30 Days to build a Bookshop: Day 24 & 25

We have a ceiling, we have working internet, we have lights again. It’s been a helluva couple of days.

First up is the ceiling, Gary framed the back end of the shop and then re-enforced the timber frame that had been hiding behind the old ceiling. He had a nail gun and lasers and all kinds of cool kit.  I wish I could say *we* did this but it’s intensely skilled work and I was mainly passing balls of string or spirit levels.

Gary brought in a huge bit of scaffolding that just gets rolled around depending on where we’re working. I did get to carry all the wood in off the van and into the shop so on Thursday night I dreamt I was Michael Landon. Friday he secured the plasterboard to the ceiling and wired three of the lights in. I had a go with Gary’s sander to prepare the entrance board to be repainted.

Openreach had to come back again as the internet still wasn’t working. They said there was a complicated problem where my phone was coming from one box and my internet was coming from another one but the third visit was a charm and now we can listen to all the Springsteen we like.

Had some sweet things happen, Conrad sent us a postcard from his holiday and that was the first piece of fun mail I’ve received at the shop., Rona who loves round the corner and went dog tracking with me made homemade madeleines and Tom sent some delicious sparkling mead from Gosnells of London. 

On the way home tonight we popped to b&q to pick up MDF, Sheetrock, rollers and paint so I think things are really going to start flying now. Fingers crossed.

5 Days to go…