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« on: Sunday 05 May 24 15:24 BST (UK) »
The day started dull and wet, but this afternoon the sun has peeped through the clouds. Let's hope it stays dry, as my son has promised to go up on the roof and do some grouting on our chimney. Not as bad as it sounds, as the thatchers are still busy working on our (semi-detached) neighbour's roof and have put up scaffolding everywhere, which he has the permission of the thatchers and our neighbour to use over the Bank Holiday weekend. In the meantime there is thatch everywhere, on our flat roofed extension and in our garden, not to mention in our little lane. My husband says he will be putting it in the compost bin. They do come around and sweep up from time to time, but it gets trodden into the house, which is annoying. The last time the neighbour's house was re-thatched the thatcher fell off the roof and was quite badly injured. He wasn't using scaffolding, just ladders.
I wouldn't want a thatched cottage, particularly a Grade 11 listed one. There are too many rules and regulations about the frequency of having your chimney swept, the smallest amount of work done on the house and the specified tradesmen you have to use. Although we are semi-detached somehow our half of the building is not listed and we have a slate roof, not thatch.