Have you ever seen the nice things called grassy hutches?  My brother Fred and I have one each although when we were little we could fit in one side by side.

We like adapting them to our own living quarters – the old one got chewed so it wouldnt stand up so mummy replaced it.

Fred got the idea that we could make some nice designs for an adaptable living space that would suit our changing needs.  You know, a nice bit of huddling together in the winter; a relaxing room with a view in the summer… that sort of thing.  So as we had worked out how we could mould them to our requirements, we set about making a nice picture window in the back of the next one that arrived.  Then we realised with a bit more work it would become a nice patio door.

Here Fred demonstrates the patio door in the making (centre), the remains of the second one on the right, and the new one (slightly greener!) on the left (which I’m in).

The next stage was to redesign one to have a rear entrance so we can nip in the back from the chube, and still lie out with a foot up and gaze out at the world.  We decided to enlarge the picture window already started, but with the new one having loose fitting doors, I’m looking at the practicality of making the closed end into a folding or swing door that can be opened or shut as weather permits.  We did like the open walls of the old grassy hutch, although it was rather tiresome once the roof fell down on us…I was considering how to erect a pillar in one corner but mummy seems to have removed it…..

The next stage of our project was to work on the veranda concept: here I am trying out a veranda style Fred and I organised among ourselves. Mummy is very impressed with our furniture re-arranging skills.

 

What do you think of the veranda? It was quite comfortable for a nice day, or when the heating’s on, but most days we like them to hide in.  Some people commented that the verandas were very public.  The idea was that Fred and I could enjoy each other’s company while we relaxed on our verandas, chat across an invisible fence as it were. Overlooking the garden would be very nice, I shall ask mummy if there’s any chance of that.

We’ve now completed the picture window. It doubles as a patio door as although it doesnt come right down to the ground yet it’s a very useful exit now and I’ve used it on the last couple of days when mummy needed us to get up so she could clean the cage.

I usually go back for a sleep after breakfast though:

First published in parts on GPRWA  22/01/2009 to 14/02/2009.

(c) Pett Projects   All photos copyright