Alone again

The Mr has gone, hence the title and so you are stuck with me again for a little while.

We left you on Saturday evening and had a pretty early night, both of us being quite tired after an emotional and stressed couple of days. Sunday dawned and typically, the weather took a turn and it was cloudy. That hadn't happened for a couple of weeks and it was almost reflecting our moods. We did try to have a good morning and with a little effort to smile, we did. He made us dippy duck eggs for breakfast and we sat outside playing with the puppies and spending time with them before he had to head off to catch his bus in town. Thelma, every the playful little pup, found a stick for us to throw. I say stick, but size really must matter to her.

Shining light

Last sighting

Size matters, apparently

I dropped him off at the bus station at around 10am and waved him a tearful goodbye. I had forgotten the camera, so you will have to take my word that he left. When I got back home, having stopped off for a few provisions, I ... well, I can't actually remember what I did to be honest. I wasn't in the partying mood that's for sure. I remember tidying around the place and pottering around trying to keep busy. As is the daily evening routine, the watering was completed and I collapsed into bed once I had spoken to him and found out he had arrived safely in Brussels.

Monday
It was the last working day for the men on Monday and after collecting all three of them, it did not take them long to get to work. Sally spent pretty much all day cutting stronger wood than the last pieces we used for the stairs and securing them in place. He has done a super job and they are much better than the first makeshift ones we had. These will last us until we get the proper wood ordered later in the year.

Sally's steps

Sally Two was busying away all morning in the green building and admittedly, I have forgotten to go and look to see how he finished up in there. I hate that building. After he had exhausted his efforts in there however, he made a start on the bits of kindling we had dragged into the wood store at the start of the year. He didn't hang about and I am very grateful to the Mr for suggesting we get someone in to do it. It would have taken me weeks to sort through this.

Sally Two's bundles

Bekir was finishing off the wood store outside first thing and creating a walled section for the water tank, which will slot in the end section and collect some of the water from the roof which can be used on the garden. You will know our water supply here is less than acceptable at times.

Bekir's store

It didn't stop there for Bekir. There were a few bits in and around that needed to be finished off before he left and this was one of them. The plugs that we have installed under the overhang of the island in the kitchen are now connected and fully functioning. A simple solution, in my opinion.

Bekir's plug

At afternoon coffee break I took a wander round and noticed that Sally Two had finished the wood store. Bless him, I don't think it has ever been this tidy! What a great job.

Sally Two's great job

Sally, as I mentioned, was cutting the exact shapes of each step for the stairs. Obviously they were all slightly different shapes and sizes, but he got there in the end and did a fantastic job.

Last steps

Bekir (and all of them) are really particular about tidying up after themselves and whilst working in the kitchen and back corridor they had used the garage to store materials and tiles etc. It was a bit of a mess and he has really tidied things up in there. Sadly, I have no photo to show you of it cleaned up - I was sure I had taken one. Never mind.

Final clean up

Not content with sorting the garage, they all continued into the drive afterwards, burning whatever rubbish there was in a little fire pit they had made at the side of the drive. No more nails or pallets in sight. They all worked together and cleared any mess they could see.

Tidy driveway

Even the leftover wood they had ordered for the shed was tidied away to keep it dry. I really have less to do than I thought I would. As I took this, I caught sight of Sally Two, obviously at a loose end at the end of the day, sitting watering the orchard trees. They are really great guys.

Saving wood

And here is the (almost) finished look. I think we will have to waterproof the far end wall and paint it all to match the house colour and then it will really look the part, but what a great job they did.

Finished wood store

Of course, there was a reason this was a priority. This will be my job in the mornings whilst it is cool. Stacking before the rains arrive!

This will get be fitter!

Anyway, enough of that kind of talk. We have a few bits showing signs of life in the garden. Here are the first peppers making an appearance. Each day there are more and more of these showing and I am now wondering what on earth I am going t do with them all when they are ripe!

Peppers

Some of the colourful chilli plants we love. These are showing great potential again and we should have another box of dried ones again this year to last us over winter.

Chillies

It hasn't only been on this side of the fence that there has been work going on.  The new neighbour has been busying away and this is the result so far.

Neighbour's work

I have been working in my paid work all week and I have been extremely busy, so with the exception of Monday, there really has not been much happening at all and I apologise for the lack of update in that respect.  There just isn't anything to write about.

Just to make sure Himself does not think I have been sat around doing nothing though, I did put some effort into getting started on the wood stacking. It was hard work, but I think I have done very well. By Christmas it will all be in there (2017).

Hard work, this!

I will leave you now and head to bed. Already 9.30pm. Where on earth does the time go?

Leka nosht
A xx