saturday 25th july - hard work, tea breaks & getting to know the neighbours

See also below.

And despite the ban on singing The Smiths, a very good day....

..... with the added pleasure of a fry-up, saying goodbye to 'Treasure' (the neighbourhood kids' very dead goldfish) and a couple of pints.

marike

Saturday 25th July - Refurb Open.

Saturday - Nancy, Alison, Marike, Mark, Chris and Paul graft away on the painting of number 10. Magnolia walls, white ceilings, eggshell woodwork, combine with the remnants of pale blue woodwork from the previous occupants to produce a 'beachcomber' look - there is a brief discussion on the merits of this look before it is obliterated under a fresh tide of paint. There is some discussion as to the level of care required - eventually a consensus is reached that it should be done to a (adopts a Lily Savage accent) 'fook it! thar'll do!' Plus One standard.

A very productive day.

tuesday and wednesday

tuesday paul pat and chris all day
wednesday paul and chris all day, ray (am) and pat (pm).
development committee meeting tonight.
see you saturday my dayjob peoples...

Saturday 18th

With strong determination I went down to Sumner House and got stuck in prepping walls and window frames, and hulked into a demon with a paint roller & brush...
In the end it was just Chris, Johnny, Alison, Marike & me ..It's not enough...This message goes out to ALL phoenix members...those of you who haven't helped thus far PLEASE get involved!!...we are doing this for us...if you can spare just a couple of hours we can turn this refurb project around....Please help!xx


Ray

I cannot stress enough how much I have become empowered through learning skills (like rendering and plastering) has added to my skillset. We have under 8 weeks to go to finish 3 flats. time is tight. Money is tight. Geting down to site to help complete this project has been challenging for those who juggle this with their own paid work. The rewards are and will be great when it is completed. I for one will do everything I can to promote, work on the project and get my own work completed in time to see this through. If you're reading this I hope you feel the same way.



Ray

Come on, all!

Workers of the coop - UNITE!

In Sumner House

Plastering, plumbing, painting

And if you can't do the weekdays - Saturday 18th & 25th July are you chance to help.

Monday 6th July - rendering

1:6 - cement:sand. oh, and some water. And lots of patience from Chris, an excellent teacher, trying to explain, yet again, how to attend to those walls - how to make them smooth, how to deal with corners, how to avoid the mixture dropping on the floor.

He had to put up with all the Dutch swearing
also. The frustration but mostly pleasure of learning a new skill - with unfortunately neither enough time nor talent to learn it properly. Yet.

Rendering of flat 5 completed-with a start in flat 10.

Very little to do with my half-day of clumsy, enthusiastic efforts. Even so, it feels it mattered.....

Also this Monday - the Development Committee exploring the possibility of other self-refurb project. To be continued....

marike

Saturday Openings - Come On Down.

Chris will be opening up the refurb on 2 days on the weekend so that people who work in the week can make their mark - those days are Saturday 18th July and Saturday 25th July. If either of these are the only days you can make it then please Come On Down, skilled or unskilled what matters is that we are in this together. Please tell everyone you meet in the co-op about these days, lots of things still need doing on the 3 remaining flats.

If you want to come in just phone up Chris Bridges (07973383430) and let us know.
See You There.

The Site Office has now moved to 5 Sumner House.Today, Pat and Tony got on with replacing the skirting boards in 10 Sumner, while Paul did his first plumbing in copper using solder, flux and a blowtorch (end feed technique) under Chris's expert supervision. Monday - Alison (on her day off!!!)and Marike will be in.