Theory of tiling and everything

While attempting to arrange the jigsaw constituted by the tiles on the bathroom floor I came to the realization that none of the truly great works of human endeavor have been tiled. Not the pyramids of Egypt, not Stonehenge, not the giant cathedrals of the middle ages.

There is a reason, it is almost an impossible task. Didn't tiles fall from the space shuttle - the modern equivalent of these historical feats. How arrogant NASA was to believe that they could succeed where everyone else has failed.

I have a theory, not yet provable but I'm sure it is just a matter to time before others find supporting evident that Qin Shi Huangdi actually commissioned a large area tiled in terracotta tiles but his subjects pleaded with him, "no anything but tiles, give us another task". And so they ended up building an entire army of Terracotta warriors, a much easier feat and something his enemies probably mocked him for afterwards

Also during the construction of Stonehenge the Druids originally asked for a paved area, made with Italian tiles - as even in these times the best tiles came from Italy, with good drainage where they could relax, read and catch up on the latest advances in herbal medicine. Again the impossibility of the task would have soon led to them giving up and instead dragging lumps of rock from hundreds of miles away.

I call this the theory of "Anything but not tiling". I believe this has been a great shaper of our history. Entire populations have fled when rulers have required them to tile and foolish kings and queens been overthrown over this issue.

It will likely be the tiling of the White house lawns that is the downfall of George Bush, not the fiasco of Iraq, his stupidity or his arrogance. Although who except the arrogant would commission such a thing in the first place.

I've been thinking a tiles a lot recently ...

This weekend

I laid zero tiles although I did do some painting and skirting fitting. Why is it the the tiles look the best in the one orientation requiring the most cutting ?
Bled a little due to sawed finger.
Flew one new radio controlled plane.

Landed above plane a little roughly requiring a later 5 minute patch-up

Spent several hours at the beach

Found a tennis ball

Lost a tennis ball



Soaked up some sun



Had a lazy lunch in a beautiful cottage built AD 1536.

Watched some rugby, yes finally watched some TV.

The rest of the weekend's pictures here

Has anything happened in the last two months?

On July 02 I posted about how we had lost TV reception with the erection of scaffolding behind our house. Well the enforced experiment is coming to an end. This Thursday the scaffolding will be removed and once again our satellite dish will have an un-obscured line of sight with the appropriate geo-synchronous satellite.

This will be almost exactly two months without seeing a single TV picture. Has anything happened in the world in these last two months?

It brings to mind the movie Goodbye Lenin

Now should the kids be re-introduced to the medium slowly, can they overdose on it or will they even notice if I don't tell them?

*&^*&^*^%$££$"$£" Tiling

The DVD never mentioned what to do when they fall of the wall, it didn't mention that while it will take evening after evening and leave one's hands and nails caked with tiling cement.

No the DVD showed a sterile room with tiles that fall apart along the "cut mark" and then almost stick themselves to the wall.

Michelangelo

I can empathise with Michelangelo during the painting of the Sistine Chapel as I am busy on a project of my own - the loft ceiling.

I am aiming for this effect



only in pure, solid white.

I fear for my eye-sight due to the dripping paint.

Sunday - Sophie's birthday

Yesterday we enjoyed watching The Simpson's as part of Sophie's birthday.

Sophie on her birthday

The rest of here birthday pictures are here including some of the troop of monsters that slept over last week.

Stephen and I hung out in the bookstore and coffee shop while Sophie shopped with Annalise and Emily before the movie stared. We did find the Sushi bar mesmerising - all the brightly coloured bowls travelling around on the conveyor belt.

A very relaxing day.

This evening we purchased a roof box for our trip to the lake district at the end of this week - not very exciting unless you are into carrying corpses around but it will allow us to carry the camping and climbing equipment on the roof and make the trip I little more comfortable. In the past we have tried duffel sacks on the roof but as these aren't water proof we have to bring them inside in the event of rain - an all to often occurrence this summer.

The plan is that we will climb on two days and the rest of the time go for walks and chill out around the camp site.

On the topic of boring purchases - tomorrow the bathroom stuff arrives for the loft.

Loft and window cleaning

Many is the time, when things are going badly at work and the weather is good, that I look outside and long for the apparently carefree existence of the window washers. Well this evening Sophie and I lived out this fantasy. Making effective use of the scaffolding we rappelled to just above the roof of the conservatory in order to clean the roof as it had some moss growing on it. Sophie dropped down first, just to make sure the top anchor was secure, no sense in me falling through pains of glass.

Mind where you point the hose Sophie...

I've just wet myself, no not from fear.


Some pictures as the loft has progressed









The view from the loft windows

Week two without TV signal

The scaffolding is still obscuring the satellite dish, so no TV.

We are coping as follows

1. Video coverage of topical news via Internet only - me
   
2. Lots of Wii fitness tests and practice - Sophie and Emily
3. Youtube - Stephen
4. Reading - Annalise and Sophie
5. Organising of digital pictures - Annalise and me
6. Catching up on our DVD subscription backlog - all

I think lack of internet access would impact us much more.

Scaffolding

The scaffolding arrived today in preparation for work staring tomorrow on out loft conversion.

It's been put up at the back and is about two stories high. It is just perfectly positioned to obscure our satellite dish - so no TV for the next 8 weeks. It is times like this that make a family either grow stronger or turn in on itself. Sort of like in "Lord of the Flies". I love experiments like this. Stephen is contemplating lifting the wooden flooring to provide a clear line of sight for the satellite signal and I'm waiting for a plank to come crashing through the conservatory roof.

On the up side it looks like we can use the scaffolding as an abseiling platform.