Running with sweat

Well today has been a hot one, as forecast, and that is a really good thing as this is why I came out here; now I just needed it to not slow the men down (it didn't, to spoil that particular cliffhanger) and also to stay around until the roof is done and I am all watertight again. It would be nice if this weather could come early next year too. Please. Thank you.

It's drying up

So I'll start as I have done for the last little while with the last night / this morning shots of the damp above the bed. These pictures actually don't do how much it has dried out justice; to the naked eye there is now almost no discolouration but the flash of the camera makes it look worse than it is. I may do this for one more day, just to see how it goes but the last couple of days of nice hot weather has meant that the ceilings in here are slowly but surely drying. This is a good thing. There is also now no rain forecast as well so that is good.

Pre-dawn

I slept pretty well, apart from waking at one point convinced I had a broken rib or maybe collar bone and being gutted because it would mean I couldn't do any physical work for a few days (only!) but when I woke again in the morning, just before the sun came up and before the alarm even, I was relieved to find that my chest was strong and I didn't have a collapsing bit in my rib cage. I snapped this picture then went back to bed and snoozed for about half an hour before remembering that I had to put the washing out this morning (still no watering round, though I'll be back to that tomorrow with the weather having got so hot) so I got up. The boys saw me moving around and started barking at me but they were again pretty good and I had them both sitting before I went in to feed.

The washing was hung out (smelling nice this time) and I was heading off to collect the men with plenty of time. I took the camera and the zoom lens and left early in the hope that I would be able to get a picture of the storks fishing but there were none at all in the river. Never mind, I'll just keep taking the kit, and leaving a bit earlier, until I manage it. I was so early I parked on the cheren put and enjoyed the view for five minutes before dropping into their village.

The plan today was to head to the main builders yard and order up the metalwork, waterproofing and other items to get the roof done. We headed down there and Isat (the owner) was a bit busy so we were up to the roof cafe and had some coffee. There was a tiny puppy running around which Sally said we should take but I said two dogs is enough thank you. After a bit we were joined by the cheerful owner and the list of items we would like (with prices) was written down. I had a decision to make about the surround for the roof but I wasn't sure how to express what my thoughts were so I delayed the decision. This was a good call as you shall see. We took the list and headed back home, not into town as I got confused and almost took us there.

Orhan doing a masterful job of holding the wood in place

The first task for Sally and Orhan was to set out and afix the outrigger beams for the next section of roof to go on. Bekir was cutting the beams and then Orhan holding them in place while Sally hammered them secure all under the watchful eye of Bekir who had them moving it fractionally so it was square though I'm absolutely certain that the effect of the hammer battering the nail in was to move it again.

Bekir doing his thing

As well as cutting the beams for fitting by the other two Bekir was hammering some wedges into one of the uprights for the roof they put in last week; I presume it had become a bit loose as some of them are no longer touching the ground following the flood which probably washed loose dirt away and left them hanging.

Thomas and trailer laden again

I was in and working but then got bored and decided to crack on with the task I started yesterday; namely moving the beams from the back bank round into the green building. I put the boys away and pulled the trailer up to the pile and then reversed it into position, this time at an angle so I could load into the truck bed easier. It took a while this time but I loaded far more on as I had confidence from my previous trip.

Sally working away

By the time I had finished loading the men had completed the outriggers on the first part of the roof to be done (around the edge above Room 13) and Sally had moved to start measuring out and marking up along the other side, over the back door. I popped up around now to see if they wanted coffee but was pleased to find that they had helped themselves, which I have told them to do. Bekir and Orhan were both laying back watching Sally work but as I got up there Sally finished his task and the other two jumped into motion. I don't think it was because I was there, at least ;)

Stored for future use

I returned, pulled Thomas and trailer back round with no trouble on the bank again and then set to unloading. It didn't take long this end and soon I had sorted it as my plan dictates; with wood I have immediate plans for stacked against the entrance wall, and the rest piling up with a path down the middle so we can sort through for future projects. I had only left a small amount with this trip so would get back to it and finish off later.

I went back to paid work after this and then had a small lunch of cheese and tomato butty (just the one) with one of the Little Lady's tomatoes, and then I went out and loaded the truck and trailer for the last time. The men were on lunch and, after I had driven round with the load (the pile is gone and I was even able to pull some more beams off the unsorted mess to get a full load) I saw that I had a visitor. The sheep farmer from down my new road (the one we stopped and chatted to the other day) had come with another guy to see Bekir and get shown what he was doing. I left them to it and waved goodbye when he left. He is a cheery chappy.

Sassy's bum

I haven't put a picture of Sassy for a while so here she is, asleep on top of her cage. She has been up there a lot recently, possibly because I haven't put any sawdust in the top yet and she likes the coolness of the plastic. She does seem happy at the moment, and I'm glad I cleaned her out.

I was just about to get to unloading the truck when I saw that I had more visitors and this time it was for me; my friend and T's mother had arrived bearing gifts (well, a duvet that had been bought on my behalf) and so I set down with a coffee for my friend and a small beer for my other guest and we chatted a bit. After a while my friend was able to sort out the confusion in my head with the roof and she could explain to Bekir what it was I wanted. I am glad I waited. After a pleasant chat they headed off as they had food shopping getting warm in the car and I went and unloaded and stashed the last load.

Outriggers in place

With the driving around completed I got the boys out and went to work for the rest of the afternoon, taking brief trips up to the roof to observe progress. By mid afternoon they had finished all the outriggers and Bekir was on the phone to Isat, having counted out the required quantities of materials, and ordered in what was needed for delivery tomorrow. It is going to be a busy day with deliveries tomorrow as the main woodyard is also shipping in more beams.

Just a bit sweaty

After working away for a while I got bored and decided I would head out for one more bit of physical today; starting to sort through the beams and boards that had been thrown down while the most recent section of roof was cleared. I headed out and set to it and, other than stabbing my foot with a nail as I pulled two bits of wood apart, I made good progress. I cleared a path through from the back step up the bank and also did a bit more further on then I started feeling tired, hungry and thirsty so I headed inside and munched a choc ice, drank half a pint of milk, and had some biscuits, as the sweat literally poured off me. It was dripping off my forehead, running down my back and arms and front and I was soaked. It got so bad that I changed into shorts and went and had an outside hose shower which helped no end and also rinsed the dirt off me.

Well I wouldn't

Feeling a lot better (and certainly less disgusting) I settled down to a little more paid work and then checked out how the men were going. It was getting close to time for them to leave however they were still hard at it, measuring and marking out for where the main beams are going to go for the new roof. At one point Bekir was right at the top of the rickety metal ladders I brought from the UK and they were so dodgy that Orhan went to foot them. This kind of precaution is not something I often see, so I got a picture, much to their amusement.

The first bit of the new roof rises

They finished what they were doing (mounting the first diagonal upright from the corner above Room 13) and then it was time for them to wash up and get ready so I put the boys away and then we spent a bit of time looking in the tortoise enclosure for the boys. Now we had seen both of them when my earlier guests were here but now they were nowhere to be seen. No matter, I think Bekir said he had another one to give to me so I may have three by tomorrow. Hah.

The drive there and back was easy as always and I got back, got the boys out, had them sitting quietly while I pulled the washing in (a major success - this training thing is really working) and then came in to do the blog. I have not even now started cooking yet as I am not that hungry but I really do need to have something so I'll probably rustle something basic with the chicken, tomatoes and onions. As I was getting to the end of typing I decided to go and snap a quick picture of the sunset (it was looking quite red) and I noticed as I glanced out the window that a truck was driving up my lane with wood on the back; this was the delivery that was due during today and then tomorrow, turning up at about 8.30pm.

And so it goes down

I rushed out, put Rambo away, rushed back up to look for the keys for Thomas who I had left parked across the patio by the green building after unloading then found them in my pocket so went down and moved him. This delivery was a family affair with wife, teenage daughter and young (5 or 6 max) son. We unloaded quickly, first of all me and the father and then, when he jumped on the back to shift the far beams closer to the edge, the mother got involved and helped me unload. This is good as it means the men can get a good head start tomorrow. After they left I went up to take my interrupted sunset picture as I know you'd hate to miss out.

So tomorrow I will have to be back to the watering round, and I am also going into the market to get some shorts and meet S and S for a kebab. I am also hopeful that another friend may arrive for dinner. We shall see.