A fun weekend, a busy Monday

Wow it feels like I haven't stopped today but it's been a good few days and there's lots to cover so I'd better get a cracking!

About to beat Grandma at Connect4

Walking up the hill together

A look back down towards our village

Taking a quick breather on the climb

This is the pipe laying machine

The pipe inside the channel

We arrive back home

Daddy (and Grandma) Saturday started with games at the dining table and we played several, including Connect4 which Rosie loves. I also managed to find Snakes & Ladders again which is still a hit. After this we went to go visit The Little Lady but on the way Rosie decided she wanted to make her way up to the Echo Pipes again so off we all trudged, heading up the hill through snow and mud. At the top we found that the pipes were starting to be put into the trenches (Rosie was outraged that they had fallen into the hole) and one of the cranes was parked up as well. It was fun to shout into the pipes and look at everything but then we turned back and went home again. It was a lovely walk but we had to get back for our call with my sister.

Ice underneath the snow

Thelma sniffing in the snow

Half the external balcony cleared

Getting some steaks cooked up

Xena chilling on my lap

The call with my sister was delayed a bit so while Grandma and Rosie played I went onto the outside balcony and started to clear snow; this is because that side of the roof is now leaking very badly. I'm really relieved we did the roof when we did! It was quite hard work as the bottom layer had melted then frozen again and stuck to the tiles but I got about half the balcony cleared before the call began. Thelma, Louise and Xena were out running around all this time as well and having a great one. I was shattered after this and slept on the sofa for a bit then it was time for dinner and I helped by cooking the steaks. Rosie and Grandma played endless games at the dining table and it was just a lovely day indeed. At the end Xena chilled out on me while we sat in Room 13 relaxing.

A beautiful sunrise

Rosie bouncing while Grandma watches

Angela gets stuck in to the shovelling

Xena sleeping on Angela's leg

Putting seeds into some starter trays

Sammy lost his head

Out for a lovely dinner

Rosie playing with a slinky

Mummy (and Grandma) Sunday was also a wonderful day. The sunrise was beautiful and the temperatures were warm enough for Rosie to get onto the balcony and bounce on her trampoline. Angela took the opportunity to get some more of the snow shovelled off the outside area as well before she came in to get Rosie to help planting some seeds. I got my hobby stuff done and then made a unit up while in the lounge as well so we could all sit together. The weather was very warm and Sammy was melting fast which is such a shame but at least we got to make him and have such fun doing so. In the evening we were back to our favourite restaurant to have some food and for Rosie to play. She had a lovely time and we enjoyed our meals. When we got back the three puppies were very excited to see us and Rosie got a little more play time with the slinky on the stairs. Just a lovely day all round again.

Orange pre dawn sky (plus Venus)

Getting the plug sockets moved

Starting to fit the peg board

Bekir hacksawing through the tape

Mitre saw in place

And so to today which has been so busy for me I've barely got away from my desk really. It started again with a beautiful sky and I snapped the orange for Rosie as she loves that colour; she was a bit sad she missed seeing it for real but loved the picture. She was off to school and the men were back in getting close to finished for this building period. First of all I asked them to move some plug sockets on the back wall to accommodate my 3D printers a bit better. Halil was also drilling and fitting some more peg board to go behind my new bench with the pillar drill. The final task for the day other than a bit more varnishing was to cut out a hole for the mitre saw, and then fit that into the space. This was completed early and I sent them home early, though I've now remembered they could have fitted my pillar drill in the last half hour of the day. They'll hopefully be back tomorrow anyway.

And there you are. We had another lovely evening with games and puppy fun but now everyone is exhausted. Thanks for reading; I should be back tomorrow.

Snow arrives

Well we're back again after a long weekend and so it's a longer update for me to write so let us get into it.

Pineapple hair do and Xena for Rosie

Riding the trolley like a pro

Excited to paint her wall

First colour for Rosie

"Look what Mummy did!"

Out for food with Daddy

Puppies asleep underneath the fire

Daddy Saturday started with Xena play time and me trying my best to get Rosie's hair tied up out of the way resulting in an awesome pineapple effect. I took Rosie to the shops to pick up paint for her bedroom but completely misunderstood so I bought loads of paint where one tub each would actually probably have been enough. It was a nice trip out and then call with my family. On Sunday Angela took the paints that I had bought and with some help from Rosie (but not very much) she created the beginning of an awesome mosaic effect on the wall of Rosie's bedroom. That evening I took Rosie to our favourite restaurant on my own as Angela was exhausted after a bad night sleep and discovered that Rosie doesn't like clowns. It was a nice time out, however, though exhausting. Never have I wanted to join the puppies under the fire for a nap so much!

Prefab home delivery service

Fence torn down

Cows, stuck truck, JCB and other truck

JCB to the rescue

Burst water main just there

Fence is mostly secure enough

Monday the men didn't come as the rain was torrential and they had forgotten about the inside work; it was a busy day for me at work myself until about 3pm when the neighbours started to have a prefab building delivered. I watched carefully as they managed to unload the second section of the building from the second truck, using the first truck's crane and, thinking it was done, went back to my desk only to jump back up when I heard a horrendous tearing sound. Thinking they were knocking down the power lines I rushed to the window to see this green lorry sliding in the mud, catch on our fence, and rip about 10m of the fence completely out of the ground! I went down to see what was going on but the driver was so apologetic and immediately offered to fix it that I couldn't begin to be angry. Really they shouldn't have been delivering in that weather but it was just one of those things. We waited for the second truck to leave before they would start to make the fence at least partially secure and this is when the farce became ridiculous as the driver managed to get himself completely beached and stuck across the lane and he was wheel-spinning and digging in further and deeper and could not move. The first attempt to move him was made using the other truck but it could not shift, spinning its own wheels, so then they brought the JCB around and it was able to hook on with its back hoe and lift and drag the truck back onto the track. All good except something I was worried about happening HAD happened - the front wheel had been digging in directly over our mains water supply and as soon as the truck shifted, the water started pouring out. The boss for the delivery company was on site and got straight on the phone to ViK to get them to fix it, and then he and the other driver worked together to secure the fence good enough for the night. What a drama and the worst part was it was over school collection time. Fortunately The Other Brother was able to collect Rosie for us and bring her home while we were stuck behind the lorries.

ViK on the lane, Bekir and Halil at the fence

Fire lit and working on the lights

Table saw, and roller extensions

Lights go on

Fixing up plug sockets

It snowed today

I had agreed with Bekir and Halil that they would have today off as well however when the fence was torn down I rang and they immediately agreed to come in to make it finally secure and so they turned up and got to work in the freezing cold wind and start of the snow. I was very keen for them to not do too much outside as it was horrible weather conditions. The ViK team turned up at the same time and fixed up the water pipe so that was god. I haven't actually been to see what the fence fix looks like but they were happy with it and came inside into the warm to continue on the workshop. I had such an awful night last night (not getting to sleep until 5am) that I didn't work today and took Bekir with me to collect the new table saw and do a few other chores. For the rest of the day they worked to fit the new light fittings in the workshop and then add the new plug sockets on the back bench. Then I sent them home as the weather was continuing to close in. I have no idea if we'll see them tomorrow.

So there it is; what tomorrow brings who knows but today we got closer to workshop and that makes me excited. Thanks for reading.

Putting the drainage in

 It's Friday again, and the last day of the week for the workmen. Here goes, another short one I reckon.

Starting the day on the first drain

Securing the first inlet

Fully burying the first pipe

Tape measure work

Making it exact

More burying work

And Bekir

The title of this update really does say it all; today was all about drainage. Because we want the patio to be flat, so we can have the pool sat on it safely, we are not able to rely on a 3-4 degree slope to drain water. Instead we are putting regular drainage channels that will sit flush with the cement and will take the water down to the front garden. Below the channels will run pipes that these channels will drain into. This is what they were fitting today and in the day, through sunshine and heat in the morning and then a bit of drizzle and rain in the afternoon, they got all the pipes laid and fully in place. This involved making sure that each inlet was spaced correctly to match up to the channel that would go above, then using sand and heavy slabs to hold that fully in place.

All the drainage pipes are in for this section

As I say, a short update but now  that is done we will be really pushing to get cement next week. Here's hoping!

Thanks for reading, back on Monday.