Patio done.

Finished the shed patio last weekend. Here's a piccie before the bench went on.

This weekend ( a long public holiday for the Queens jubilee) I will back to working on the house laying a new floor in the hallway. But after that it's solid shed time!

What every shed needs...

... is a patio!

How many times have you been feverishly working away and realised you need to get away from the project for a minute to collect yourself. Can't see the problem for looking is an all to common occurrence for me so I figured what was called for was a calm piece of Eden where I could slow down, relax and contemplate the next stage.

Just outside my shed is a scrap of land not fit for a much and filled with junk plants and mess.

Hour or two with a spade, pick and wrecking bar and you get this.

Next it's Mr Shovel and we're almost ready to lay the concrete base...

... Bit of shuttering to square things up and 10 mixes later...

I've got some leftover paving from the courtyard I built at the back of the house which I'll lay this weekend (if it stays dry!). Add a bench-cum-table and hey presto! My very own 'chill space'.

Cool.

Wood burner is moving on a pace

First job was to smack a bloody great hole in the shed floor. That way I can concrete the stove into place and be sure she won't move.

 Wood burner in place and time to trial the flu pipe. Obviously plug socket (and other electrics!) and chalk board will need to be re-situated, but for now, things are looking good.

Here's a closer look.

Tidy!

"We are not retreating. We are advancing in a different direction!"

I have already eluded to the Plan, well now I shall put a little meat on the bones. The Plan has three phases, each one must be completed fully before the next can be begun. Phase one is a complete re-fit of the shed and is already under way. To complete phase one I need to;

• add heating
• build cupboarded shelving
• move and sort electrics
• replace doors
• fit out with welder & compressor

I've given myself until October to do all this and things are going well so far. Heating is well under way as you can see from the pictures below. A modified gas cylinder will form the fire place and a flu pipe will carry the fumes outside. The pictures are of the preping and painting of the fire place. I'm away this coming weekend, so little will change, but afterwards I expect to fix the cylinder permanently to the floor before adding the flu pipe. Will keep you posted.