Back on 2 February in Old Things and New Things............ I mentioned that I had a mill full of 'stuff' and went on to say that it was my intention, as it had been for the previous decade or more, to clear it this year.

The mill, which has three and a half lofts, has been used, over the last thirty five years and more, as storage space (the dumping ground) for items about which a clear and final decision should have been made at the time they were stored (or dumped) therein!
These items were reprieved from that final decision only because we had what seemed like infinite space that allowed one to defer making the appropriate decision in a timely manner.

So whether by nature, or because of the available space, I became a serial 'hoarder' and as a result this seeming 'infinite space' became very 'finite' indeed: the mill was full!

I will forever be grateful to my friend and colleague, Martin Diack, that a start has now been made to this mammoth task.

I told him of my plans in this regard back in February, at the same time as I first mentioned it here, and he would inquire from time to time when the start was going to be made.
My replies were always something along the lines of: 'soon' or 'as soon as such or such was done'.
So last week he asked me, with heavy sarcasm, if it was now going to be a task for next year.
'No, no', I protested.
'O.K', he said, 'so why we don't we start this week? – I'll give you a hand'!

Well, we did and he did!

The congestion was so great that the first task had to be to clear a space so that we had a space into which we could sort and store things from the next space to be cleared............if you get my meaning!

So we started by attacking the 'front room': the space immediately inside the door into the mill and by so doing........

......we revealed, for the first time in decades, the beautiful eighteenth century workings of the mill........

…...........and the stone plaque that informs that the mill was 'Built AD 1791 by Henry Waters of Ballyduff'.

The second matter in which Martin's assistance was invaluable, was his lack of sentiment.

No, I am not making so bold as to discuss the man's character here but, as he had no personal or historic relationship with the items as we unearthed them, he brought to the judgements ('final decisions') as to their fate, an uncluttered objectivity of which, with the baggage I carried, I was incapable.

Thus there was soon a burgeoning pile of rejected items, those that would not succumb to flame, awaiting a skip.

And we found many items of interest (those I had forgotten about but which had held a legitimate place in the mill) and more that may or may not be of interest to others, including...........

A collection of ironmongery and other old artefacts..............

Furniture in various states of repair and disrepair..................

.............and more furniture, old and new.

We have not yet worked out how best to offer these items for sale – maybe a mega, Irish version of a vide grenier such as I used to go to with the Dwyers in the south of France!

And I know somebody who will be pleased to see that this bentwood coat stand is still safe and sound.

A space in the process of being cleared............

.........and a cleared space.................

.............and one still awaiting our attention.

And we now have an ordered space for our garden tools, outdoor and picnic items and so on.....

I have even earned some badly needed brownie points from my dear wife as a consequence of these efforts.