16. Taking stock

It's been very cold here for a good few weeks, this is apparently quite unusual. We now know we need to be more organised, we're determined to try to have a year's wood supply all ready for next winter. The fire is burning all day at the moment, without it life would be pretty miserable so we're getting through the wood at an alarming rate. I'm surprised we've managed to keep as warm as we have considering our only source of heat is the log burner. Obviously it helps with living in one room and it being partially insulated. It does drop cold at night though, Tabby has taken to getting under the duvet with us and Rich keeps his woolly hat on.

We went across on our boat today as it was calm, to pick some more concrete blocks and a few more bits from the car. We also took the step ladder which was still on the roof rack. Instead of heading straight back we went up the loch a bit in the boat, very beautiful but bitterly cold. There are so many contrasts here which really help you appreciate the simple things. It's hard work pulling the boat into the water particularly when it's low tide, the concrete blocks are very heavy, then unloading and pulling the boat up all take great effort. By the time we get back we're aching and very cold but then the fire is lit, we boil the kettle and make a cuppa and you feel wonderful, a lovely warm contentment flows through you. It's very elemental here, the rain which has been falling as hail batters down onto the tin roof, the wind brings us our electricity so it's always welcome (as long as it's below 40mph and we haven't planned to go out on the boat!) We still get a sense of joy when we see our wind turbine going round and because we haven't got a limitless supply of electricity we're much more careful about how we use it. So all in all life is good, I love this adventure we're on and am very thankful that we're here.

In my next blog I plan to share photos of the inside of the house and then post more as we progress. I'm determined that even if 2018 isn't going to see it finished we'll be over halfway and I'm really hoping we'll have a bathroom.