Fun with Scaffolding
Cups of tea up here…
When you must have scaffolding up, looked at in a certain way (albeit perhaps a peculiar one) it can be an unexpected source of joy and fun.
And up here too…
Dinners on the lower level, still a jump up from the back porch
We had it on good authority that most people view scaffold simply as an unsightly pain, counting down the days until its removal at the earliest possible opportunity. Admittedly scaffolding is never going to win a glamour competition. But in our view, it was a temporary extension, providing welcome additional space to the house renovations make a small space feel tiny. It’s not cheap either - so why not make the most of it? I enjoyed many a quiet cup of tea in the morning, benefiting from the height to watch the gulls at close range, hear the chirping of sparrows at gutter level, witness a jackdaw between the chimney pots startled at my nearness. We had quite a few al fresco dinners, on the level slightly above our kitchen, looking down into our yard and those of our neighbours.
Lest we get too comfy in our fold up camping chairs, overly accustomed to climbing ladders to eat and drink - views over our yard full of building materials and the sight of our detached back stairs (lovingly rebuilt by John but now temporarily out of a job and leading nowhere) remind us this is very much a work in progress.
The best and pinnacle of our use of the scaffold was champagne brunch with our lovely decorator, a joint celebration of a personal milestone achievement of hers and our exterior being (nearly) finished - a last hurrah before letting the scaffolders know we were ready for it to go.
Scaffold Celebration Brunch
Blinis, smoked salmon, homemade dill pickles/gherkins
Sauerkraut and herb potato salad topped with sautéed chorizo (see eat me/drink me for recipe)
Strawberries and apricots in brandy with coconut cream
English rose champagne
A few thoughts from the last opportunity to enjoy this space - before work catching a bit of a breeze on a sweltering muggy day without a movement of air inside, even with windows and doors wide open. My neighbour hanging out her washing - that will be one consolation for me when the scaffolding is gone and my back yard set to rights, I can once again get my washing out on the line and take advantage of solar power in these times of soaring energy costs. And get to the yard down the stairs instead of through the side alley. Two consolations. My paradise house has a washing line in the garden AND a just-added-to-the plans balcony. :)
Our new lovely colours - all done!
June-July 2022
