Pointing the front of the house and other matters

Just a few jottings.

The main (oldest) part of this house was built of stone in the 16th century. The original mortar was the right, sandy mix for stone. At some time in the 20th century, it was repointed with a hard cement and in about 1930 an even harder mix was used round the front door and window, when they were enlarged. The middle strength has done the most damage. It was put on to cover the stone in many places and level the surface. When done like this, the rain can penetrate under the cement, especially with sandstone as in this case. Then, when it freezes it expands and loosens the cement and damages the stone. As more damage is done the worse it gets, because more rain can get in. We have known for a long time that it would catch up on us, and the time has arrived. The damage to the stone has reached a serious proportion.
A lovely young man (38 yrs old), arrived for work at 8.45 on Saturday morning, and started to remove the offending stuff. A lot of it almost fell out and he made good progress, despite a prickly pyracantha overlapping the work area and a climbing rose. Then he reached the first window and found the very hard stuff. He had to use a machine to cut it out and then chisel against the stone. A slow and painstaking job. He didn't get any tea cos I was out till lunch time. He did get some then, and a very big mug kept for the purpose. He thought it was great.
He was back again on Sunday, ending up by clearing up as much as he possibly could and putting his bits and pieces away as tidily as possible. He won't be back till next Saturday. Easter week he has holiday so he will be here all week. Tomorrow, the scaffolding arrives, and we have to make sure he makes it wide enough, despite the Pyracantha - which I have cut back quite hard - on one side and a Lonicera nitida and Holly on the other.

On Monday I made my way to the Leisure Centre in Gateshead. Sounded easy. Decided to go up the bypass almost to the Angel of the North then turn down into Gateshead. Next thing I knew I was whisking over the Reddiheugh Bridge into Newcastle! I kept my head and managed not to get lost. Found my way to the Swing Bridge and popped over back into Gateshead and soon found the Leisure Centre. A large number were gathered for the Inaugoral Meeting of Northumbria in Bloom. Most of the judges and lots of entries. Had a good meeting - the Chairman of a village which won a Gold Medal in last summers National - Britain in Bloom - gave an excellent presentation. A chap from Green Flag told us about that. Green open spaces are their speciality. We overlap somewhat. If anyone wants to know more about it, just ask in the comments.
After a 3 course lunch given by Gateshead Council, I set off for the Freeman Hospital in Newcastle for a hearing assessment. Got there an hour early, so had a read while I waited. The assessment showed a small loss at the top of the range. This effects the clarity of what one hears, so combined with my tinnitus, is the reason for my not always hearing properly. Far from a hearing aid though.
That'll do for now, so see you, diary, in a day or two.