The big water tank appears

26.3.2010
I am in hiding again. We have got to another scary bit. This time I can hear everything through the donga walls so I can’t pretend it isn’t happening. Ben is operating Craig’s huge digger and trying to extract the tank moulds from inside the tank with out breaking it or killing Josh and Edd who are helping. Judging from what I can hear the process is not going well! Worrying bangs and shouts are regular and so far there is no sign anything is rising out above the outside level!

31.3.2010
They did it! Actually, Craig, (the neighbour from heaven,) turned up at just the right time and drove his over sized Tonka toy himself with his usual mega skill. With Edd, Josh and Ben helping all the moulds were separated from the tank and loaded on the truck with minimal drama. Now we have a very new looking concrete water tank just needing fittings and a roof. This is a really big step forward for us all. It is a first for everyone so a big sigh of relief is expressed. It should hold about 13 thousand gallons of water which is will push up our water reserves and enable us to last longer in the next drought.
I have now completed the milk room painting and am laying out its fittings. A second hand commercial sink has been added to my demolition finds, which gives me a fantastic bench top area with two separate sinks. Now I just need someone to help me put it all up.

In the house I have done my post summer clean in preparation for the hour change next week and the return of the darker months. My second hand pine dresser is in place and loaded with pottery. It is big enough to help enormously with the storage space problem. It even looks good. I am beginning to feel very much at home in this donga. I am beginning to wonder if I will be sad if I do move eventually into a new home. Not much chance yet though. Building is nowhere near starting.

The goats are putting on weight now they are gazing in the old vineyard. It is mating season and Monty the brown buck, was put with his first doe today! Babies in 5 months time! I plan to mate six of the does this year and six the next. I have started milking again now that the splint is off my broken finger. The chooks are looking a lot happier but have not regrown missing feathers yet. They are going off lay, which is what I would expect. Usually the young pullets start laying at this time to compensate but this year we have had no opportunity to raise any.

Bo was brilliant on Monday. She and Josh went on a raid on Melbourne university libraries and managed to get a card and borrowed books for Josh to take out and use for his Audiology assignments. She dropped her 3 kids and I off at the museum where I had an easy time baby-sitting. All three kids including Sylvie who is one and a half were kept entertained. It was even free for seniors and kids! We were all home by lunchtime with the mission a total success. Now all we need is for Josh to get his work in on time.