The frame is up and today was the joiners first day on site in the wind and rain, getting a bit of the experience that the masons endured for the weeks before.

Similarly, they set out a job for the day and worked through the rain and cold until it was complete. They cut and fit all of the common rafters on each of the eight bays of the octagon.

Barney Livingston and team of slaters arrived today in Ellon to begin dressing the reclaimed Scottish slates for the roof. As characteristic of Scottish slates, each one is a different thickness, shape and size.

The team begins dressing the slates by knocking off any irregularities on the two sides until it is roughly a rectangular shape. They then punch two holes on the top for the nails with the spike on the reverse side of the knife and then move on to the next of the 2500 slates in the pile (a number I remember because Barney asked me to count them all to make sure that we had enough to cover the roof). They then measured each slate’s length and sorted into piles of ½ inch increments. The installation will begin at the eave with the largest slates and then diminish in size up to the peak. They also set aside the larger slates to use at the mitered hips.

The local Caithness stone flooring also arrives today. Pictured is one of the large threshold stones with the inscription "BUILT BY THE PRINCE OF WALES'S BUILDING CRAFT APPRENTICES AND PARTNERS FOR THE PEOPLE OF ELLON."

Martin Cook and his son Matthew are on site today to begin the hand carved inscription for the central circular portion of the floor. Martin has his own Studio and comes from a family of carvers that dates back to 1730. They will carve the inscription “Folk nae wa’s mak’ a toon” or translated, “Men, not walls, make a town.” “MCMIX GORDON PARK MMIX” The pavilion will commemorate the Centennial of Gordon Park being handed over to the people of Ellon.

An image of the frame once all of the rafters are in place.

After a rainy day, there was a beautiful sunset over the hills in the distance.

The pavilion will be an ideal place to sit and watch a rowdy football match or the serene sunset in the lovely surrounding countryside.