The greenhouse had been finished just a few days ago. It was a cold January and even in an unheated greenhouse the air inside the glass was warmer than outside. The condensation was grey it was so thick: it blocked the windows and water dripped to the floor.
My friend D put in new shelves and kept the window open in an attempt to shift the condensation. But every morning the floor was wet as the rain or sleet blasted its way through the roof. Something had to be done. The cheap but attractive greenhouse was about to cost me a lot more.
Meanwhile just as we saw January out the new shed arrived. It was a very different construction. D and I had had great fun using a cement mixture to make the base. All I did was fill its hungry tummy with water and sand and I pressed the on-off button. Nevertheless I felt empowered!
The greenhouse continued producing condensation but the cement set overnight. It’s a chemical reaction and not dependent on heat for drying and setting. Through a chemical reaction called hydration
calcium oxide, aluminum oxide, and ferric oxide react together ( CaO.Al2O3.Fe2O3 )to form cement.
Again, it’s amazing what you learn. I did pass ‘A’level chemistry so I understand it ( a bit).
The base was set but the weather was closing in. Nevertheless, despite the dull skies, a kindly retired man delivered the shed - and bang on time. He said he enjoyed his work - he felt useful in his retirement - and didn’t mind reversing his van downhill to our garage. He was able to lift each heavy section alone - showing the work was keeping him fit. Then D arrived to help carry the shed kit indoors.
Happily the window section incorporated a large piece of (real) glass and the doors had their own key in a working lock. In addition there was flooring and high quality roofing felt. But the wood was so good it was a heavy kit to move. Between them the gents manoeuvred the sections into our empty garage.
Next day D contacted his brother to help anchor the heavy wood sections on to the base. By 11:00 on Sunday they set to with just my trays of tea to sustain them.
They worked hard and I ordered take away roast beef for them as a thank you. Again the pub was allowed to serve take outs only. It seemed normal then but as I write such restrictions have been lifted and we can eat at tables again.
The boys did very well but D’s brother decided to get on the road early. Snow was expected and, naturally, he didn’t want to be marooned. Before he hit the road the roof went on - minus its lovely green felt - then the snow started to fall.
At 4 pm I collected the roast beef and divided it up between us inside our barely weather-proof garage. D took his portion with him and the neonate shed had to cope on its own, unprotected in the inclement weather.
Meanwhile, in between making the workers hot drinks, I’d watched the film ‘The Train’ where French resistance workers try to divert a train full of art work away from the hands of the Nazis. I don’t know who worked harder: French resistance or my friend and his brother constructing the shed. Thankfully the snow didn’t last long. And we were proud parents - now a two-sheds family with an imperfect greenhouse.
Next: how to get heat in the greenhouse and stop the condensation (it took months of effort).
But the new shed was my play house and it filled me with glee. From an unpromising start it has become ‘a shed of one’s own’.
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