Another Lifetime to go

7th April 2019

Nicola and Colin drove up to help me with the garden. I was busy cutting up timber to make a frame for the bottom part of the new path.

I instructed Colin on what needed to be done, and left them to it.

I had dug down as much as I needed, and they had to clear out the rest of the loose soil. When I checked a little later I was shocked to find they had dug even deeper. I was worried that they might expose the waste water pipes, or damage them. I controlled the tone of my voice, and suggested they fill up the trench with the small stones and concrete pieces from the path. They even laid the pad on which the gabions will sit, so all in all a good days work.

6th April 2019

Another day of hard graft. I had ordered the gabions, so I needed to prepare the ground ready for them. Whilst digging away the soil, I realised I had messed up with my measurements, and needed an additional size.

I quickly sent off an email, and got an reply quickly. I decided to collect them as the company was located close to Swindon

5th April Friday

The list of jobs for today were varied, tedious, and uninspiring. They are the last few percent, the ones nobody wants to do. I think there are five small tasks to complete. At the end of the day two got done, the others are can wait till a rainy day.

I went in search of wooden sleepers, not the ones covered in pitch and piss, I managed to find some oak examples that weighed a ton, fortunately they offered to cut them in half for me, and deliver. I still had the task of carrying all six of them up the slope, my fault for choosing such a heavy timber.

4th April 2019

It was my Granddaughter’s birthday, she had reached the grand old age of eighteen. This was a busy day for me, I wanted to cut the steps into the bank. The removal of the earth was not a problem it was the moving of the stone blocks that was nerve-racking. One slip and that’s a broken foot.

With the skill of ancient druid I managed to manipulate the stone monoliths into something that resembles a set of steps.

The day was complete with a wonderful evening with Jeanine and Mark.

3rd April 2019

I dusted off my DVD recorder, and with the help of Dave managed to get it working.

These were all the rage at one point when we thought it was important to have our own copy, that never got played again. However like the old nostalgic sap that I am, I wanted it available.

2nd April 2019

Rain was falling, so that put paid to working outside, but I had a couple of things to do in the house, so the time wasn’t wasted.

I met up with my friend Rob for lunch and a visit to a few garden centres, oh how I get excited at the prospect of visiting those.

I picked up some metal edging for the new path, so progress moves on.

Rob had a go at some fundraisers at Homebase. His argument was if the charity had money to pay the fundraisers, why did they need the public donations. There is no passion in professional money collecting that you get from those who give their time for free. The causes are genuine, it’s just the approach he had a problem with.

1st April 2019

Well it’s the start of the family birthday season. There are five I have to contend with including Kelli, who still get excited at the prospect of a present on the day. I keep telling her that as you get older the presents adjust to suit the age, and for her to expect support stockings, walking sticks and liniment in the future.

I was at Brandon Tool Hire at 8.00am to collect the pneumatic drill to finally break up the path.

I started at 9.05am and was finished at 9.50, it was amazing.

It took a little longer to break up the walls, and edging.

The drill was heavy, just carrying up the slope was difficult, also there was the step-down transformer, almost as heavy as the drill, so I was pretty much wrecked before I started.

30th March 2019

I am growing tired of always having tools in the house. Every evening I sweep up dust, it’s always the same. Having wooden floors allows me to see all the shit that settles every day. Every morning there is a dust on the hop that I lovingly remove.

I have been lucky with the weather, it’s great to work outside for a change. That doesn’t stop me leaving the tape measure inside when I need it outside.

29th March 2019

I completed the structure for the new lower stairs, I used up a lot of wood that I salvaged from the old house. It was amazing that even after thirty years when I cut the board there was the wonderful smell of pine. The timber I buy today has little odour, it is pale, lightweight, and doesn’t seem that it will lasts for ten years yet alone thirty.

I fitted the threshold, where the front porch meets the lounge, leaving me with the wonderful smell of “Gripfix” drifting about.

29th March 2019

I lost another half an inch of my workmate. It fell to the ground along with the good piece I had just cut.

I had made the new lower steps to the main staircase to match the step going into the bathroom, this had taken me much longer than I thought.

On the other hand Kelli has been storming ahead of last years sales with some amazing pieces. Today she finished off a dresser with attached mirror, this is destined for Hudsonville tomorrow.