The ceiling was the item of opportunity today, Kim said he'd more than happily help and that he would call in the morning Monday. That he did at about 10:15 and announced he was bound with his mum to the market in Lignieres, did we need anything.
No was the answer, what I needed was HIM...ceiling disposal is a major task, hard work, dirty and difficult. I gathered a rake, two shovels, a hoe and a 15lb breaker bar for the task. The ceiling was, in my estimation, barely hanging on to the lath so would take little in the way of urging to break loose and fall to the ground. I started at about 10am and had half of it off and onto the floor an hour later, about the time Kim arrived. I really welcomed his help, the dust, the grit in the eyes were all difficult to deal with. He tore into the remaing parts like a demon possessed, wow! The lath, plaster, horsehair and ages of dirt and seed...SEED! Yes, seed, sveral hundred pounds of either wheat or oat seed, sans bag to help ID it, but yes, SEED! Down it all fell, oh what a mess. Within an hour we were deep into the dirty, gritty mess and looked just like it despite out eye protection googles, ther face masks and helmets. What amess. Only one broken window and I did that myself.
One slip. Gasp! I coughed up crap for an hour afterwards even though we wore masks.
The beams are now exposed, 6X6 roughly, oak, old oak, whole limbs. Some rot but not bad. Tomorrow I'll pressure wash them to rid us of the dirt and grit as well as the spider webs. In a few days I'll seal them witha poison product that kills the beetles that infest them most of the time. Then comes the tiling and painting.
Goodnight all,
H
