Gave myself a headache today

I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to get this update done today or not. I am only here typing due to the magic of Anadin Extra. It didn't have enough magic to get me out this evening to our favourite restaurant as I had initially planned but fortunately I found the pizza in the freezer so that will be going in the oven shortly so I don't have to do anything complicated for dinner. Anyway, onwards before I collapse again...

A damp start to the day

The morning was a wet one, it was raining quite heavily when I woke up though it slowed slightly by the time I was off to get the men. I had slept well but still had my morning routine of let the puppies out the front door and turn round and go straight back to bed. Thelma was the only one to return this time as Louise stayed outside and then she started barking at something down by the chicken house so that got me out of bed to check it out. I've no idea what was down there but both Rambo and Louise were sniffing around Julian and were very excited about something. The birds were happy though as being there, even though it was still dark, I let them out. It was a one brew morning today though and off for the men.

Waterproofing and metal grid down

The journey to pick the men up was pretty uneventful as mornings normally are. When we got back it was the second day in a row that the other workmen were just going through the vehicle gate as we reached it and so Bekir didn't have to get out to open it. They all went to change and then came down and got straight into their work. Sally and Gyuner were back out on the back patio and had made themselves ready to pour cement. The waterproof membrane was done and on top Sally had laid the metal for reinforcing it.

The men spread the stones out

On the driveway the stones that had been delivered yesterday were being spread over to make the surface level for later application of cement. Later on in the day I was asked to get involved and shown what their plans were which was not to my satisfaction at all. They were going to have the cement so high that it would be about 30cm above the level at the front. This would require much more work in the first place, and then a huge ramp would be needed to get the cars onto the driveway. No matter, I explained that they could slope it more towards the entrance and everyone looked happier so that is what they are doing now. I doubt I'll get a discount for the reduction in materials and effort, though.

Cleaned up and hung

Bekir was straight on with the electrics in the living room. The first task he set himself was to get the central lights working. We'd decided to use the old light fittings again for these two and so first of all he sat and cleaned them up with a bit of sandpaper and then he put them in place. This took him almost no time so all the effort made at the end of the day yesterday really paid off.

The last bits of the walnut tree

All chopped up in half an hour

Kindling gathered from around the place

For myself I decided that today I would actually not do any paid work (as I'm only paid to do four days a week and often end up doing more) and get stuck in to a load of tasks that have been building up outside. First of all I wanted to get all of the rest of the walnut tree cut up. Fortunately the rain had completely stopped by now and so I was able (as Hikmet wasn't around today) to use the proper chopping block and get into a good rhythm. It took me about half an hour to finish. I even filled a whole bucket up with kindling which went into the growing pile in the garage waiting for A to come back.

Just starting to work on the switch for the central lights

Inside Bekir was working on the switches for the central lights. The lights in the living room are slightly more complicated than the other rooms as we have two banks of lights, each with two switches. One switch for each is set by the bedroom door, and the main door out on the corridor. It took some explaining that we wanted to have the central lights as one bank, and the wall lights as another but we got there.

Nearly completed the cement pouring on this new slab

Sally and Gyuner had made super progress on the second bit of slab for the back patio and by the time I had drunk my brew (post chopping effort reward) they had nearly completed it. This is a slight change to the original design as I envisaged it finishing where the gap is but it will make the drainage better and also give us that little bit more space to play with. I don't think we'll have enough of those tiles left over to cover this area unfortunately so I think I'll have to see how many more we'll need and then get them ordered in case they stop selling them.

The final large chunks of our snow-damaged trees

All chopped and ready for splitting

I was back outside after said brew and this time I set my sights a little higher. We've had these logs, from around the land, sitting for ages next to the wood chopping area but previously I wasn't confident enough with the chainsaw to chop them up. With all the practice I have been getting, however, I was very happy by now and so I hauled them all over to a clearer spot and then set to. The chainsaw ran out of fuel just before I finished the job but despite this it only took me about half an hour again cut all of these up into splittable lengths. It felt like longer, I can tell you, as the chainsaw vibrates a lot while you're using it and now the temperature has dropped the fumes hang around as well.

My two lovely constant companions

All the time I was out chopping wood the puppies were playing near me. Thelma had her ball and I would pause very often to throw it for her. Louise isn't as interested in that but she did find some rawhide from somewhere or other and this she chewed on for a long time. They are just so lovely, they really are constant companions for me.

Cooking fire just lit

It was still not quite lunch time by this point and I popped in to make myself a brew, and made coffees for the men as well. I forgot that Hikment wasn't in and made four cups by mistake but Bekir kindly gave one to the tiling man, who was working away today even though I neglected to take any pictures of the balcony today. The driveway men had lit a fire for a lunchtime BBQ and laughed a lot when I took this picture. It was much warmer by now, with the sun trying to break through, so this was purely a cooking fire.

Switches done, the central lights are finished

Before lunch time Bekir finished the central lights in the living room. This made me think to the worries I'd had yesterday that this job wouldn't be completed by the end of the day today and realise I had been wrong. They look really well, and fit in perfectly in the position we have chosen for them. This room is going to be so comfortable when it is finished.

Full wheelbarrow of split wood

I did some wood splitting before lunch, carrying on a little over midday until I realised just how hungry I had become and had to stop and go in. This was a little silly as it probably contributed to the headache that blighted the afternoon but I wanted to get a full wheelbarrow and get that unloaded inside before stopping. The trunks were really hard and the vibrations were quite tough as well which probably also didn't help my head.

Unwanted inhabitants in my split wood

KitKat munching the ants

Some of these logs were quite rotten to begin with and ants have moved into them. As I was splitting these I kept disturbing loads of flying ants. I decided that putting these logs, with their wood-eating inhabitants, into my wood store was a bad decision so every time I found a bit of wood that had ants I lobbed it over the fence into the chicken run. Sure enough the chickens went straight over to investigate (they are out during the day now it is so much cooler) and started munching up all the ants. I'll check these lumps of wood tomorrow and if all the ants are gone then they can be split further and put into storage. Thank you, KitKat and Beaker and Balls.

A split log with a twig in its centre

After eating a superb lunch of cheese and cooked meat butties, with a snickers bar and a huge chunk of A's lovely cake (nearly finished now) I headed back out and continued to swing the axe. Eventually I finished the job, though there were two bits that I was not able to split at all and I have left these for Hikmet on Monday morning as I hope he is back then. There was one really interesting moment when I split the first log after lunch. At the point where it split there was running up the middle what looked like a twig, right in the heart. Fascinating.

Grid laid over the stones

Little mounds of concrete describe the contours

By the time I finished this job the men on the drive had completed the spreading of the stones and were watering it down and laying the metal grid over the top. They then mixed up some cement and used it to build little piles at regular intervals across the stones, to describe the slopes that we will have, and also maybe to hold the grid in place.

Don't the wall lights look lovely

I went to bed when I got in as I was feeling so whacked. I lay there for probably just over half an hour but didn't sleep which was frustrating as I really wanted to. I did wake up feeling a little better than I had, better enough to walk around and think about doing some more work at least. In the living room I found the wall lights had all be fitted and they look just as good as A had said they would.

Boards showing width of steps at the back door

I had been called on to make some decisions about the back steps today. First of all it was how wide should they be. At first I agreed with Sally to have them just overlapping by 10cm each side of the door but then, when I went out to see the frame, I realised this was leaving a gap to one side between the steps and the ledge that I asked Gyuner to keep so we can put some plants on it. Sally was very happy to change what he was doing, particularly as he hadn't got that far, and so now the steps will lead down to this ledge and the final one will be level with it.

Bekir working in the roof, this time with a light

After this pressure decision I went back and lay down again for a bit but again didn't really sleep though it was worth the rest; I am determined that I am not that feeble and work doesn't knock me out however the evidence is pretty damning. It's embarrassing. When I got up again I found Bekir in the roof doing the wiring for the wall lights. The amount of cable running along that back wall know is quite impressive and I'm very pleased I did some cable tidying and didn't let it just turn into a tangle. I'm going to have fun working out which each is and labeling them, though.

Stones being used to build up the base for the steps

The second decision on the back steps was whether to have them with a gap underneath or solid. I ummed and ahhed for a little bit, having had this discussion with A just the other night, but eventually went for solid as it would be longer lasting and easier for them (it was also A's suggestion). I told them to make use of the white stone to build it up which would also save on cement and speed things up and so they got going without any more delays.

The switch for the wall lights was next

Bekir was done in the roofspace shortly after that and came down to fix the switches and finish everything off. I was starting to feel really quite unwell by this point and when I climbed the stairs just prior to taking this picture and swayed at the top I realised I should take some pills (I hate taking pills) and lie down. The puppies joined me this time and snuggled up with me which helped and even though, once again, I couldn't drop off fully it was the right thing to do once more. I lay there and all I could taste was petrol fumes and my head was pounding. Not nice, and then Rambo barked outside and I couldn't get the energy to check it out.

And here they are, illuminated

When I got up the men were already in the roof getting ready to leave so it's a good thing I did rouse myself at that point. Bekir had finished off fully in the living room and spent the balance of the day sweeping and getting ready for tiling. How very exciting is that! WOOOOO!!!!

The slope is now finished (this is an earlier picture)

By the back door Sally and Gyuner had built a slope of cement and stones on which, on Monday, they will set the actual steps. The progress that has occurred today is just amazing, what with my insane morning and the men working so hard as well. After feeling quite frustrated yesterday it's great to be sat here and looking at a very good place for the week to finish. With the forecast what it is tomorrow I don't know whether we'll see the driveway men working but even there they're making excellent progress.

The journey back with the men was totally uneventful but when I was driving back up my hill I saw one of the men from my village and stopped to give him a lift. He was very grateful, and very very drunk, but I let him out in the middle of the village without any mishap and headed home chuckling to myself. Dinner has been, as I said it might, a pizza and now I'm going to get this published, let the puppies have their final run of the day, talk to A for a bit and then sleep. No alarm is set for tomorrow. Yay.