Wood chopping etc

We're out for dinner this evening at the restaurant so late in the day I'm making a dash for doing the update. The men have just gone up to get changed though so I won't get very far before I have to leave. I'm tired so I don't want to still be doing this really late after our meal. Oh well, onwards.

A shaft of light crept through the gloom

I slept better last night, though Louise did wake me up late in the night and both of them wanted out. Fortunately they also both went straight back to sleep and so I was able to also. A got up without disturbing me this morning and when I got out of bed she was sat with her coffee and it wasn't far off time for her to go. With the chainsaw sharpened yesterday I was going to be out chopping wood first thing today so as soon as she had gone I went and got all the stuff out ready to cut wood. There was a small pile of branches to be cut and then the logs that have been stacked on the side for ages so I had plenty to be getting on with. It was another cloudy overcast start with just the merest hint of sun in the distance when I went out.

Not a bad amount in one hour

I got stuck in and, other than a refuel and oil top up, didn't take any breaks until A got back with the men. The sharpening had made a huge difference to the ease with which each log was cut up and I chopped loads; it felt good to get back into it though I was ready for a break as it does get your back going. There was no additional person today to chop the other wood but Bekir said he had someone lined up for Monday so that is good.

The frame of the steps is in place

The first order of the day for Bekir and Gyuner was getting the frame for the steps fixed in place ready for cement to be poured. Gynuer was helping Bekir today for the morning in mixing cement and getting it up to be put into these molds. It is so good to see them in place now and see the space they will take up and they look very well indeed. Sally was back up his scaffold polishing the walls and putting a thin skim over the top for the whole day. Bless him.

The top wall is done, including gap for the steps

The driveway builders were already taking the wooden frames down from around the wall they poured yesterday. I was a bit concerned that this was too soon however Bekir seemed happy enough so I will be. To be fair they were standing on it to remove the buttresses and it was taking their weight perfectly fine without crumbling so I think it is strong enough.

Three snaps,three good pictures

The girls were up with me while I was watching all this going on and I got a couple of really funny pictures of them fighting. They do have a good time and today was no different, with them out pretty much all day both with us and with the workmen, and on the top bank and generally having a ball. Bless them.

Enjoying their pond again

After eating some yoghurt for breakfast which was in no way sufficient but needed eating as it was going out of date I headed back out to the wood to carry on cutting. I still had a few logs that I had laid out to finish off before I felt I'd done for the day and getting this done earlier rather than later seemed important. On the way I saw that the ducks were in the pond (they are using it a loads now) and I managed to get one picture before they saw me and jumped out; they don't seem to like staying in there when people are watching them.

Louise staying warm

It was still pretty cold and so when A came out to start bundling up more fire lighters she brought Louise tucked up inside her cardigan. This reminded me of me and Shug walking across Islay after Bruichladdich day with both puppies in our coats, one each. It wasn't quite as chilly as that today but it was close enough after the heatwave we have enjoyed that the girls are not loving it at all.

The first layer of cement is poured

Cracking on with the chainsawing

Before getting stuck in to the bundling A took my cup back in to get a brew for us both which was very gratefully received as I finished chopping the trunks up just before she got back and really did need to rest my back. On her way up she got a picture of the first step from the living room onto the balcony full of concrete and drying ready for the next step to be poured in the afternoon. She also got a picture of me chopping wood, unbeknownst to me.

Tiles on the balcony getting close to finished

The tiler was back today and cracking on. He must have been frustrated to not be working yesterday as he really did go fast and get a lot done. He's such a friendly chap and always has a big smile when he gets in and today was no different. He actually has a car and he parks it up underneath the plum tree every morning. I think the other workers are happy about this as they get a lift home and don't have to wait for another lift at the bottom of the hill.

A load of split logs

With the logs chopped that I wanted done today I went and got what I thought was the wood splitting axe and set to it. I did OK, or so I thought, and most of the logs split in one or at most two blows. There was one particular lump which was just not going and Gyuner came over from mixing cement to have a look. He told me that the axe wasn't the right one and then took over and really struggled as well with this chunk. Eventually he managed to get it split and went back to his cement. I did a few barrow fulls before calling it a day and while the axe may not be right and I will get the right one, this one did OK.

A bundling up the kindling fire starters

As I say A came out to do the some more bundles of kindling. We have used these several times now over the past week and every time they have helped us to light the fire without any problems at all. The only thing is now we want loads more so we have enough for every day, and sometimes multiple petchkas. She's very quick at doing the bundling but as I was splitting logs she also had to do the chopping which she struggled with on the small log end I gave her.

Bekir cooking lunch on the open fire

The men had lit their BBQ again on what will be the driveway. The other day it got obliterated in all the work to dig out the bank but they rescued the grill and found some more rocks and away it went. The flames were really high at first but quickly burned down and Bekir got involved first frying some nardenitsa and toasting bread. A few of them made use of it and they just burn old cement bags and some scrap wood so why not.

Sally still working away over lunch

Sally had, as I mentioned, been hard at work finishing off the walls in the living room. He put another coat on them and then went round with the polishing thing and the result is amazing. It makes such a difference in there, and this is before the tiles are down. He worked over lunch a little bit today as well so he didn't have to stop in the middle of a job.

The steps completed and drying

Bekir and Gyuner had finished off the cement for the internal steps before they went for lunch and so that is now going off over the weekend ready for when they start tiling the floor in there. Sally had asked if we want to paint the walls in there but I'm tempted to just leave them for a bit. I don't know what colour I want, and A doesn't seem to have a preference either, so there's no rush. White looks nice and it'll certainly do over this winter.

Another stack of very cheap pallets

Lunch was some soup and a butty with some of the left over pork from yesterday. It was very nice indeed and at the time I didn't want any more. After lunch I headed out with Bekir to go past the window people to pick up more hinges and catches for the fly screens (a success), find a new axe (every shop had sold out!) and get some more pallets (we only fit 15 in the back of Thomas this time as they were slightly better quality but that'll do for now). While we were out Gyuner helped A with her paperwork finally so we are all set for that.

Just starting to pot out our new purchases

The next task for us was potting out all the ferns and fir trees I have bought over the past couple of weeks. We gathered together all the large empty plant pots and took them to by the pile of soil from the chicken house and then started removing plants from small pots and putting them into larger ones.

Grubs, and Kat eating one

As we got to the end we started to run out of really big pots so I went and got the one from the porch which had the dead fruit tree (yes, that tree I brought from England didn't survive which was a huge shame). As we were shoveling the compost out of it to make room for lower quality soil we started to find loads of these bugs. I remember finding them last year as well. I splatted a few and then thought "actually, the chickens may like these" and sure enough they went mad for them, scoffing them down and looking for more. Now we know what to supplement their diet with.

Applying the cement seal to the roof

While we were doing this Bekir was back up on the roof of the wood store putting the missing metal in place, and securing some of the others which he wasn't totally happy with, and then putting a small amount of cement over the top, along with some mesh stuff, to seal it all in to the wall. While he was up there walking around some of the tiles popped which isn't surprising considering how old they are but rather than leave them he went, got more from upstairs, and replaced them. Unfortunately he didn't get time to put the walls up so that'll be a task for me this weekend; to get at least one wall in place for stacking the wood against on Monday.

Potted up and hopefully going to survive the winter

We got all the plants repotted then took them round to the porch and I gave each a good watering in. Our plan is for the colourful ferns to go along the top of the drive way, either side of the steps and the other everygreens to be planted on the outside of the fence along the side of the pond to give it some shade. Talking of the pond it is already going green so my bubbler thing isn't helping. I think I need to get a proper filter for it so that goes onto the list for tomorrow

Gyuner excavating

Gyuner, having finished helping Bekir with the cement, was back out doing the rear patio again. He had pretty much got the land down to the correct level so was now digging out the drainage which will run along in front of the cement slab. Bekir has got a full handle on what I want to achieve and is leading the way very well which is good. It'll be lovely to have this done as well before winter; just another in the long list of bonus achievements this year.

Our cakes before we scoffed them

The day turned out really nice

As soon as we finished our potting out we put the kettle on for the men to have a coffee and also made me a brew (A had orange aid). We got the cakes out that we bought yesterday and put three slices on a plate for the men while we took one each up onto the roof terrace. It was absolutely gorgeous up there, the sun trap effect working just as well as always and probably a good five degrees warmer than on the balcony. There was a pleasant breeze which kept it from getting too hot though and we stayed up there for a little while after we had finished our cake and drink just chatting away.

End of the day

After we went down we set the rat capture trap that we had bought yesterday as well, baiting it with some dog food, so that will be an exciting thing for me to check on in the morning. It was then time to tidy up and start this update before the men had to go home. I drove them back with no real excitement at all though we did find out that there is a village open day near us tomorrow which may partially change our plans. When I got home I was able to dash onto the roof to get a picture as the sun set then we got ready to go out for our meal.

They look how I feel

Dinner was lovely as always but I left the camera in the car so no pictures. I'm now going to wrap this up as all I've done since getting back is be grumpy as I have a slight headache, and type this. It is a late finish for me but not as bad as it could have been I suppose. Night all.