It looks a little rough, but the two ceilings are now fully joined.
A full coat of plaster is next. I have to admit to some nervousness; I’ve not previously undertaken such a larce ceiling.
After submitting meter readings a few days, we’ve received a new energy bill. The previous readings/bill had reduced our monthly electricity and gas costs to just £34. While it was clear that the new stove would have reduced our energy costs, we realised that a drop from £120 a month was unrealistic.
So, I’d intended to pay above the £34 to avoid a sharp increase after another winter. However, that didn’t happen, and so I’m now faced with another change in payments. A drop to £25 a month.
Taking into the cost of firewood, that means our last year’s energy costs have been an impressive £618. Better still, taking into account the new decrease, that could be around £510 for the next year.
Pre-stoves, our annual costs were around £1,440. Which gives us a saving of at least £798 over the past year. I’d not actually anticipated saving anything overall, so this is a nice bonus.
Of course, this has been a mild winter, so we`ve needed only six tons to firewood. But it does mean that the new stove has already paid for itself.
And, since wood is a carbon neutral fuel, our environmental impact is looking pretty good.
An important discovery was made in Ouseburn last night.
Erdinger Schneeweisse; I’d never heard of the stuff and only stumbled across it in the Cluny. I had to resort to the website to learn more.
Unfortunately, though, it’s a seasonal beer which will soon be unavailable until winter.
I once cycled from Stockton to Washington. It hurt a bit.
An essential stop-off when legs went all wobbly was Wingate. I’d never been before and have only been there once since.
When seeking calories, we found a cafe. The coffee was great and the crisps were … well, crisps.
The place was amazing; a plastic fronted cafe with gorgeous victorian/edwardian booths. Long, narrow tables and mirrors. Ok, so there was a little bit of graffitti. But the place was gorgeous.
A few years later, I heard that the owner had died and his son wasn’t interested in taking over the business.
This afternoon though, in the Euston Tap, I came across a man from Winton (who now lives in Camden). We had an excellent conversation about the old cafe, which sadly is no more.
Now, in my post train state, I can reflect on a nice conversation. And wonder about the fate of the gorgeous booths of the cafe. I can’t imagine. I heard that landfill might have been involved.
I’d have bought the lot.
Today could have ootentially started badly. Fortunately,though, I only needed a pee on arrival at Central Station.
After work stuff, there was a visit to the Euston Tap. After a couple of nice pints (no pictures were taken), there was the Dolphin. And another couple of pints.
Oh, and more toilet issues.
Yesterday involved: Station East, The Central, The Bridge Hotel, The Box Social, The Union Rooms, Wylam Brewery, The Town Mouse and The Hospur.
A pleasant afternoon.
My second in command has made a rather excellent purchase; a new axe. It’s much bigger than the old one; a lot heavier too, but also much more effective. It handles the huge knotty lumps which I used to put aside for the larger stove.
This will probably be the last wood cutting session before next Autumn, though it would probably be a good idea to do such things through the Summer.
It only exists as a prototype right now, but the GPD Pocket is moving towards reality. The crowdfunding target was $200,000, but contributions are around $2.1M right now, with over a month still left.
They ship around June, so there shouldn’t be a huge wait.
It all happened so fast. The thought that those look like Suzy’s legs ran through my mind before I could get my phone out of my pocket and switch to video.
Anyway, my second in command very bravely zipwired across the Tyne.
From the top of the Baltic – you can just make out the cables.
Apparently, she needed a nudge to leave the roof.