Still working on the frame

I'm camping out with Rosie tonight so I'm actually starting this update during the late afternoon as I won't have time later to write it all up.

Sweeping up the metal dust

Getting the legs set out

Some kind of laser support

Checking it is level

Welding the legs on

Very proud of the 0.0 perfect

The door goes back on

The men were in on time and spent a bit of time tidying up but then I found them stood around waiting for the wind to dry the dew off the metal legs! I pointed out that they could make a start with the legs inside before they were dry and off they went. Today has been a little slower than I hoped as I don't think they'll be done so I'll be without my workbench again this weekend but they have spent a fair amount of time checking levels and trying to get it all totally perfect. At first the laser was balanced on a jar of milk drink, a level and a section of hardboard, but then I went and got a proper tripod and they finally had a stable base to work from. With the legs the correct length they began welding it all together and this took a long time, however by the end they were very proud of then 0.0 on my new digital level. They had had to remove the door into the workshop to get the frame inside and at lunch time they really struggled to get it rehung.

Drilling the first holes

Hammering the anchors in

Perfectly 90 degrees

And also this way as well

End of the day, looking good

With everything leveled out we had a chat about the next step and decided that we can paint the metal with it fixed in place rather than having to lift it all out again however they needed some different special anchors which could be hammered down through the holes in the anchor plate so they popped to the shop very quickly for these. When they got back they were drilling and hammering and getting everything perfect and by the end of today the frame is absolutely spot on. Sadly it isn't totally finished so I can't use the bench this weekend however we have a good plan for next week including painting the frame, getting the carpet done upstairs, and getting the bench finished including embedded saws and storage shelves underneath.

Angela loads manure into her trolley

The last of the humanure is spread out

Angela had a really productive morning as well. She was out early doing short bursts of shifting sheep manure and spreading it on the raised beds, and then moved to the flower beds. This is great, and we can do another lift maybe next week. This will over years improve the soil no end.

Rosie helping with the poles

Rosie hammers a tent peg in

As I've said I'm camping with Rosie tonight so when she got back from school we put the tent up together. It's been really windy today, and it was quite gusty still as we were doing this, but Rosie helped and we have the tent set now.

So there you are. A good day. Thank you for reading and we'll be back on Monday

Last outside day for a bit

I think today is going to be the last day we have the men working outside for a bit (though thinking about it there is one more garden based task that could do with being done, though I was maybe going to try and do it myself in my after-work-gardening-sessions) and it was a productive day all round.

Rosie pleased with her sparkles

First of all, however, a picture of Rosie with her new hair band that sparkles and glints in the sun, casting amazing reflections everywhere. She was fascinated by this. Great fun.

Bekir finishing the insulation task

Easier than getting the big ladder

Bekir keeping safety in mind

A lovely clean result

Outside the men finished up the securing and insulating of the new cleaning access port on the toilet pipe and then they spent a bit of time making sure that the toilet still worked, which it did. I had also asked them to remove the ventilation pipe that was from the old humanure collection point, and fill in the hole in the shuttering underneath the roof overhang to prevent hornets and birds from getting in, so they did this quickly. The cleaning access point is very nicely done and finished and now just needs an insulating lid over the top of it to keep it from freezing in winter.

Lots of work in the raised beds

Bekir adjusts the wiring for the lights

A tidier situation than before

Steadily getting there with digging this all over

Rosie making a sand castle

Bouncing with balloons

It really was another lovely day today and Angela and Grandma were outside a lot, doing a lot of clearing and planting in the raised beds. After lunch they went with Halil to see our apartment in town which was lovely and while they were gone Bekir got stuck into redoing some wiring in the roof to make it a bit tidier. He also had a look at the toilet pumps again and stopped them from pumping continually once more. After work I took myself into the garden and dug over the next section of vegetable patch. Rosie did some sandcastle making before a bit of hobbying with me and then a lot of fun with Grandma on the trampoline.

So there it is; a fun day and a productive one. Thanks for reading and back tomorrow.

Back to fixing the toilets

What a day; it really has been a very busy one here for all of us. I've been working and helping where I can while Angela and Grandma have been non stop cleaning and tidying.

I took Rosie in this morning as, on top of how busy she is, Angela woke feeling really rough this morning. It was very cold as we headed down the hill!

Out fixing our toilets. Again.

More rolls of insulation

Lifting the rolls up into the roof

The men spent almost the entire day trying to fix the toilets as last night we were back to sawdust toilets as both of them went to the same state of the pump running continually and just not working. They fixed them eventually, changing out some seals and making the vacuum part of the pump sealed again. While they were out shopping for seals they also picked up a load more insulation and at the end of the day they shifted them all up into the attic then they also got involved in the great tidying task. I was, by this time, shredding cardboard as fast as possible in an attempt to tidy the stairs some. We got lots done but still there's a lot of cardboard that we will just move out of the way and shred next week.

Rosie and Grandma out for dinner

I decided to take Rosie and Grandma out for dinner to give Angela a rest after her epic day and we had a lovely time at the fast food place near us.

And there it is. Big day tomorrow with the party, I'll be back on Monday. Cheers for reading.

Away again, balcony program

It's been another busy week as I've been away to Belgium for the past week. Angela was here and snapping pics through the week as she also did everything else. I'll go through my trip away then have a look at what they got up to.

Sat on the plane ready to fly

Spraying the anti freeze everywhere

Stunning sunset from the plane

What a great room this was

Pretty good breakfast every day

Nice beer, chips and burgers

This steak was a very VERY nice thing!

A lot of fun bowling

My flight was an evening one which worked a lot better really. I was able to spend time with Angela and Rosie in the morning before heading off. I had a great seat and just caught sight of them spraying the antifreeze onto the wings; that isn't something you see every flight. The view as we headed across Europe of the sun going down was really special as well. I caught three trains across Europe and reached the final station to find no taxis in sight and so I ended up walking twenty minutes to the hotel. It really was a very good hotel, the room was really comfortable and the food there was incredible. I also went out a few times, had some INCREDIBLE steak at a small place in Bruges and also went bowling which was also great.

I got dropped right here by the taxi

The first statue I found

Going for a ride

Another statue I found

Amazing costumes next to the organ grinder

Walking in the dunes

Getting ready for some water sports

My friend with a sandcastle we found

Bruges is a lovely place and I will definitely be trying to go back with the whole family. I had a lovely time walking around taking boring pictures of amazing architecture. I had a lot of trouble getting there, though, as Belgium just doesn't do public transport it seems. There were horse-drawn carts to explore, lots of statues and also a big group of people dressed up as if they were going to a mask-e-rade.  It was great. I then met up with an old friend and we went to Zeebrugge, walked on the beach in a gale, drank some very nice beer and whisky and then I was back to the airport for a very delayed flight home and finally a loooong drive back which got me home at 5am.

A cold frame that was a pain to assemble

Getting the toilet pumps reassembled

Breakfast time for Rosie

A petchka in Grandma's room

Working on the plaster board in the balcony

Now we have two heaters per side

Grandma is collected, time for lunch

So back to what was happening at home. Actually, just before I left Angela and I put together a cold frame for the garden. But NOW what happened while I was away. First of all the men fitted the new bellows pumps to the toilet pumps and then tried to get the upstairs toilet working however it's been a bit dodgy and today stopped working again; these toilets are so unreliable. The rest of the week was a lot of effort on Angela and Rosie's part to get the house ready for Grandma arriving while the men, with the toilet finally fixed, focused on the balcony. They were fitting the second two heaters and then continuing with the rest of the plaster-boarding. Finally on Saturday it was time to collect Grandma from the airport, and to stop for food at the good Italian restaurant.

Fitting the spot lights

Wiring up the switch

Taking dirt out of the chimney

Xena watches Bekir up the ladder

Getting the petchka fully cleaned

The lights now work

Putting up insulation

I was too tired yesterday to do the update however there really hasn't been much to take pictures of in the current tasks. Yesterday morning they got stuck straight in to fitting the lights in the corridor and then after lunch spent some time cleaning the chimney and fixing the pipes for the kitchen petchka which has been smoking badly. This morning they finished the job with a full pipe clean before going back into the roof to finish the lights (they are all done now). They also took down the old ventilation pipe from the humanure collection point as the wind has been making the metal spinner make really loud noises at night. The final task was to keep going on the insulation task in the roof. There's no sign of the window people coming back to fit the doors yet though.

So there it is; caught up and back to daily updates again. Thanks for reading, back tomorrow.