On Friday I loaded up both columns ready to make an early start on Saturday.

On Saturday it was raining so the first job was to reinstate the tarpaulin across the back wall.

I had an attempt at this two months ago but the eyelets were torn out within a week so I took it down.

This time I drilled 12 mm holes through the temporary roof beams and fastened the tarpaulins much more securely.

This all took longer than I had hoped - about 3 hours.

After this I placed the first column, did up all the bolts, checked for level, inserted shims and drilled the top holes.

I had hoped to install both columns and even replace the floorboards but by 4.30 I had only just completed the first one and I had tools everywhere that needed to be stored away.

I packed up, dropped one side of the tarpaulins so that there would be not further ripping, and headed home.

Friday

I'm afraid that I skived off from work today to complete the second column.

Yesterday had been a high energy day at the client's office so it was a pleasant break to wander around in daggy old work clothes and do something physical.

It was a fairly late start but the column installed without any problems - always hard work drilling upwards in to the 8mm thick PFC above.

I was also hoping to reinstall the floorboards around the columns - this involved a few new cuts in the timbers and some glue repairs to various breaks.

I realised that I had not brought my PVA glue with me.

I had some on a shelf but it was 10 years old and had set rock hard.

I tried our local deli which has an amazing inventory of miscellaneous items but no luck.

In the end, Ian next door very kindly lent me some.

I ended up working up in to the dark with a flood lamp at the end.

I had to fight each piece of floor board to reinstall it - so it was not an easy process.

In the end I had to leave the last two pieces for the next day.

All in all it was a good decision to work on the house on Friday.