Mainly toilets plus a nice walk

It's been another good day here, and a great after school/work, but let's get into the update so you can hear all about it.

The sun is rising

Rosie in her new birthday outfit

A new puppy at the farm

I was up early this morning and managed to catch the really dramatic sunrise before heading downstairs. Rosie was dressed in her birthday outfit from Angela's mum and she really loves it; it is very awesome indeed! I took her to school today and saw the new puppy from the farm up close for the first time; she came running over and gave me lots of licks.

Bekir test fitting (it didn't fit)

The new fridge is delivered

Sat in the sun at lunch time

This morning was dead time for the men. They started the day looking into fitting the cleaning/inspection junction for the upstairs toilet pipe however the parts they had bought didn't fit right. They headed into town and went to all the shops before finally finishing up at the CNC shop where a nice man made them the perfect part custom made. Brilliant, but it took hours. While they were out our new fridge was delivered which was very exciting and I got a ten minute break to sit in the sun between working too much.

Bekir showing how the new part will work

The old fridge is removed

The new fridge is in its position

Fixing the cleaning access in position

Testing the pump over and over again

When the men finally did get back they showed the part they had made (and it does look very good) before helping us to get the old fridge out onto the patio and the new fridge into position in the kitchen. It is a really nice size, and fits perfectly. Angela is very happy. The men then spent the rest of the day fitting the new part into the pipe, having cut it out from the insulation. We then worked together to make sure everything works and now the upstairs toilet is working again. After this they spent a very frustrating hour or so trying to work out why the downstairs toilet pump wouldn't shut off. At the moment this is now working again but we will need to keep an eye on it.

Heading off on our walk up the hill

Rosie following Grandma up the stream bed

Looking out over the pond with the sun setting

Rosie and Grandma playing on the way down

There's home, in the distance

As I said at the beginning we had a lovely time after work and school. As soon as Rosie got back I took her right back out, with Grandma, for an epic walk up the hill towards the pond. Rosie did very well, with a few very minor complaints at the beginning that she wished "mummy was here" but then she really got into it with walking up the dried out stream next to the track and when we did finally reach the pond she was really impressed and insisted on staying there as long as possible. It was lovely and we were all pretty tired when we got back.

So there it is; another day done. Thanks for reading and back tomorrow.

Gardening weekend and fence fixing

It was a great weekend and today was good also so let's get into it straight away.

Rosie enjoying her hot chocolate in the tent

Sunrise over the hills

Camping was a lot of fun with Rosie; the new beds were very comfortable, the new light was superb and gave us really good but warm illumination and was easy to turn on and off at need. Angela and Grandma brought us out our hot chocolates which went down very well and then, after some chattering, we were both asleep and Rosie slept very well. When we got up we found that the promised freeze hadn't happened so it was even warm enough to get out of the tent. A good night indeed.

Raking up some leaves

Rosie shows how strong she is

Up in her tree house all on her own

Doctoring her dolly with Grandma

Policewoman Rosie on patrol

The weather was so nice that I headed out into the garden and started to rake up the leaves on the lawn and flower beds at the front. Rosie was outside with me on and off and was "helping" a bit. At one point she took herself off to the tree house and climbed up all on her own. Angela was suffering from a very bad back which was really frustrating for her indeed. Rosie also got to play doctors with her teddies and Grandma and was driving around a lot on the patio in her police car. I had the pleasure of cooking in the evening, on the kitchen fireplace, and that wrapped up a pretty good day.

Angela the fire starter

Rosie climbs the pile of soil

Our little burn is working well

Checking the final embers

All the farm dogs came to see us

Sunday was another bright and warm day and Angela woke with a much better back, which was a huge relief, so we were all outside in the garden pretty much all day. Our first task was to burn off and clear the dead grass and weeds in the fenced garden. This year we're pretty determined to grow more food for ourselves. We did get the fire to take in the end and it was very effective and doing the job. Rosie was having a great time playing and also enjoyed watching the fire, though she was a bit concerned mainly because of the memories of the uncontrolled fire last year. Once we finished the burn we headed to the neighbours for a short but very nice coffee sat outside in their summer kitchen.

A very early butterfly

I need to dig over all of this

Some lovely flowers planted in the tyre gardens

The final section of this bed is dug through

First section of the vegetable garden turned over

A lovely day for working in the garden

After the coffee break I was straight back over to start digging over the fenced garden. It really was a lovely day and butterflies were fluttering by a lot. Angela was also getting lots done, planting out a load of new flowers and clearing some more beds then planting more seeds. It was a really productive time and so nice to get out and do something physical again. I did manage to dig over the first strip of the vegetable garden and my plan is to do a little every day until it is done.

Rosie very happy to be having a picnic

All up in the tree house

Chilling out near the fire

Rosie had been asking for a picnic lunch and so we spread the rug out on the lawn and all sat and had our lunch out there in the sun. It was a great idea! Then it was time for a rest, much needed after all our efforts, before more fun in the garden and this time Grandma climbed into the tree house as well! Angela made an epic Sunday roast for dinner and I relaxed with my feet towards the fire. A great day all round.

Final sheets of plasterboard done for now

Fencing material to keep the dogs out

Trimming down this tree

Tree gone, ready to start meshing

Getting to the end of the fence

All weekend we have been chasing Xena's dad off the land as he worked out he could just walk through the fence to the left of our vehicle gate, which isn't good when all our three girls are in heat, like now. I had to go to the bank this morning again but when I got back I had a chat with the men about this problem, and also the blockage impacting the guest suite toilet. Angela had explained to them what we wanted for the fence so they finished up their insulating and then moved to this new task, first of all going out to buy some materials. There are some trees that grow very close to the fence there so I helped them a bit over my lunch break to take the worst ones down and then they cracked on very efficiently and have put a finer mesh over the whole fence. Hopefully that'll keep the other dogs out for now.

Our garden nicely dug over

This morning while we were sat waiting for Rosie to wake up (she really overslept) our fridge exploded. Literally. Today Angela managed to find a new one that was available for delivery tomorrow which was a relief. For me, as soon as my work day was done I went into the fenced garden and dug over the next strip of the garden. Tiring but satisfying work.

So there it is; a long update but a good one. I hope you enjoyed it. Thanks for reading and back tomorrow.

Insulating, and camping

We've reached Friday, Friyay indeed, and here is a suitably short update for you about today.

Rosie wearing both her scarfs

Bekir fits yet more insulation

Another section of insulation delivered and fitted

I took Rosie to school today which was fun as she was cold in the car and put both her scarfs up over her head to keep warm. I then went on to the bank to do some chores and when I got back I found the workmen already up and at it (having already been to the shop while I was out) hanging more insulation and putting more plasterboard over it. Today they have done a little more than I expected, but are insulating slightly more than planned (because of board size, basically) so they aren't quite finished with this stage yet but it is close.

Got the tent up

A lovely comfortable nest for me and Rosie

My new camp beds had arrived over the past week or two and I showed one to Rosie who then became insistent that she wanted to camp tonight so I pitched the tent and have set it up with all the new bedding. Hopefully we will be comfortable tonight!

So there it is; thanks for reading and back on Monday.

And again, the insulating

Last night I was in bed and asleep for 8:30; I'm feeling a lot better today though. Onwards

Rosie with her new hat

Halil cuts some more plasterboard to size

Grandma helping to shred the cardboard

Fitting another sheet of plasterboard in place

Lots of little bits are slow

Before we get into what the men did, here is Rosie before school modelling a new hat that Angela got from somewhere. Isn't it cool! The men were, all day, up in the roof continuing to fit insulation and then cover it with plasterboard. I've had a chat and extended slightly the area they are doing in this batch before we tidy so they do have a little more to do tomorrow but after that I've got a decision to make on the next step. I want to avoid having to move things over and over again, basically. Maybe I will get them to complete the storage areas including plastering and carpet so then I can move things into there and they won't have to move again. We shall see.

Rosie with her completed jigsaw puzzle

After school and work I got to spend an enjoyable time with Rosie and Grandma doing a jigsaw, one that she got for her birthday. She did very well and we completed it.

So there it is; another day done. We'll be back tomorrow, thanks for reading.

Just more insulating

Today has been another day of the same, so this isn't the more exciting of updates, however in the interests of keeping my routine here goes.

Fitting plaster board

Rosie racing the remote control car

Continuing to make progress

Lots of insulation done

Bekir and Halil came in and were impressed with the doors that had been fitted yesterday; after inspecting them all they got stuck in to the rest of their immediate task which is fitting the insulation and plasterboard over the main part of the roof. We did have a chat this morning about how far they should go and we've agreed to work up to the original line, at the edge of the water tank, before they pivot again to finishing the floor and maybe even do the plastering of everything they've done so far. We kept Rosie off school today as she had quite a bad sniffle in the night however she has bounced back quickly so will be back to school tomorrow. She had a lot of fun again with her police car and the cones. Upstairs the men made great progress and they have nearly completed the agreed insulating; there's a chance they will finish it tomorrow.

The roof is really starting to look wonderful now; it's making such a difference getting this all done. Thanks for reading again and I'll be back tomorrow.

Doors upstairs

This morning I had a call from Bekir that they weren't working today so I didn't expect to be doing an update however shortly after that first call he rang back again to tell me the window people were to be expected to come fit the doors in the roof.

The doors are delivered

The big double doors being fitted

Fitting the small doors in the open area

Double doors in place

Two storage access doors

Lovely open areas, with storage off the sides

They turned up a little earlier than he suggested but were, after a leisurely coffee taken in the garden, soon hard at it lifting the doors up and fitting them to all the gaps. It didn't take them long and by the time they left we now have the big doubles doors between the two areas in the roof, and all the storage areas also now have their own doors. It looks really nice and when we have the plastering done and the carpet down this will be a fantastic space. It's so awesome how well this has transformed from what it was like just a few months ago. Angela, despite being sick, has been really busy today as well mainly outside. I was busy at work so didn't get any pictures but she's done a lot in the garden and also cleaned out the chicken house.

So there it is; a short update but a really big step in this project. Thanks for reading, back tomorrow.