Sun at last

8.7.2012

The sun is out and the water is hot! The solar panels really work when the clouds move off. There was a really heavy frost last night but the house was above 20 degrees this morning even though the fire was almost out. I admit that I do get up at 3am and add more wood but it is well worth it to stay so warm. Perhaps next year we will have wood dry enough to run the central heating.

Al and co. are working all hours on their little cottage. They have put in two small cast iron wood heaters and the internal walls are framed and covered with wire and paper. India mustered all her friends yesterday and they managed to complete the first layer of render in her room. There is really only one bedroom in the cottage but they are making a sleeping loft for Ti and a temporary room for Arden on the veranda. Al plans to have a bench in the kitchen for his office and he has walled off a small section for a shower and toilet and another for a laundry and back entrance. It is pretty minimal but it is beginning to look possible.

Edd is off to cut the weeks firewood whilst the sun is shining and I am hoping that by the time I have written this some of the grass will be dry enough to mow. Yesterday I dug over the vegetable beds and added manure, dolomite and compost. The frosts finally killed off the tomatoes and pumpkins so only onions and parsley are left growing. Fortunately we sell enough at market on Saturdays to buy the rest of the vegetables we need.

There may not be much in the line of vegetables but the citrus trees are doing better this year. Even my orange tree has recovered enough to grow some fruit and the grapefruits, limes, lemons and tangelo tree are giving abundantly. I should probably start to think about making more marmalade.

The accounts are nearly completed and Edd has put up all the laundry cupboards and brought more flat packs to fit out the pantry. I have been trying to plan a whole farm approach to replacing the internal fencing. Getting new stock yards seems to be fairly important, and if this weather continues the side walls on the barn are also a priority. There is still a frightening amount left to do.

I also have to write a grant submission ready for tomorrow, which is another worry. This one is for our wellbeing fire recovery group about counselling sessions, a road to get mobility challenged people up to the community centre, a kids club and adult fitness sessions. Personally I think we should just get on with it and raise the money as we need it but it is worth a go to see if we can get some help. We all feel that other communities got the lions share of the donated fire relief.