Sassy's gone on hollibobs

After the super speed post yesterday I have this feeling that this one is going to drag on and on and on; maybe because I have sat with a blank page staring at me for an hour and ignored it to play my computer game. Oh well, I'm going to crack on now and see if I can't rush through it again.

Rambo waiting for his breakfast

After publishing last night A and I sat here and worked through the task set for us in record time, something I expected to take until midnight was done by 10 and so we could get to bed at a reasonable hour even after such a late end to both our working days.There was gypsy music going on in the valley when we went to sleep so the door was shut and I was expecting to be disturbed all night however when I woke about midnight it was totally quiet so I opened the door to allow a breeze in for the evening. The moon was so bright it was almost like daylight but I was too asleep to operate a camera. I returned to bed and slept pretty much right through until Rambo started barking (he has been confined to his compound the last couple of nights as we've left the gates open for Ralf, and he doesn't like it) and eventually this dragged us out of the pit. It was a really misty start and cold and I only got the one picture on the balcony before returning to our job.

Me and Sassy

What big feet she has!

Today was the day that Sassy (and Julian, for that matter) was going on holidays for the winter. Before I did anything, before we even had a morning brew, I went in to her, picked her up and took her out into the travel hutch in Julian. She was super relaxed and happy again with being picked up and carried and I got her happily sat in her old house then fed and watered her and left her to get settled in while we did all the other shifting that was needed. We took the run down and strapped it to the back of Thomas, and I also took all my whisky and put it back into the back room in Julian as that is also being looked after for me. It took about an hour or so to carry everything down but eventually we were all set and everything was packed.

Making it even more Sassy proof

One task that was added on to our morning was Sassy having made some progress towards escaping again from the run. At first we tried to use wire to twist however we were out of easily bent wire so A just set to with the staple gun and reinforced the bottoms of every panel so now each square has at least one staple in it and in some cases more than one. Great success.

This is why Sassy needs containing

For anyone wondering why I have made a run and bought a load of tiles to be put down on the floor at S and S's for the winter check this picture out the hole she has dug behind the door into the laboratory. This is only one of about five or ten ditches and holes which she has scratched out while doing her digging thing. I suppose, that is what rabbits do huh.

Roof terrace progress

Yesterday had been such a crazy busy day that I hadn't been able to get onto the roof to see what the men had done and after doing some of the shifting I remembered to go up and check it out and was amazed at how much they had done. The insulation is all down and they have done about 2/3 of the concrete skim over it. I am not sure what else will be needed before winter but I am feeling so much better about next week now; I really would like to not have to have the men here on Friday as we leave early on Saturday so I would like to be packed by Friday night.

Pecking woodpecker

While we were having breakfast (toast and jam as we didn't want to spend time frying up) we saw that the woodpecker was back again on the same tree so the long lens went onto the camera and this slightly blurry picture is the best one that I managed to get. After eating we set off pretty much straight away to head over to S and S's with me driving Julian and A in Thomas. It really reminded me of the drive across here which had obviously been in convoy. I didn't think of picking up the walkie talkies until half way down the hill when one of our villagers flagged A down for a lift. Julian is way too wide to fit over the narrow bridge and I wanted to tell her to take him into town while I drove the long way round but obviously I couldn't. He got a lift to the bottom of the hill and then jumped out.

Putting down the tiles for Sassy's run

We went through town, getting many looks as always when you're in Julian, including from three policeman who fortunately didn't flag me down, and then made our way up over the mountains towards their Old School. Julian did his usual awesome job though he did get a bit slow at some of the steeper stretches. My text ahead to S and S meant that their gate was open so we didn't have to wait and I tooted his horn as we drove up. They both greeted us and showed us Sassy's new home and then we immediately started unloading. We brought the whisky and tiles in and then stopped for a lovely Christmas Tea. After enjoying that (and it was very lovely, and to sit at their table with fairy lights around the walls it was a bit christmassy) we went back to it and I started setting the tiles out to stand Sassy's run and house on. I found that we were two tiles short once it was all laid out; what a pain but I'll just give them two of the left overs from the guest room to fill the gap.

Sassy in her Christmas holidays home

Together we put the walls up for her run and brought all her toys and the house I had built for her and we got it all set up ready for bringing her in. In doing this we broke at least three of the tiles already as the floor was very smooth but still not quite perfect. Never matter, they aren't great tiles and are only for this purpose. Sassy was very happy to be picked up again and S was able to stroke her and make a bit of friends. I then set her into the run and she hopped straight into her house. She relaxed very quickly however and was hopping around happily when we went back in. I think she will be really happy and this room gets lots of light and feels nice and warm so I am so happy that she is there.

I asked her to get out of shot. Whoops

With everything now out of Julian I moved him over to where they wanted him parked up. I took picture then but later took another and asked A to get out of shot and she sulked and it made me laugh so much that I offer this one up for you. It's fair enough to be honest; why would I want her out of shot?

Working away in gorgeous scenery

With everything deposited in its correct place for the winter I now offered to help S and S as they are building a stone wall along their boundary and there were a load of rocks that they wanted which were down the bottom of a shallow bank. I put my work boots on and set to lifting them and stacking them on the flat. Their school is in a really gorgeous location, very quiet and isolated and every time I needed to take a breath of air to get my breath back I was able to stand and admire the stunning scenery all around, and the peace and quiet they live in.

Stripy rocks

Changing colours for autumn

Butterfly on a thistle

Honey bee on a thistle

I was working alone for a while and then A came out to see me and then wandered off to take photographs of the scenery and other things. She had a great time pottering around and took loads of pictures, these being the ones I liked the best. After a while S came out and distracted me and we stood talking for a bit before A rejoined us then it was up to theirs to say our goodbyes and head home, A driving, and me putting the Country Gold CD on to entertain us.

Distant design on a hill side

On the way over the mountains I snapped a few pictures out of the moving car and then we stopped at one point so I could run back up the road to get a good picture of the strange circular pattern on a mountain side across the valley. We are quite close to some extremely ancient stone age monuments and I would like to think that this may be associated with that; showing some pre-historic defences or maybe a town. Anyway, it was so clear as we were driving we had to get a picture.

Beers in the sun - lovely

We got home and ate the remains of the pasta from last night which was just lovely again and then, as the sun was out and this is now officially our last week here, we went out onto the front lawn and lay in the sun. I actually fell asleep lying there and woke up with both dead arms as they had been thrown awkwardly above my head as I dozed. It was absolutely lovely and we ended up playing with Rambo and chilling there for quite a while. After a bit we went for a stroll and walked along the boundary until we got up to the sunbathing area where again we sat down and enjoyed the warmth and just looking at the view. I have just remembered I meant to get a picture of the house from there but I forgot; I'll do it tomorrow if the sun is out. After chilling there for a bit we went up onto the balcony with a beer each and sat talking and just enjoying the day.

Spot the frog - Rambo didn't

Rambo was in attendance while we were sat on the balcony, stood in his pond mainly and every now and then going looking for the frogs which are living in it. There are at least three that we saw today but he was never able to spot them, even when they were right under his nose. Can you see the frog in this picture? As we were chilling I spotted a couple walking up past the top fence and they shouted and waved and then the guy said "you remember me, I was at your auction!" I immediately told him to come down to the gate and we ended up sat together with these two on the balcony sharing a beer and chatting about their school and the area. It turns out they had been watching the roof develop from their house (they live in town within sight) and he remembered I had bought it and had come up to see us. We parted on good terms having swapped numbers and hopefully will be back in touch next year when we return.

Peaceful evening

When they left we came inside and I started on this blog which (as I expected) has taken a very long time to write what with food and a Christmas Special episode of Father Ted, and lots of music which kept distracting me but I am nearing the end now. The sunset today was actually quite disappointing but still gorgeous and worth getting a snap to show you.

Tomorrow we are out at a village open day and we may try and get some of the planks shifted in the morning but that plan may well be shelved in favour of not doing anything at all. It is a Sunday after all.