family life and cool tubes

21.3.2011

BUILDING NEWS.

The first shipment of windows arrived today and is in Edd’s shed waiting to be treated. Very exciting! Two bricklayers working today core filling some of the internal walls and Edd is struggling to get wiring and plumbing conduits in the right places before the walls are solid. We are both thrilled with the first arched doorway that Geoff has built. It looks even better than I hoped and the uneven colour of the old bricks softens the rigidity of the concrete block work. For the first time it begins to feel like “our house”.

We are all surprised that when the sun shines and builds up heat the cool tubes let in air that feels much cooler. Considering that at present they are just plastic tubes through a wall this is amazing. It must be that behind the house in the trench between the wall and the excavation the temperature is degrees lower than at the north face.

OTHER NEWS

Al and Edd  took the boys sailing this week and once again the weather was great. Bo had to work and I stayed on the farm with Arden and looked after the animals. Bo and dog joined us for a BBQ lunch . Bo is going to lend Al the spare van until his car woes are sorted out.

We heard some of the story of Al’s terrible week, but he seems to be holding his head above water against impossible odds. He and Bella have a relationship that has always been a rather rocky road and it seems they have hit another bump. Bella is telling everyone they have separated but so far there is little evidence. All we can do is give them our love and support and hope something works out that allows them both happiness.

Josh has pneumonia in Perth and I worry because he is on his own over there. We talk on the phone and he sounds reasonably cheerful. My Mum also sounds a lot more at ease too. Judy has now returned to her own family in Yorkshire and mum has paid help with daily living whilst she is recovering from the fall. She has decided she needs to make her own plans for the future like my Dad did, rather than let anyone else decide for her.