Author: peterb51

2nd August 2019

The concrete plinth turned out pretty good, but it needs to harden a bit more before I bolt the sleeper on to it.

I used some of the off-cuts from the sleepers to neaten the edge of the garden steps.

I had to slice together two sleepers together because I miscalculated the overall length of the step. I set up trestles on the path and set about making a bloody mess. I set about making cross cuts about a quarter of an inch apart, and by the time I had finished I was up to my ankles in sawdust and wood chips

The poor postie had to negotiate the tools and cable littering the path. No matter how small the task, I always seem to get out every power tool I have.

By mid afternoon I had cut and cleaned up the scarf joint and bolted the two pieces together.

I had been bothered by wasps buzzing around. I noticed that in a neighbour’s tree there was a large nest with a constant stream of the little buggers going in and out.

This was a good time to finish for the day.

1st August 2019

Today was the day for mixing concrete to form a plinth for the lower step. I used bags of ready mix instead of the loose stuff because;

1. It is convenient

2. Can’t be bother using anything else.

I had made some shuttering for it already, so it was just a question of fixing it securely and filling it with muck.

My battery drill decided to crap out on me, so whilst I was out getting the bags of concrete I picked up a new Bosch model. Just as luck would have it, it was the exact same as my previous one, so the battery packs were identical, so now I should never be without a full charge.

Whilst at Wickes I watched some poor sod having forklift training. The instructor had set up some pallets as an obstacle course. The trainee got off to a shaky start, grabbing a loaded pallet from the top shelf with the objective of lowering it to the ground. It took for ages to move down, the instructor visibly aged as it passed his head on the way down.

The next part was manoeuvring around the pallets for which he failed at the first hurdle.

He got so pissed that he stormed off, guess the pressure to perform was thwarted by his desire to have a smoke.

When I returned to the building site, I mixed up the rest of the concrete and finished the pour.

Now I’m one more step closer to finishing the whole project.

31st July 2019

My friend Rob paid a visit. He hadn’t seen the garden since he planted some shrubs after I went back to the US. He had also sprinkled some wild flowers seeds around that my sister had pulled out thinking they were weeds.

We went to the garden centre for more plants. I could never remember the names of anything we selected except one that reminded me of a cabbage.

I had to pull in the reigns a bit because he is really good spending other people’s money, but we had a good selection, but even with his discount, it was still a princely sum, and you can’t even eat the cabbage.

30th July 2019

I had a few things on my list that was weather dependant, but as it was raining I decided to pick up the extra gabion I had ordered last week.

When I got back the rain had stopped, so I was able to resume my other jobs.

As I was working hard I thought I would reward myself with an iced lolly. Nicola had put some home made ones in my freezer. I pulled one out of the rack and proceeded to suck on it.

It was a nice orange one, but there was no taste to it. It felt smooth, but not really cold, I was a little disappointed. There were some drips appearing round the holding stick, and that tasted sweet and orangey, so I wiggled the stick a bit, and blow me, the clear plastic mould slid off, I had been licking that piece. I did laugh at that, as I devoured the ice lolly.

29th July 2019

I couldn’t sleep, I checked the Homeland security website again, and called the number for assistance.

That was a waste of bloody time, the person on the phone couldn’t tell me why my status changed, all she suggested that I apply for a visa at the American Embassy in London.

The next hour or two was spent filling out an on line form. At the end of it I had to attach a recent photo, which I didn’t have.

I drove to Trowbridge and found a place that processed visa photographs. A quick flash and it was done, a picture, devoid of positive emotion. The eyes spoke of really being pissed off and wanting rip someone’s head off.

I rushed home, attached the photo to the application, and submitted it. Now I have to wait.

On a lighter note, Damian drove up to pick up my old Toyota MR2 that I had given to my younger son Ryan when I had the Jag. He plans to feature it on his YouTube channel.

The poor vehicle had been parked at the front of Ryan’s house covered in a tarpaulin for six years. I was not hopeful that the car would start even with a new battery.

Damian got in, switched on the ignition and tried to turn the motor over.

To my surprise, and Damian’s excitement the engine fired up immediately, and sounded really smooth. There is testimony to good Japanese engineering.

28th July 2019

I drove down to Barrington to visit my sister and Colin. I wanted to thank them for all the care they have given to the garden, so I took them out for a Sunday lunch.

We were going to go in the back entrance of the restaurant, but noticed an old man shuffling in that direction. We looked at each other, and decided that we wanted to eat today, so made our way to the front door.

We found our table, and as Nicola and Colin made their way to the buffet the old guy beat them to it. Ten minutes later they returned.

However that wasn’t the end to it. As we were leaving, the old guy’s equally old wife accosted Colin asking him if he had a car.

“Yes I do” he replied innocently.

“ Oh good” she said “ Could you give my husband a lift please, he’s ninety three, and a little tired”

Poor Colin, he couldn’t get out of that, she had him in a headlock.

Fortunately they lived quite close, but it was the fear that he could peg out on the journey that really concerned us.

So the car was brought round to the front, and the next twenty minutes was spent watching him totter towards the car. It was long enough for Colin’s appetite to return.

We shoe-horned him into the passenger seat and waited for Nicola to return. She had got involved with the wife and a battery powered buggy.

We set off with Colin trying to extract the directions from the old guy. By the time he uttered which turning we should take, we had shot passed it.

Turning round, and making the correct turn we were then stuck behind his wife in her buggy.

She was oblivious to us following, and with the grand speed of one mile an hour, she dominated the width of the road. Colin’s car was almost stalling, as he checked to see if the old guy was still alive.

Finally we reached their house, and helped him out.

Colin couldn’t get away fast enough, he was annoyed that he had been caught out, but it did give a laugh on the way back.

I think she asked everyone in the restaurant, but they were a bit more savvy, or pretended to visit the toilet, and sneaked out.

I think Nicola crossed that place off the list.

The evening ended badly in the worse possible way. I received an email from the Department of Homeland Security informing me that my ESTA status had changed.

I immediately went on the site, entering my identification number. Sure enough my status had changed to ” Not permitted to travel”

It was a good job I hadn’t booked my ticket, but I needed to sort something out quick.

27th July 2019

I had the sleeper ready, I had timber cut to make shuttering to cast a concrete plinth for the sleeper to sit on. I was ready.

Then fate stepped in, it told me “Pete, you have been working hard for ten minutes, you need to take a rest for fifteen”

“ No I don’t I’ve just started, I don’t need a rest”

At which point I knocked over my jar of nails. It bounced down the steps depositing all the nails all the way to the bottom. It took me fifteen minutes to collect them up and put them back in the jar.

So you see, if you are deemed to take a break there is nothing you can do about it.

I used the nails the assemble the shuttering, mixed the concrete and went to have a break.

I had my sofa delivered from Ikea. Eleven boxes arrived, so I finished my break and started to open them. I had decided earlier to save the assembly until the evening, when my other work was done, but my excitement drove me to fit together a couple of parts. The base frame was an aluminium extrusion held together with castings. The parts went together perfectly. It was a pleasure to build.

It became addictive, I wanted to see if the other parts were as perfect. The upholstery was made from memory foam that is compressed and shrink wrapped. On cutting the wrapping, there was a sound like a dog fart, and the foam started to expand. The instructions noted that the foam would reach the full dimension within seventy two hours, so I thought it would be a good idea to fit the covers before the foam got too big. This was not easy, but with dogged dedication I managed it.

I was really impressed with the quality of the whole package, it was quite expensive for an Ikea product, but it was, in my opinion as good as any top branded product.

26th July 2019

I met up with my old friend Rob for lunch. We both had Masala Dosa which was wonderful. I haven’t found an Indian restaurant in Holland, so my first spicy meal is always welcomed.

We took a walk into Bath along the canal and then through Sydney Gardens.

Rob will talk to anyone, sometimes to my embarrassment, but time with him is alway interesting.

On the way back, he decided to catch a bus back. I had my bus pass in my wallet that had never used before, so this was a first time. The bus arrived, and nervously held my card out like a lost soul. “Lay it on the reader” Rob urged, so I did, and everything went perfect, no red lights or sirens, I felt elated.

25th July 2019

My first job of the day was to fit a lock to the small bedroom door. This I carried out with precision, and to my delight, it went smoothly, no blood, or bad language.

Next, it was time to pick up the sleepers, it was a struggle carrying them up the slope in the heat. They just got heavier with every step.

Halfway up the path I met Mike the local mason, who was rebuilding a stone wall. This had looked like it was due to collapse for years, but he was given the job to make it good. We shared the fun of trying to move large blocks of Bath stone on your own, and the ingenious ways we each devised to do it without causing us physical harm.

I used my recuperation time to work out my schedule of work, trying to use the time wisely and efficiently.

Kelli had been equally productive by selling the dresser that I had bought last week. She had done a wonderful job of selectively painting various parts but leaving a lot of wood exposed, one of our best pieces I think.

24th July 2019

There was no evidence of the storm this morning, the plants still greeted me when I looked out of the bedroom window. I was lazy and slept in, I had breakfast, and my first coffee of the day.

I went through my mail and found a couple of cheques from the DVLA and insurance company, pretty rare to actually get something back.

I was reminded of the Jag yesterday. It was parked next to the Shogun, I did pause to remember the fun it gave me.

I drove to Trowbridge to bank the cheques, All I heard were people talking in Eastern European languages, and I tried to remember which province of Poland Trowbridge was.

I walked around for a while seeing how empty it was. The deserted shops, mirrored the emptiness in people’s eyes.

Nicola had stocked the fridge with a few essential, including her vegetable soup, that makes the travel bearable.

This was a day of action, to get materials for the jobs I needed to complete on this trip.

First stop was Haven Timber to purchase oak sleepers. They are so heavy? I worked out why they were given that name. By the time I carried them up the slope to the cottage, I just wanted to crash out on the sofa.