(The weekend and) then more clearing

 This update covers from Thursday last week until today, Monday. I'm pretty tired (I think I'm a little under the weather and so I'm low in energy) so let's get cracking!

Louise found a gap in one of the old raised beds

So many poppies, and the wild peas also

The rosehip that needed removing

Out by the roots

Really clogged drainage channel

Weeds through the grating

The main cleaning is done

Dusting out the channel

All clean and ready for rain

A beautiful evening walk home

Thursday was a very busy day as I had a day off work due to a national holiday in Germany. It was a day spent outside in the garden doing chores. First of all I dug out the large and VERY spiky rosehip that was growing just by the path up to the top bank and then I set to on clearing out the drains down the side of the parking area. These haven't been cleaned for many years and they were so bad it was a huge task. It took a lot of energy and effort to even lift the metal grating, let alone then clean them out. I completed filled the wheelbarrow with soil and weeds pulled out of the channel then went back with an old paint brush and swept up the dust. I'm considering getting a shop vacuum for this task as we will end up with quite a lot of these style of drains once the patio is finished. It was a very nice feeling to be able to look at the job done, though I was exhausted. Angela had a lovely time with Rosie as they came out and sat and played on the sand pit - it's always better when they are near. That evening I met up with Dincher for a beer and a chat and then walked home. It was a lovely evening.

Rosie waving during our picnic

These saplings have to go

Clouds over the mountain house

Rosie drawing lines VERY well

Sleeping puppies during our dinner

Friday I was back to work but Rosie was still off school. I had a lovely lunch time sat on the rug with Angela and Rosie having a picnic and then spent the final few minutes of my break swinging a pickax and digging up some of the saplings next to the drive as well as a stump that was causing problems by the corner of the green building. It was a warm day but the clouds were blowing around and threatening. After my work finished I had a lovely time again with Rosie on the balcony - that roof is making such a huge positive difference in our lives. The puppies like it also.

The house is still standing

Neighbour strimming the meadow

Thelma and Louise at the lake

Saturday is Daddy Day and I made a last minute decision to take Rosie up to the mountain house both to check it out and also give her the chance to splash in the lake. It was a lovely day and the drive up was really nice. Thelma and Louise came with us as well and sat nicely in their bed on the passenger seat. When we got up there we found that the neighbour had a strimmer and was cutting back the grass both in the front garden of the second house we own, and on the meadow below. It was a bit too noisy for Rosie and Louise so we didn't hang around there long. On the way back down we stopped at the lake and Thelma and Louise had a lot of fun chasing frogs. Rosie was disappointed that the smaller puddles that she had so much fun with the last time we were up were no longer there and she was reluctant to splash too much in the big pond mainly because of how noisy the frogs were! Check out the video above!

Saplings growing where we want to drive

I've made a start at least

Work prevention puppies

When we got back it was time to talk to my mum and sister, which was a lovely call, and then rest time. After some rest I dragged myself back outside and swung the pickaxe some more to clear some saplings from around the back of the chicken house. We need access there to be able to drive onto the back bank. I got a few dug out then ran out of time and energy and went to sit with Angela and Rosie on the balcony. After dinner I put my feet up and Thelma and Louise settled in to stop me washing up - they're good puppers.

A beautiful sunrise

Rosie at the park

Rain blows down the valley

Heading our way

Sunday dawned with a lovely blue sky, though thunder was forecast. I had a morning of hobbying and then we went to our favourite restaurant to meet up with Lyuben and his family, the architect, who we haven't seen for two years or more. Rosie had a wonderful time in the playground there and we had a really nice lunch. It is good to see friends. After this we were all exhausted and slept. Then the weather came in and rain blew in and it got quite heavy for a while. I was out pushing Rosie on her tree swing when it started raining and we had to make a dash for it!

Back on the end of a wheelbarrow

Rosie's lettuce, and Angela's cabbage

A pile of saplings that I dug out

Clearing in front of the green building

Fire wood into storage

Rosie in "her" trailer again

And so (wow what a long update) we reach today. I was back at work once again and the men were in before Rosie left for school and they got to pushing barrows around and shifting yet more stones and rubble onto the patio. This was their task almost all of the day. At lunch I grabbed the pickaxe again and finished up the removal of the saplings from behind the chicken house. After work I hitched the trailer to Thomas and dragged it down so we could empty all the wood into the end room of the chicken house. I had some trouble then reversing back up but Rosie was happy to be able to run in it again and I also got the rug beaten and put back down in the nook.

Rosie gives Louise a lovely cuddle

Spreading the rubble

After a short while Rosie wanted out of the trailer and up to the balcony, where she did art and I read to her and she gave a lovely cuddle to Louise. The men finished the day by beginning the process of spreading the rocks into a solid flat-ish base. This did include breaking some of the larger pieces up.

It's been a while since I did an update that took that long, and had that many pictures. I hope you enjoyed reading, and thank you for doing so.