Feathering the nest...

To Cumbria, for an early Easter break and a little further progress on the refurbishment of our front room.

It was a time of baby lambs, huge banks of gorse in bloom and lovely evening light before sunset.

We took with us a tiled hearth, constructed by my husband, and bought a small electric stove to stand on it.  We ordered carpet and waited for it to be fitted.  And we located a "new" gate-leg table to replace the frankly ancient one we inherited from my mother. 

This is a real find: a solid oak table with a lovely golden sheen to it.  We spotted it in the front window of an organisation run by Age UK called "Men in Sheds".  The notion of this is that they take in items for repair or updating, and it provides an activity for the older male.  I was amused to see a poster in the window advertising a "Women in Sheds" group, which is apparently well-attended.  West Cumbria has an unsophisticated line on gender diversity.

Our table has yet to be refinished - we did take some steel wool to a couple of minor cigarette burns on the surface, and there are some pale water marks.  But this was a bargain at £35.

Later, we made a trip to the Honister slate quarry, to pick over their spoil heap.  This has the notice "Fill ya boot - £20".  We were looking for some polished off-cuts for my husband to use in the fire surround he is planning for our front room.  We did not fill our boot, partly because some of these pieces must weigh a ton.

While there, I watched as a workman demonstrated riving slate with a chisel.

Notice how a crack has appeared.

And then the slate splits.

He was wearing steel toe-capped boots, probably wisely.