Cluny Renovation
© Adriana Sjan Bijman,FF, 2000
Neils Paulsen, doing the painting/decorating of the guest-room, Dec 2000
Peter asked me to supervise the renovation of Cluny. This was extraordinary, as I was six months pregnant, my mother was dying and I was having other personal problems. This hotel was Peter’s baby and now he was leaving on his first tour and wanted to leave a young woman in charge of renovating of an old large hotel in just 13 weeks.
I refused twice, but eventually understood it was my task. I lost our main builder Lyle only four days in, and found another very young builder in the Community, George. Once I’d made a flow chart and explained to everyone what needed to be done, the whole Community responded: the Universal Hall building team, the elders restoring furniture, anyone who had skills offered them.
Every weekend we cleared, cleaned and renovated, especially the basement. There were bars on the windows, and I had them cut out they were apparently there to stop the staff getting out at night and gallivanting in Forres!
Wain and Bella helped to move on the ghost of a Viking who didn’t realise he had died. Jeremy, a real character, broke two saw blades trying to cut a doorway through into the staff kitchen. I chalked where I thought it should be, and it went through like butter. Not just intuition, there had been a door there before apparently!
The billiard room became the Sanctuary, and to get it done in time, I asked everyone to strip just four panels of wood. It was done and sealed in two days. Meanwhile Michael Lindfield and François supervised painting the walls and ceiling.
A friend of the Community donated the carpet, and a young Swedish guest replaced the electric system in the basement in a week!
The building inspector came to investigate, and said, “You’ll never have this done on time.” I said, “Watch us!” and it was done on time, on budget, and opened 11th of March 1976, three days after my daughter Isla was born.
Caroline Shaw
Trained as a classical pianist obtaining my Teachers Degree. Focalising Building sites at Findhorn.
Became a Community Arts Officer, then obtained Masters Degree in Family Therapy. Retired.
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