back in the trenches

25.2.2011

BUILDING NEWS

Once again Edd spent most of the day with a shovel cleaning out trenches. This time it is the trenches for the land drains that Mike dug yesterday. Somehow we have to get the drains in and covered by Monday. Edd and Al have decided to use the sealing product we saw in town last week underneath the blocks. Luckily David Hillman turned up and volunteered to drive into Melbourne to fetch it for us. I had to take the ute to the bargain centre to pick up an out door table I saw going cheap there last week.

The good thing is how well the site lay out is working. The large delivery trucks can swing in through out double gates, drive right round to the new house site and then have room to turn round when they leave. Meanwhile the dogs and our living area are shut away behind a fence so the dogs can watch with out getting in the way and we are not bothered by dust and endless building traffic. I am extremely glad that Al came up with such a good lay out plan.

OTHER NEWS

We had a wonderful night out with friends in Yarra Glen yesterday but I had to get to Lilydale early this morning to meet Wayne at the dentist. It was the most awful day because he had to have multiple extractions and eventually emerged feeling pretty bad. He did say the infection had been more painful with his broken teeth but I thought he was being very brave. How I wish that I could save my children from this sort of thing.

At least my mother sounded better last night when I rang the UK. She is now taking control by fixing problems herself. She did not like anyone else’s solutions so this is probably the best thing she could do. Once again I feel really bad that I am so far away. I wish I could persuade her to come and live in Australia but she does not like what she has heard of our climate.

At present the weather is very unpredictable. The daffodils must be as confused as I am because they are sprouting already.
The plums are now history but we are still getting buckets full of apples, and zucchinis. The extra rain has been very good for the herbs and the lettuce grow almost too quickly. Still no ripe tomatoes but they are starting to colour up. The cooler nights have helped the runner beans who are setting fruit again.

We are starting to wean the kids and I am getting more milk for cheese making. All I need now is more time to spend in the dairy. This house-building project is really taking hours and hours of work.