Floor four

Jim has achieved amazing results today with most of the new joists in place, and a lot more solid that the old ones were, in many ways. Whereas the old ones were each in two pieces, Jim has managed to get the new ones in full length.

This is possible because he hasn't gone right into the pockets in the original brickwork - an additional precaution against lurking dry rot. Instead of being supported on one row of rather wobbly brick piers, they now have two rows of concrete blocks. And unlike before, they have noggins holding them rigid as well. Finally, they're screwed rather than nailed together. A very sturdy base for the Douglas fir floorboards we went to Hull to order yesterday.

And while Jim was doing all that, my friend Lyn and I took Ricky for a walk in the Rivelin Valley.