I’d noticed they’d had a 10% off day, and had spoken to the guy on the other end of the phone, and had checked they had a thicknesser to my desired specification in stock. It amounted to a saving of about £35, so it was worth making the effort. Kim had scoffed at the idea of buying one, for various reasons, and I had planned to make a contribution to the project, and this was, in effect, my contribution spent the way I wanted.

When I got to the shop, I’d forgotten that the 10% day was for the Saturday. Damn, I thought, but being determined, I exaggerated slightly by saying that I’d be 50 miles away the following day. I also asked whether I had, considering our previous correspondence, any possibility of reaping the benefits of the offer there and then. Miraculously they agreed and loaded the huge box into my estate car.

Woohoo – big power tool purchase. Ah, the thrill of man-shopping.

However, my chance to play with my purchase was scuppered, because once I got onto the site, and lugged the generator up to the longhall, I found out that there weren’t any power cables to connect the generator to my tool. A good thing really as I was there on my own, and using a power tool has, no matter how small, some degree of risk, and should anything happen to me, I’d have been in big trouble. A case of “Deus ex machine” or not, as it turned out. In spite of myself, I was safe.

So, feeling somewhat frustrated, I got my bird’s head carving and worked on it by hand instead of the arbortech power carver I’d intended to use.

Lunch and a bit of reading at the local pub was followed by a bit more mooching around the site, feeling that it had all been a bit of a waste of time, then it was off to wait at the scout hall for the key. Tony, the site caretaker was there instead, and gave me the key instead. They’d recently painted the scout hall and it reeked a bit, but it certainly looked a bit better than it had done.

Aly soon turned up, so we went shopping at ASDA’s where I arranged the purchase of the dinner I was going to prepare the following night. Not what I’d consider a pleasant experience, shopping with the masses especially a Wychurst shop to boot. But it seemed the best use of time. When I got back, Kim and a few others were waiting outside.

Cue the usual setup, and socialising in the scout hall. We didn’t go to the longhall and we all got to bed late and speaking for myself, got a crap night’s sleep what with numerous snorers. Unfortunately my car was full of tools, so I couldn’t dive in there, so I was trapped.

Saturday was a bit weird, with the site “foreman” Kevin being on site due to being ill. But we survived, and cracked on with our jobs. Ian turned up and helped me thickness a dozen planks for future use on the “posh” gable end. It’s not really that posh, but it’s the side the public see, so it was worth making the extra effort. Besides I was fed up with rebating twisted and cupped planks. Ian started sourcing timber for small window frame. And began construction while I continued preparing the planks.
And that was pretty much it! I stopped work early to prepare team which was (if I do say so myself) was well received and seconds were sought. Cheryl sorted pudding (a luxury I think which financially speaking we could do without!) and it was off to the longhall for much drinking and merriment.

Oh yes – the timber was reorganised – not to my satisfaction as it was piled up onto the palisade. It’ll all have to come off to level the walkway, but it wont be me doing it. I managed to sort a few dozen planks, and move it across to the ploughed field, where it could be piled into various sizes, but my plan got interfered with, so I washed my hands of that responsibility thereafter. So there! Hurrumph!

Sunday was more of the same, and seeing as I got there early, I left the site after lunchtime, hoping for a good night’s sleep.

Not an entirely satisfactory weekend – a learning experience I suppose, on many different levels. But any Wychurst Working Weekend you can walk away from, is a good one.