a difficult birth

12.10.2011

BUILDING NEWS

A small army of workers showed up today when a team of plumbers joined the usual mob. Plumbers arrive unannounced as usual but luckily Steve had most of the hot water cylinder support up so we were all able to raise it into position. We have been told that tomorrow they will add water and test their system for leaks, but where will the water come from?

Gary and Toby have almost completed the big room floor and Stevo and Edd spent the afternoon working on a system to suspend AC sheet under the large eaves. Edd has to keep explaining that he only has one hand, but basically he is managing remarkably well. I could not get at the floor top do any grouting so I occupied myself by painting the AC sheets.

We are waiting for things to dry out again for the waterproof gang. We really need them to complete their work so that we can fill in behind the house before putting water and electricity in. Pat came yesterday to do some power down the walls under the outside roof but we need the gutters up before Dion comes back to put the corrugated roofing in place.

Chris our local tree doctor came out to inspect the last of the big blue gums. It was burnt in the fire but we trimmed off some dead branches and waited to see if it would recover. Last time we had a strong wind it really scared me showering dead limbs over the path and the power line. I then looked closer and saw that it was dying. It is an awfully big tree to die in such an inconvenient location.

Chris agrees that it will not recover so we need to deal with it before we dig the power lines in over it’s roots. There is, offcourse, no “we” in this operation. I leave the whole procedure to Chris and try not to watch. He dangles at horrible heights with a chain saw in what looks like a totally suicidal scenario.

OTHER NEW

The old moorit sheep and her two lambs are recovering well and I will be able to release them back to the paddock soon. The ewe lambed earlier in the week but the second lamb was presented wrong and got stuck. Luckily I was able to catch her and in a rather unorthodox procedure I was able to hold onto her tail with one hand to stop her running away, and grope up her back side with the other hand until I found the front legs and could hook them forward and deliver the lamb. I had thought it might be dead already, but I was wrong and it has recovered well with out intervention.

I did find a little time this week for the garden and planted out more lettuce seedlings. I should really have snow peas in and all the other spring crops but there is nowhere rabbit proof for them to go yet. I must get the basil in somewhere; I can’t imagine a summer with out pesto!