"Declan Murphy" <declan_murphy@hotmail.com> wrote in message

> No solution yet, I got a quote for replacing the tatami, but it turned
> out to be slightly more than what I paid when I had two rooms converted
> to wooden flooring last year.

One more room with wooden flooring ? What about tiles ? It's convenient for
a laboratory.
Now, you can just discretly get rid of those tatami and replace them by a
roll of cheap flooring you cut and install yourself. I cover what is left of
my tatami with carpet when I have visitors.

>What I really want but just can't afford,
> is a house with a proper concrete floored airconditioned garage to
> tinker in like mad people do in normal countries.

In normal countries garages are for cars, mad people have cellars or
shelters in the garden to stock their stinking booze and exploding it
without disturbing anybody. Maybe you should rent some old yamabushi hut
with holes in the roof, and do the tests there...for the sake of your
neighbours.

> One plan I'm currently mulling over is to rent a generator, and take my
> Guinness server, 30L keg and gas cylinders to the park and do this
> hanami thingee in a bit of style.

I hope you have a good insurance.
Do you also brew "chouchen" ? It's known in Ireland ? That's a "fun" drink
too.

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