1.2.2011
BUILDING NEWS
The concrete workers started to prepare the footings yesterday but it got very hot and we all abandoned work by lunchtime. Edd and I drove into the city to pay a deposit on a log heater. We have brought the smallest model that had a door that opened both vertically and laterally. The benefit of this is that it functions as an efficient modern closed heater but if one just wants ambiance the glass front door retracts upward into the chimney space and it all looks like the traditional open fire.
I am afraid we have a bit of belt and bracers approach to heating but who knows, with all the recent disruptions to climate patterns we might get a horror of a winter too. Anyway, nothing relaxes anyone as much as the glow of a burning logs on a cold miserable day.
The actual unit is basically a cast iron box and the front door pivots on big hinges balanced by a counter weight at the rear of the box. The look of the set up will be determined by the brick chimney we build in to enclose it all. Al had warned me that I needed to get the heater because they are French and if all the stock is sold the waiting time can be months. Luckily they still had the model we chose so we have fixed that problem.
Today we all started before six. Waking up was no problem because the heat last night did not make much sleep possible. It actually reached 46 degrees in the donga by evening. I am surprised my computer did not have a melt down. The concrete mob says they will be ready to pour the back spine tomorrow and will be ready for the slab next Tuesday. A hold up might come if we get too much rain. The tail end of two cyclones, B from the northwest and Anthony coming down inland from Queensland are predicted to cause some rain.
A worse cyclone hazard is bearing down on Queensland under the name of Yasi. On the weather maps it looks enormous and apparently it may gain speed as it approaches land and become the mother of all storms! Now, we really want to get the slab done before we are stuck by the tail end of that.
On a more positive note we now have metal ribs rising from the house spine, our home is at last growing out of the ground. The workers in the trenches look like part of a weird archeologically dig. There is certainly enough dust and heat. Edd and I are dodging back and forth between consultations with builders and bringing in the last paddock of hay.
OTHER NEWS
Josh has reached Perth safely and is staying in Uni accommodation whilst he looks for lodgings. He says he had a good trip over and even climbed down a cliff on the bite and swam with dolphins. It is always such a relief when we hear he has arrived in one piece. His little white car does not look like a long distance traveller but it has done a fantastic job. The only shame is that he had to go back just when we needed him here to get hay in. Simon was fantastic and helped Edd load hay one night and Bo lets us use her restaurant as a refuge but we still think that next year a more mechanical approach is needed.
No comments:
Post a Comment