A Long Story ..... Part One .....

  OK. I'm finally sitting comfortably. So I'll begin. But, this one's liable to get so fucking involved, I'll have to break it up into bite sized instalments. Otherwise, it'll become tedious as all hell for all of us.

  All started, really, a year or two ago now. When I finally got my payment and was able to have windows and doors fitted in this place. And have the ancient electrics completely replaced.

 I got the sort of windows and shit that the original people would have considered the norm. Only, mine are, or course, made of UPVC and glass such as never existed a century ago. But, the style's the same. 

 My front door, however, is 'posh'. Ye front door, out here, is a Feature. It's an opportunity to make a statement. Show a bit of flash. So, I got one that my neighbours openly admire the shit out of.

  See; I'm wanting to not just 'renovate' this place. Rejuvenate it. I want to 'restore' it to what They would have had, if they'd had the spare cash to give it all the Traditional trimmings.

 And I know what's 'authentic, period' too. Because, as a bit of an " Urban Explorer ", I've crept through and wondered at my fair share of genuine, left as they were, abandoned farm cottages. 

 That's the way here, see? Or, I guess it was, before the Celtic Tiger rolled over, farted and died. 

 Ye'd grow up in the home place.  Suddenly find yeself living in a boom time. Get yeself a nice little place built on ye auld ones land. Move in.

  They'd die. That was it. Ye'd Remove them to the cemetery and close the door on their cottage. And leave it to rot down.

 Anyway; So, I'm making this place 'Century Old Posh'. And that's where the Panelling comes in. This is the True start to our story. My beloved, accursed fucking panelling!

 It started with the 'Back / Kitchen Window'. Let's get with the pictures, eh? Here's how it 'originally' was. Site of " The Leitrim Experiment "!

 

  So, I had that blown out and a nice, 'Typical' Back Door put in. The builders made a passable job of preparing the hole for the made to measure door. But, the 'Doorway', being just some lashed up fibre board, left Everything to be desired:

 And that's when I decided to get cracking and give my kitchen / lovely new back door a bit of the Bling I feel it deserves. I knew what a wealthier 'Farmer' of the old days would have got done, to impress his guests. 

  It's by no means finished yet. It needs that smoothing touch. Then I have the paint and brand new brushes here to paint it. I'll be using almost exactly the same dark, corn / cream the original paintwork displays. But, here's my back door, pretty much as it stands today.

 All 'Panelled Up':

  There. Wasn't too painful, was it? I mean, I hope it wasn't too much like me showing ye my 'Holiday Slides'? I just needed to lay the ground work. Get some subtle little points into ye subconsciousnesses.

 Trust me. It'll all pan out. I'm not just doing this to brag about my own, mediocre, DIY abilities. Now that I've got the ground work down, I'll be more inclined to feed ye further stages in what, believe me, became Quite the fucking experience!

 I'll probably try to pop in bits and pieces on other issues ~ As the mood takes me ~ in between chunks of this one. Otherwise, again, it may get to be too much like work, for all of us.

 Stay tuned .....