Kindling day

I'm starting this update early in the day to get it out the way as I'm planning on going out for my dinner this evening. As soon as I've typed it up I can relax into my night off.

A very grey start to the day today

I slept very well last night after talking to A but I did make use of the new lights in the living room a couple of times, first when I needed the toilet and then around the puppies' normal time when they wanted out. I was not getting up early, however, and so it was back to bed for all of us and eventually I clambered up to get a brew about 8 or so. When I first woke it was quite a clear morning (when I let the puppies out for their toilet the stars were out and it was gorgeous and clear) but as the kettle boiled the mist rolled in and it has been rather overcast ever since.

Tiling around the wall coming on

I mentioned yesterday that the tiler had been getting on with his job so this morning when I got the picture of how miserable it had become I also decided to get a progress shot of the balcony. I wasn't sure whether the other workmen would arrive today or not and as they are normally there about then it wasn't looking hopeful. I went in to finish my brew and then head outside to get on with my chore for the day.

Branches to be broken up

I need to get all the wood processed and cleared, specifically all the kindling broken into lengths for A to bundle when she gets back. After my successes yesterday with the chainsaw yesterday today has been all about my hands. I have spent almost all day out there pulling branches from the big pile and removing all the small bits off them and piling up the remaining large lengths for later chainsawing. This is the first pile that I started out with.

The men get starting mixing concrete

While I was out there snapping, piling, throwing the ball for Thelma and then gathering more branches the workmen for the driveway did turn up. I have spent all this time outside with them watching them work and when I expressed some concern that the levels may be off they stopped to check and prove there was no mistake. They've made some pretty good progress today and this whole job could be done next week. The steps at the back will probably take a bit longer.

An hour later I ended up with this

It took me just over an hour to process the pile of branches in that first picture; this is a slower task to complete than chainsawing but it is just as important. The bucket you see in this picture is taking me about half an hour to fill completely. After this I was a bit hungry so headed in and had some yoghurt and then toast for breakfast and then went straight back outside to carry on. I really have stuck at it today, even though it is such a tedious task.

Pouring the concrete carefully sloped for drainage

By this time the men had finished laying the guides and were starting filling in between them. This is going to be an epic task, as they aren't getting a mixer lorry in to pour it but are doing it all by hand. It was at this stage that I had my worries about whether the whole thing was sloping back down and would end up recreating Rambo's Pond but it was proven that this was just an optical illusion.

This was actually really hard to do

Lunch time came and I wasn't hungry but I still paused in my work to give the men some peace and quiet as they dozed outside after eating their BBQ. I sat and chatted online for a bit and then decided that I would do that inside task I had set myself for today. This was a real pain to get done and I almost fell off the ladders a couple of times but, once I had worked out I needed a bracket and butchered a guitar hanger for the purpose I eventually got the pipe up correctly for the petchka in the bedroom. I had to move everything around to do this including pulling the bed out so I took the opportunity to hoover the room while I was at it.

Bleeding, battered hands

After this I went back out to my kindling and spent the rest of the afternoon out there snapping wood, using the axe a couple of times, and stashing the larger pieces in the tent for later. I did not realise that this task would be so bloody but I have caught myself several times during the day and was bleeding everywhere more than once. I suffer for my progress, I really do.

Stored wood inside the big tent

A little pile of kindling for A to bundle up

It has been worth it though.I'm maybe just about half way through the remaining pile of branches, gathered all those months ago and used as a home by the sparrows, and a play ground by the girls. There are a few more piles of wood to be gathered in from around the grounds still, sadly, which does make it feel a little bit like a Sisyphean task but a little bit every day will get me there. The rain that was forecast for today was around a bit but it was mostly just a slight drizzle which I worked through, just moving the collection bucket under cover so the twigs didn't get too wet.

Nearly the end of the day for the men

The men have just left for the day and will be back on Monday, they tell me. They have made a good start, though, on the driveway and this is about where they left it today. My plans for the driveway will eventually involve replacing this concrete with tarmac, I think, and having it done all the way down to the vehicle gate however hopefully this won't be needed for a few years to come.

So there you are; it's only just past 4pm here as I type this but I'm going to get this update out the door and will let you know about the balance of my day today in tomorrow's update.