! My preciousssss”. As there's a kitchen and a sitting room (as with the other rooms a lot of work needed) I've suggested that 3M has a weekly knitting group in there (she is a good knitter). But the common denominator is, of course, money. Oh, and the fact that I have almost zero skills when it comes to building work.

Those that did woodwork at school ITOD* may well have created a wooden pencil box. You know, the one where the lid had a diagonal cut to close a swivelled lid. Well, my lid just went round and round ….. and round. Until last year I'd never even been able to cut a piece of wood straight. I have improved a little bit since then thanks to the advice of the terrific builders we've had but, nevertheless, to create what I have in my head is beyond my capabilities. One of the things I will be attempting is putting a platform in at the right hand side of the byre where the Velux window is which will give a view to the Butt of Lewis and, when there's a clear night (and the street lights are out), the opportunity to sit and stare at the stars.

The other thing thing is at the bottom right of the byre is the old chicken house. I am determined to re-roof that and make it a chicken house again. And I'm going to make and replace all the doors except the large barn doors that can't be seen here.

Go on, ask me. If you had the skills and money what would you do with the Byre? Well, thank you for asking. If I had the skills and money I would build …. a recording studio. In the largest part, which is 12Mx7M. I can dream, can't I?

If you've read this far, thank you for your patience.

*In The Old Days