Sunday 22 September 2013

anniversaries of the heart

I am back - Superstar Tea Cosy had her time in the spotlight and it is time for her to start behaving whilst I regain control of my blog!
 
In a way, her help was appreciated, as this last week was the 6 month anniversary of the arson attack which forever changed the course of Hanworth House
 
 
So I thought maybe it was a good time to have a look back at the last  6 months (with 10 months to go until HH's 150th birthday)
 
 
Remember the house had been in renovation for about 4 months - many rooms were all but finished
 
 
some bedrooms were complete with linen
 
 
This was the view of the dining room at 6pm when I locked up the house 
 
 
This was that fateful night just after midnight 19 March
 
 
and when the firemen left, this is what remained




But over the last months, progress has been slow as insurers argued, bureaucracy took over and we did what we could to save the grand lady from the passage of time and decay


 
I miss my lecturn
 
 
 
But lots of things helped as the passage of time seemed to pass so slowly

 
Lots of frogs

 
Words of inspiration
 

 
 

Champagne and (I hate to admit it) the presence of STC (Superstar Tea Cosy)
 
 
Fridays at Four
 

Local media
 

Friends
 
 
 
The greatest of teams
 
 
 and pink hard hats
 
 
This image still stands as the most poignant - the roses given to me by Mr HH a few hours before surviving as a graphic reminder of the resilience I grew to need more and more as the battle was waged.
 
But waged it was. Just look at the action over the last few days
 
 
 
The new roof is taking shape
 
 
Hello beautiful new exhausts (glamour plus!)
 
 
A landscaping team has been appointed (just loving the new fence which went up the last few weeks in the background)
 
 
Wood for new back stairs was hoisted in
 
 
Rafters are now well and truly in place and roof ready
 
 
VJs have been exposed and hidden doorways unhidden
 

External painting is in full swing
 

 
The chimneys are resplendent
 

And guess who came back this week?
The HH film crew (can you believe STC shamelessly talked her way into this shot!) 



 It was good to see them 
 and it feels like HH is back on course again 
Thanks to you all who have rallied around when I needed you most
 
 
 
x HH

4 comments:

  1. And what a long way you've come!
    Amazing what a lick of white paint can do!
    HH is on her way back to Glory!
    She's lucky to have you caring for her!
    Have a great week Y'all at HH
    X A

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  2. Oh it has been a great week A - thanks so much for asking. I am about to write about absolutely so many things which are happening - more if it wasn't so damn hot! x HH

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  3. Better watch that tea cosy and those exhaust hoods. They are naked in her eyes and any hot blooded girl....well. Just watch her is all I'm saying. x

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    1. Thanks for the warning - I will stay alert to any flirtatious signs - they will be up this week.. and if that tea cosy is missing, I will know where to go look for her! x HH

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