Men done again

That was a really good quick visit from the men, getting lots done in three days, and now they're away again and they may not be back for the rest of this year!

Stork flying past

I'll open up this update with a picture I meant to include two days ago but forgot. I was mowing the lawn when I heard a strange sound and saw that a stork was sitting on the power pole just on the lane. I got a few pictures before it flew off and just managed to catch that as well. Rosie was very impressed as she loves nature.

The big dope got stuck

Getting ready to fit this as a gate

So many poppies, such a beautiful sight

Loads of bees around the poppies

And so to today. First thing this morning, just as we were waking up, Dutch got himself stuck inside the Green Building. He eventually managed to jump out the window again but we were laughing at him. The men were in on time and their first task was finishing the final stretch of fence and putting a gate. They made use of a section of Sassy's run to make the gate - perfect as this is really a stop-gap measure and we'll put proper fencing up soon. I got some lovely pictures of the poppies in the fenced garden as well; these will need digging out as we have onions in there somewhere!

Halil and Bekir hefting this heavy unit

Trying to put a neat hole through...

... but that didn't work so the chisel was brought out

Cutting mesh to put over the hole

The failed attempt on the left, and ventilation is in

Sealing the gap under the door frame

With that task completed I asked them to help me move two of the units out of the Games Room as I'm buying new ones to replace them. These are very heavy but we got one into the corridor and one into the roof space. They then moved on to putting in ventilation for the under stairs storage. Halil had an idea to get a really nice drill to make the hole look nice however once they got that back they found that the stairs are full of rebar so they fell back to using a chisel and smashing their way through. By the end of they had a good sized gap, with some mesh over it, and I think I'm happy now that we won't get damp and smelly in there. I was about to let them head off when I remembered the gap under the middle door by the glass room and so for the last half hour they quickly mixed some cement and filled that in. What a great success and many tasks completed that we didn't think would get done this year.

So there it is. I don't know when I'll be back next, though Rosie was just very excited to tell me she thinks the ducks are going to have babies so maybe if that happens it'll prompt an update. Thanks for reading, back whenever.

More of the same, then a Christmas party

Today has been a long day, but a good one. Let's get to it.

Beautiful sunrise this morning

Bekir working on the walls

Electric back boxes in

Windowman preparing a quote

Sweeping as he works

Working on the swing

I woke to a message from Halil saying his car had broken down so he was catching a taxi to borrow Thomas, which was of course OK. The sunrise this morning was very lovely indeed, and kept me entertained while I was doing my exercises. The men were a little late today but got stuck in on the walls and through the day they completed this first layer finally. Early afternoon the windowman came over to measure up for a quote for the door to the cupboard under the stairs and we, once again, took him around pointing out the broken fly screens and windows without tilt and turn for replacing. Let's see if they finally get that done. At the end of the day, just before we went out, Bekir and Halil set to replacing the damaged wire for the swing, putting a strong rope up in its place.

Rosie getting her face painted

Rosie about to race in the egg and spoon race

With Santa Claus

Rosie with her sparkles and painting

Straight after school we all headed out up the road to our favourite restaurant as they were having a Christmas party for kids and we wanted to take Rosie. It was chaos, but also a lot of fun. Rosie had a great time getting her face painted (twice) and playing games with the clown and also getting to meet Santa and having a gift from him. It was a lot of fun as I say but it was nice to leave and escape the noise!

So there it is - that was the day. Thanks for reading and back tomorrow.

Sammy Saves the Year

Well it's Monday again so another long old update to catch up to today so let's get it on.

Pickle with her breakfast pancakes

Rosie enjoying her pancakes

Not that much snow left

Rosie's awesome snowman!

A very icy patio

Making a start on making our Sammy

Rosie with a big lump of snow

Very proud of our Sammy efforts

Saturday morning we had the fun Pickle-hunt and eventually found her up on the balcony making pancakes for Rosie for breakfast. We heated them up for her and she ate about half of them. The snow from the previous day had just about stuck around outside so after breakfast Rosie was outside while I did a few things and when I went out to play with her I found she had made a little snowman just by the front porch - how creative is that! It was very icy indeed so it took some care to walk over however Rosie and I then got stuck in to our very important task of building a Sammy out of what little snow there was. It took some effort, and we had to gather snow from all over the front lawn, but we did it and I'm not sure who was more excited, me or Rosie.

Rosie surveying the task ahead of us

Once we finished working

Can you spot Rosie

Doing some colouring in together

The rest of the day was awesome as well. Rosie and I put lots and lots of effort into tidying the top corridor and Rosie was a really huge help as we moved lots and lots of boxes up into the roof for me to tidy later. It made a massive difference indeed. After that we played some hide and seek and did some drawing and generally just had a lovely day. 

Such a lovely sunrise this morning

Wracking up the minis on the storage

Rosie watching the train run round and round

Sammy is still hanging on

Sunday we had a lovely sunrise which I took lots of pictures of while working on my vlog and then it was game time for us. I also spent time tidying all the boxes of miniatures and other stuff that we'd moved up into the roof the day before. I actually, during the day, managed to get everything tidied away which I did not expect to achieve. I was doing a few bits of my own stuff during the day but I did get time with Rosie as I found her laying down watching the Christmas Tree Train going around, and later on we did some swinging and checked out how Sammy was doing - it had been a sunny and warm day so she was a little melted but we put the face back on for a picture. My old friend arrived as well to drop some gifts for Rosie and have a coffee, which was really nice.

It's quite difficult working back here

Unloading more materials

Bekir getting stuff done while he waits

More working in cramped conditions

Turning the corner

Now finally able to stand up

And so to today. I wasn't all that well this morning but a bit more sleep sorted me out. By the time I emerged the men were already at it working in the low ceiling area to finish the walls. They ran out of materials so had to drop down to the shop again and then a bit later while waiting for a mix to soak the water in Bekir picked up a rake and they removed loads of stones and rubble and old grass from the little patch by the old table tennis table. It was then lots of effort in working in a tight space which was making it slower but before the end of the day they reached the taller ceiling and things sped up. Hopefully tomorrow they'll get this part done.

Rosie next to the remains of Sammy

I'll leave you with a picture of Sammy as of just after school today, as Rosie and I were on our way down to swing again. She's hanging in there! Just about.

So there it is. I'm so pleased we got just enough snow for me and Rosie to have fun building a Sammy Snowman. It has made my year! Thanks for reading, we'll be back tomorrow.

Snow stops work

Today has been a disrupted day for the men, as you'll see, so yeah let's get to it.

The Elf doing her naughty work

I love how the tree looks

First of all some snaps of the Christmas tree and the Christmas Elf who last night climbed the tree and put toilet paper all over it! Rosie this morning thought it was outrageous what Pickle had done!

Bekir working in close confines

More progress on the walls

The snow just starting to fall

Snow starting to settle on the grass

Finishing up the last of the cement for the day

Halil had car trouble this morning and messaged me asking for a lift in so after dropping Rosie I headed to town and I was just about to reach him when he rang to say his car was working again so I turned round and headed home. They were a little late because of this but arrived soon enough and got on with the task of putting cement onto the walls. They were working away but just after lunch the snow started falling, very lightly and not settling at all but an hour or so later I noticed it was sticking and as Angela headed down to collect Rosie from school she told me the road down the hill was very slippery so I told the men to head home. They finished up the batch of cement they had then headed home. Frustrating but it's better they get home safe.

Me throwing a snowball at Rosie

Rosie hits me with a snowball

When Rosie got home from school she shouted to me to come play snowballs so I went down and we had a lot of fun for about half an hour or so before we went in to warm up. Unfortunately the snow stopped falling so we won't have a huge dump I don't think. It would be amazing to wake tomorrow to enough snow to make a snowman.

So there it is. Let's hope it's a snow day tomorrow! Thanks for reading, and back on Monday.