After about 12 months of vetting and short courses etc we finally got the approval to be foster parents. In the summer we got a new addition to join the family. A baby boy aged 3 months.
We then got the crazy idea to convert the loft of the house to make two extra larger bedrooms and a bathroom. This involved a total removal of one side of the roof to add a double dormer, addition stair case to the extra floor, and due to building regulations, changing all the existing 21 doors for fire doors. It seemed like a good idea at the time and so we went through the process of obtaining quotes for the work. We finally settled on one company who came highly recommended by a friend. They started the work in early November and they finished their part of the job on the 19th December. They were excellent tradesmen and I was over the moon with the job. We are now decorating and carpeting the new rooms so the kids can move in.
After virtually 2 years of research into the most economically way of heating the whole place we decided to come off gas and opt for a wood boiler. This needed to be at least 40 kilo watts, with 2000 liters of water to use as stored heat. These would be contained in 2 x 1000 liter buffer tanks. After calculating the heat loss for the house we estimated only needing to feed the boiler every 24 hours and the house would run off the stored heat within the tanks in the mean time. The boiler and tanks would be situated in the garage. A space would need to be set aside in the garden to use as log storage. So far this is working out really well and it is the first time I am looking forward to the gas bill!
Oh sorry, back to the running. I did the Denby Dale 6 miles in December in 37 something and the Brass Monkey in a very slow 1-29 something. Very windy conditions on that day. I am entered for the Dewsbury 10k next Sunday. I will be happy with something near 37 mins.
