Day 2 - Let The Games Begin

With no hot water, we awoke, and dressed in view to speak with the boss. She suddenly appeared at the house to check we were still alive, and went on to assure us the water should be hot from the taps. We breathed a sign of relief, but gasped when we were told the boiler was broken.

However, about two hours later, she returned, realising she'd placed a plastic back over the out pipe to keep the cold out recently.

Our gasps again turned to relief.

I showered, and on exiting, I shivered (the shiver theme is becoming consistent I think!) as I stepped back onto the ice cold stone floor. I could see my breath in the bitter air, as was the case elsewhere in the building, but I told myself it was only like being a child before we had central heating.

Next on the agenda was shopping - for another form of heating - a gas burner. We'd be buying it, along with the gas to run it.

On return, the first task was to cover the roof on the 'wagon' - a beautiful old railway wagon converted into accommodation, and containing a stove from about 1850 a double bed and a desk.

The roof covering had blown off whilst Angelika was away, and with expected snow, we needed to protect it. Initially Angelika wanted the roof put back on, but I showed how even with the strength of an ox we 3 stood no chance of lifting it up onto the roof of the wagon and instead suggested some plastic or tarpaulin.

Angelika agreed, and quickly appeared with some, along with some rope. A ladder was found in the old office some distance from the wagon, which I dragged over, and laid up against the woodwork of the old carriage. I scaled it and sat on the roof, whilst it wavered in the wind.

Terrified of crashing through and onto the stove below, I stayed very still, and slowly dragged the plastic up and down the other side. We then lashed it down using the knots my Dad taught me when I was 11 (wow, the old lasso knot is still so good!), and I was pleased to have controlled the situation well. I think Angelika was pleased too.

Twinkle helped where she could but also spent some time collected sticks for the fire with Rhett.

It was a beautiful picture.

That night, the snow came - about 12 inches of the white stuff covering everything in a beautiful carpet of purity. We'd covered the roof just in time, and indeed, had arrived just in time - 24 hours later, and we'd have been stuck in the snow somewhere down the track.