Lots of digging, lots of progress

Today has been a long, busy and productive day. I'm rushing as always so let's get into it.

A beautiful start to the day today

Weed matting put down

The sun is just starting to show

Broken paving slabs as edging

Getting the sand all flat

Squaring the ends and fitting a few slats

This bench is just perfect

We are really liking the new bench

I dragged myself reluctantly out of bed just after 6:30 this morning as I was tired after a very late night last night, but then I got up onto the top bank and the fresh air and stunning view made it worth while. There was some more digging to be done, just to finally shape the bottom of the trench I dug yesterday, before I collected some weed matting and multiple loads of sand and spread that out to make a base. I got it nice and flat and added some edging to the front and it was looking excellent. When the men arrived I got them to pop up and help me with lifting the ends into place and getting the first few slats attached and then I was able to complete fitting them and it was done. We did lift it slightly further back, and also added a little more sand under one side to make it totally square, but it's awesome and we all got to sit on it for a bit later on in the day.

Careful removing the vacuum toilet

Bekir breaks through the wall

Here is a pipe - that shouldn't get blocked!

Lots of playing around getting this to fit

All tidied up

The men were continuing to work on the plumbing for the new toilet today. First of all they removed the old toilet (which was full of wee as that pipe had become completed blocked unfortunately) and then knocked through the hole for the new drain. It was a bit of a pain trying to run this pipe down and through under all the other drains in the area so they ended up rationalising everything and simplifying it. We have put in an inspection/cleaning access port in just up by the top, and will have another below the patio so we can keep on top of any problems. By the end of the day all the complex parts of the plumbing were completed so tomorrow I'm really hoping they can get it all connected and the new toilet will be useable. They headed into town at one point today as the toilets we had bought had some very small manufacturing defects however when the shop owner looked at all the other stock he found that every single one looked the same!

New trees getting planted

I actually forgot to include this in my catching up update the other day but I've been working very hard digging out the invasive tree species over by the wild area by the entrance gate. Today I took three new cherry trees I bought on Saturday and just before dinner got two of them planted. The third will have to be done in the morning. The oak tree that I transplanted over to this area is budding and looking really healthy which is just awesome!

So there it is. A busy and productive day indeed. Thanks for reading and back tomorrow.