Painting the cottage…

Thank goodness, the rain held off just long enough for me to get the ladders out and finish painting the dormer window of the cottage in Wales. I know the name Meifod means Halfway House in Welsh but a half- painted house does look a bit odd and a large patch has been left unpainted since the summer holiday when the rain set in and decided to stay. Today has been the first day since then that we have been here and it’s been dry enough or not too windy to paint. So, spotting the opportunity, I got up onto the roof with my paint pots, brushes, and my heart firmly positioned in my mouth.

I’m not very good on ladders, I tend to forget I’m up one. I have been known to step back to admire my work leading to a short ungainly flight… well at least I’ve never been seriously injured. The dormers on the cottage are awkward; you can’t reach them with an ordinary ladder or even a roof ladder. A sky hook would do the job if only they existed but the twelve-way adjustable I bought off the internet for £90 - with free next day delivery - worked brilliantly. Even so, the sides of the dormer proved to be almost unobtainable and I had to climb out to the very last rung and lie on the slates to reach the furthest corner stretched out like some lunatic waiting for the moonlight. I managed it though, despite the trembling hands, the cold sweat, dizziness and general scaredy-catness - slow work but I managed it.

Holly and Gaynor both stood on the ladder while I was up there being brave. Holly at the top, Gaynor at the bottom, keeping me safe, making sure the ladders couldn’t move with my not inconsequential weight on them. We managed without mishap… although at one point the ladders did move, well I knew I was on the edge of safe practice, and Gaynor rushed to the rescue to stabilise them, catching me just in time before I had the opportunity to fly.

So, that’s that, cottage painted – apart from the chimney and that can wait until the spring. It was a real team effort with all three of us involved. Holly painted the front wall almost single handed and Gaynor did most of the front whilst I did the back and the ladder work. Ten years ago I’d have done it in three-quarters of the time, twenty years ago about half that. Time is in so many ways an unwelcome travelling companion, but it seems that I CAN still do things despite my age and back, so I’m quite pleased with myself.

Mr Winter can come now. His rain and sleet can pound the walls and the wind that he whips can blow as hard as he likes. The double glazing is in and the walls are painted so he can do his worst – and he will, believe me, he will – sometimes he travels on the back of eighty miles an hour winds, booming and crashing against our tiny cottage.

Yes, Mr Winter can come now. After all, I still have the inside of our cottage left to paint.