And we are done

Finally this building season is finished; now a brief break of a month or so and then back for another few months before the end of the year. Today was a big day as we were getting out toilets back in working order.

The handle on the hatch

The pump house, empty

Halil mixes up the cement

Bekir connects the pumps

Halil finishing around the doors

The pipes are slowly connecting

A really useful temporary solution

Final skim before heading off

Last night was so hot I couldn't sleep so I got up at 11pm and worked through until the early hours in the cool before getting a few hours sleep. This worked really well and I may do it tonight again if I can stay awake. The men were in dead on time and keen to wrap everything up; they split the tasks with Bekir working on plumbing the pumps and UPS in the pump house while Halil mixed up cement and filled in around the doors. It was very efficient and as busy as I was with work I went downstairs and suddenly found they were pretty much done. I had another call to do so had to ask them to do a few other bits and pieces while I finished up so first they diverted the drain from Rosie's airconditioning unit to run directly into the drainage and then they put the final skim on the toilet pipe from upstairs. Finally it was lunch time and I could work with them to prime and test both toilets and they both worked!! Great! They headed off after this and we will see them again the first or second week of September.

Hay in the collection point

Lots of soot on the floor

I was able to finish work at lunch time and rested a bit then headed out to do the final tasks on the toilet which was to pile hay inside. With that done we are now able ot use both the toilets. I then got started with cleaning Room 13 and with help from Angela (and it was a really difficult thing to do) we took down the petchka pipes to clean them out. They were filthy and it made a huge mess but it is all tidied up now. When Rosie got back from school we went into the pool but she didn't stay long however that meant that I was able to have a really long and enjoyable swim, diving under and using the snorkel. It was great.

And there you are. I'll not be updating for a little while so don't worry if there is a pause. At the very least we'll back be in September when the men start back. Thank you for reading and take care.

Nearly done

It turns out that there will be another update tomorrow before the summer break as they didn't QUITE get everything done today but we are really very close!

Halil works to fix the belt on the mower

Grinding metal for the hatch frame

Welding the frames together

Access hatch

Doors being hung

It was a cooler morning which was very welcome, with a nice breeze and I got stuck into my work well until the furnace turned on and then it was a struggle again. I daren't think what a day it was for Bekir and Halil as they worked outside, fortunately entirely in the shade through the day. The first task for Halil was to mend my lawnmower. Again. It has been out of action for a few weeks but with the heat the grass isn't growing anyway so it hasn't been urgent. Bekir was  back with the grinder and welder making the frames for the hatches on top of each collection point. These have been completed included (not pictured here) a really good handle so we can lift the hatch to put kitchen scraps in. I'm so pleased with how these are turning out. After that they set to fitting the doors which I will use to turn the material and cover with hay, and then after a year or so empty. By the end of the day two tasks were left; one was to fill in the gaps around the edges of those doors so they are sealed and the second to move the pumps and batteries and get it all plumbed in and actually working.

They will be back tomorrow to do this and then we will have "flushing" toilets again and also it'll be the start of the summer break.

Thanks for reading.

Heat, loss and doors

 It has been hot hot hot this weekend and today and the forecast is for this to continue at least for the rest of the week. Now I love hot weather but having to work as hard as I am is really starting to drag, and the heat is making it more difficult still. Thank goodness for the pool, frankly.

Teddies tidied at the end of the bed

Playing catch while in the shade

Rosie making her way back with her harvest

The poor little tree frog

Just a quick beer

Saturday is Daddy Day and it started with me helping Rosie to stack all her teddies at the end of her bed (or at least, all the teddies she has in bed over night) after which breakfast and then a game of catch you and catch on the balcony while it was still shaded. She also helped me with the washing, however was distracted by a low hanging plum which she picked which was a shame as it wasn't quite ripe yet. After her nap we went into the pool and sadly found a drowned tree frog. Such a shame! I was then called over to the neighbours for a beer and some BBQ, though I had only one beer and almost no BBQ, before heading home to find terrible news that one of our very good friends had passed away the day before. This then meant neither of us could sleep, which then made Sunday a very difficult day indeed. It was doubly so as the lovely old man from the farm, who had been ill for a fair while, passed away over Saturday night (at 3am while I was up and hobbying I could hear cars coming and going so I knew something was wrong). I was able to go to the wake, though unfortunately it wasn't possible for Angela to come as well because of Rosie, and it was an honour to be able to show respect to the man who made us very welcome. It has been very sad not seeing him around since he had his stroke and now to know he's gone is also sad.

It was a very tough weekend indeed.

Bekir begins grinding

Halil carries the metal (not sure why above his head?)

Welding the frame

The door and the frame, together

Bekir made an awesome handle

And so to today; we both fortunately got far better sleep Sunday night and were a little more with it today. Angela took Rosie to school and the men arrived while she was gone. They were working on the doors for the collection reservoirs today and after a bit of a wobble from me about design they convinced me to stick with the original plan and I'm happy I did so. I think my concerns prompted them to make a small change so they had to pop out to get more metal and when they came back they continued all day grinding and welding and hammering in 40+ degree heat. It was sweltering today. By the end of the day they have pretty much finished two doors set into metal frames with awesome metal handles. I'm so pleased with them! Tomorrow they should fit this, and the hatches, and then they'll be done for this half of the year.

About to get into the pool

After school and work it was pool time, and the neighbours grandson came running over as well. It was much needed after the crazy heat.

And there it is. It is still 35 degrees in here on the balcony and due to be hot again tomorrow. See you tomorrow.

Pump house lid, and balcony fans

As my mum would say - "Phew what a scorcher" and hasn't it been today! The forecast is for this very hot weather, up to 39 or 40 degrees, to stay until the end of Monday when it's due to drop to "only" 32C. We shall see though.

Grinding down some rough edges

Sheet metal work starts

Bending for the overlap

One side is done

Rivetting the other side

As the title of this update suggests today started off with Bekir and Halil creating the two hatches that are going over the top of the pump house. We need access, though not regular, to be able to service the pumps, check the batteries and switch from one collection point to the other. They have made the hatches overlap to prevent any water getting inside, which is perfect. It is thin sheet metal that has been rivetted in place. Next week, or maybe in September after their break, they will put a leg on each hatch that will swing down and support the hatch. Right now it is totally sufficient though.

On top of a ladder. Again

Grinding out to feed the wires through

Each of the holes plugged again

Really neatly finished off

With the hatch finished enough it was time to come up onto the balcony to complete the work on the ceiling fans. This could have been a really quick job but Bekir wanted to run the cable behind the insulation and it turned into quite a struggle to do this, as the insulation had no gap behind it and forcing wires down was not easy. They did manage it, however, and I'm sat here now with both fans running on 2/3 and it's making a nice breeze - not quite as strong as we hoped, but certainly a huge improvement. The finishing off from Bekir was very neat as well.

And there you are. There's probably another couple of days of work before the men take a few weeks off, very well deserved as they've soldiered through very hot weather. I'll be back on Monday.

A couple of days of progress

A missed update, due to going out last night with Dincher, means this is going to be a two day update - let's get stuck in.

Steel for the doors and hatches

Halil splitting wood - very hard work

Roughing out the framework

Trimming overhangs

One course removed for access

Pipe insulated and plastered in

Yesterday we were making a start on the door hatch for the pump house, and the two access doors on the back of the reservoirs. After some measuring and discussion I went with Bekir to get the metal down at one of the metal yards in town and then headed back to find Halil was slaving in the baking sun splitting wood. We've now decided we will leave that task until September as it is just too hot for that kind of work for anyone. With the steel in hand Bekir and Halil set to working out the basic frame for the double hatch that will go on top of the pump house. After that they trimmed the doorway a little larger at the back of each collection point so I can get in to empty them, and finally they put the first skim of plaster over the toilet pipe that is going up to the guest suite.

Angela and Rosie in the pool

Beer and a book - good living

First Iskander Kebab for a long time

After school Angela and Rosie went in the pool together and then I joined them before Angela got out to prepare dinner for her and Rosie. I stayed in a little with Rosie then after they had eaten I dropped down to town to meet Dincher. I had a bit of time with my book and a beer before he arrived and then we had a lovely meal and lots of chat. I walked home in the dark and it was very hot and sweaty even at 10pm. It was a really enjoyable evening though; I'm really pleased I managed to get out to see him.

Getting to welding it all together

A huge hornet on the fly screen

Fitting plug sockets

We have a hinged hatch or two

Today was a day of welding and hammering as the frame for the hatches was made. There was also lots of grinding and drilling but it was productive, though again it has been very hot at about 39 degrees and that is no weather for welding. They kept at it and finished the hatch, including adding some extra strengthening, and then Bekir got started on the electrics. This is now also all finished and connected at the house end. Tomorrow they will look to fix the sheet metal on and hopefully also get to finish the fans up on the balcony.

The cloud looming

Fascinating shapes in the cloud

Fifteen minutes later

The last couple of days have been super hot, up towards 40 degrees, but late afternoon both days there's been an overcast. Yesterday it was a boring blanket of cloud that spread over just enough to get above us then stayed but today was far more interesting. It even rumbled a couple of times but within an hour it was basically totally gone. The second two pictures are fascinating cloud shapes taken about fifteen minutes apart. Lovely.