Millbrooker Towers Makeover

Well, not exactly. Just over halfway up what we refer to as our "garden" is a very expensive shed. The garden is a hundred and forty foot long and about three inches wide and the palatial sized shed takes up a fair amount of room, being 18' by 12'.

We call it "The Rathaus", after the German for Town Hall. We had it built six or so years ago; it's double glazed and insulated. Since its construction it's served as office, children's sleep-over accommodation, spare bedroom, bird watching hide, library, general dumping ground for all the detritus that every household seems to build up (but ours more than most)...

When it was first erected the chap who did the job painted it with wood preservative in a silvery "birch" colour. A couple of years ago I repainted it with completely the wrong stuff and it turned blue. The colour was intentional, but the poor old Rathaus didn't get all the weather protection it deserved.

Now, though, Mrs The Millbrooker and I have been putting things right; we've worked hard and we ache in all sorts of places that shouldn't ache at all. And the Rathaus is now a glorious shade of sage green with holly green window frames.

All that's left to do now is a second coat (more aching coming up), laying a soil pipe through the garden, burying the electricity cables between the house and the Rathaus, plumbing in a loo and wash basin and perhaps a shower and we've got some cracking extra guest accommodation. You never know it might actually get done this year. Then again, on past record...

All this activity goes some way toward explaining the shortage of postings over the last few days. Thing is, I think I'm better at blogging than at do-it-yourself. A bit like I'm far more skillful at being on holiday than I am at working.