Scaffolding arrived this morning. At 7:45. I had, still have, mixed feelings about it though. I’m pleased about finally making a start on the front wall. But my fear of heights has been getting the better of me.

I mean, even you can’t see the top in this picture, you can see that it’s pretty high.

And, while it made me shake a little, the view’s nice.

Strange. ‘Dead cat’ didn’t turn up anything on the Gateshead Council web page. But after digging around a while, I found it under spillages.

There’s a cat under the car. It’s a little dead.

Breaking Bad series five is rather good you know.

I decided against the old film, so feel quite pleased that I’ve managed to motivate myself to remove old mortar. Well, some of it. I’d guess I’ve removed around a quarter, from ground level. The remaining three quarters may be something of a challenge.

I’ve been reading-up on pointing stonework and it seems that the surveyor’s report (of nine years ago) was right. The protruding mortar, while decorative, was allowing water to settle and:
1. Collect behind the surface mortar
2. Erode the face of the stone

So I’m trying to convince myself that I’m doing the right thing. Despite finding things like this.

I can almost fit my hand inside that hole. Worse, there appears to be a cavity of sorts. Fortunately, it doesn’t seem as bad as the one I found in the rear wall a couple of years ago.

I’m now sitting in the sunshine in the garden, with a well earned beer. The strawberries are doing well, to the extent that I needed to hunt out another couple of old recycling bins to cope with the shoots. So we should have lots next summer.

Our strawberry containers now represent a large part of the northeast; Sunderland, Stockton and Gateshead. I’ll possibly have to source from other areas now.

After finishing some work I’d brought home to clear-up, and having something quick to eat, I started to dig out some tools I’d need to begin digging out old mortar (to speed-up next week’s pointing). But then an old film started on TV. Now pondering.

I must say, I’m really impressed with Wickes. The discount for buying in bulk, the calls to arrange delivery and the fast delivery itself weren’t expected. They even dropped the pallet right outside the house.

It’s all packed away now, just need a few bags of yellow sand.

Hope I don’t regret this!

Series (as opposed to season) five of Breaking Bad. Definitely a good thing, since I’ve just worked my way through the fourth series.

Rather less pleasing is the apparent failure of the three network. I have an iPhone and wifi, so aren’t exactly cut off. But Wickes may have a problem communicating with me to arrange a delivery time for the huge amount of sand and cement I’ve ordered.