Wow. That is very interesting. The house in which I used to live on Malmesbury Road narrowly avoided a bomb, and even where I am now up off Winchester Road there was bombing not too far away. That's a hell of a lot of bombs in one day!
Indeed - that was just two nights, as well. One of my customers lives a very nice semi on Malmesbury Road where there is a big gap in the terraces caused by one of those red dots. Another customer has different bricks on the front corner of the house where one of those dots took out the corner of the house. Hard to believe it all happened in my Dad's lifetime. Then again, he was in an RAF bomber going the other way to dish out the same thing. No way to resolve problems, is it? Vin
This house used to be half of a semi detached until Herman Goering remodelled it: http://tinyurl.com/jdpq8qx V
They really do come up beautifully. Planed, sanded, stained and varnished, no-one would ever believe they were used by builders for a few years. The use gives them a gorgeous patina. I buy 3.9m boards from the Southampton Wood Recycling Project off High Street, though when I buy enough for the office it'll be elsewhere (probably ebay). I've threatened a coffee table but I'm awaiting design ideas from Mrs Vin. Curved roof beams sound like a step too far for me. Mine's going to be a joist framed cuboid with the boards hung on the outside, 150mm insulation and plastered inside. The plan is to run the business from it so I'll have an employee working in there with me eventually - I want it very well insulated and it needs to look like a workplace. Windows and french doors reclaimed double glazing units painted grey, 5 deg pitched roof, lots of different stains on the wood. I'm tonguing and grooving the boards with my router; still debating whether to run them through the thicknesser beforehand. I'm planning on putting down a concrete base in a fortnight at which time I'll be rather committed to the project. Vin
Don't worry Ides. You did say "when the weather gets better." I was just saying that it's still fun even in the most appalling weather(as long as it's safe).
We need some of the rain that has been falling on the UK for much of the winter! It has rained twice since the beginning of November, neither amounted to much.
Just returned from a cream tea....given to me as a Christmas present. Sandwiches, scones and cakes at the Essex (lovely old restaurant in Godshill). The building's history dates back a 1000 years and was named after the Earl of Essex who visited whilst planning against the Spanish. Queen Victoria used to take her tea there....good enough for her, good enough for me.
We had a cream tea in Godshill a few years ago but think it may have been in The Old Smithy. Love cream teas
Old Smithy does good teas...massive cakes. I have another cream tea to have at the Ventnor gardens. People know the way to my heart......so does cholesterol.
I have just got home from the Nuffield having seen the SUP's production of A Midsummer Night's Dream which was superb. If you have the time go and see it.
Not seen this production, but I do like the Nuffield as a theatre. The intimacy and cosiness that it has makes a production very immediate and vital. A Midsummer Night's Dream would be perfect for it, though I've always tended to see Shakespeare in the open air for some reason. Just gone that way. Among those I can recall off-hand there was a delightful AMsND at Netley Abbey, under the trees, during midsummer of course. An actual tearful Romeo & Juliet at Montisfont Abbey, and a hilarious Twelfth Night at The Minack Theatre in Cornwall [though the whisky helped]. Yes, I've seen several productions indoors, but Shakespeare really works well outside with a great backdrop. The last show I saw at the Nuffield was a one-man play on Sherlock Holmes which lasted for 2 hours and felt like 20 minutes, it was that good. Might give your production a go, St.G.
I saw As You Like It in the pouring rain outside in Ireland 3/4 years back. Excellent apart from trying to stop the rain getting into my wine.
