blood sweat and peas: Glasshouse part 2

Glass gone-dismantling begins

On Saturday, a bit accidentally, we found ourselves back at Johnny's taking the glasshouse apart. Of course it was 4 in the afternoon when we got there after a morning of getting supplies in town and it was late when we finished. Barney, Johnny's Jack Russel terrier supervised the work literally "barking" orders at us to get our attention!

Most of the glass was already taken down so now came the taking apart of the aluminium frame. Many of the upper screws just sheared off but the lower ones were fine, and with a little persuasion they obliged and popped out intact. Johnny reckons the replacements will be easily got in town.

ghost of gardens past-raised bed emerges

There is a lot of broken glass to replace and as I raked out the briar's, finding yet more broken panes, I worried about that cost a bit. The more I raked the easier it got to see the former layout of the glasshouse; two raised beds with wooden planks running the length of the side and a concrete path in between. When we finally got down to the base someone had originally poured a very thin concrete base that just matched the width of the aluminium base panels. It was an incredibly neat job. Whoever did the second glasshouse hadn't bothered to be so neat-they put down a rough wall of concrete blocks instead!!!

Barney supervising the work

We were asking Johnny about the history of the house and its last occupants.It was a bit of a sad story really. The previous owner had to sell the house after his parents died to sort out inheritance for the rest of the family. The poor guy was a down and out, who regularly brought his drinking buddies back with him to the house. That was more than 10 years ago.

A few months ago one evening he suddenly appeared in Johnny's porch. Johnny took him in and made him a cup of tea. They began to talk about the house, the previous owner vowing to buy it back off Johnny and make it his home again. A few weeks later he passed away. No doubt his liver gave up after a lifetime of abuse. It seemed like such a sad end to a lost life. I hope he doesn't visit Johnny from beyond the grave so that he can live at home again!!!! He better not think of haunting the glasshouse either, maybe I should get Fr Hayes over for the opening ceremony just in case?!

We gave up when it was almost done, leaving the last difficult part(tree growing through frame) for the next morning. All the glass is home now and all of the frame pieces too. They all need cleaning and disinfecting which isn't too bad. The big job now is putting it all back together again. I'm not looking forward to it. Joe are you free some Saturday ?....