Tuesday 13th January - Scene of Devastation

quick update;

they arrived yesterday morning before it was properly light.

when I got home from work at 3:30pm, the kitchen floor looked like this; with muddy boot prints all over everywhere.


Then the cats came in from the garden;






The fact that the back doormat is probably uncleanable is not their fault.


However, the evidence on the the cooker top is completely clear. We know for sure where they went walking last night.

So, what is it all about? The three men and their pickaxes and their jack-hammer have transformed this;

into this;

in a day and a half. At last - one of the projects planned for last year is underway!

The kitchen floor, however, and the front door mat, and the back door mat - well, let's not talk about the state that they are in. Certain types of domestic gods and goddesses would make a great performance of trying to put all to rights every evening; other types of people say "what's the point, let's wait until it is all over and do it just the once". 

Monday 14th July - like serving spaghetti

It is very hot work. But luckily we bought a Gen-U-Ine Tilley hat in Canada so at least he can look cool as well as try and be cool.

Cramming the remnants of the Russian Vine into the neighbour's garden waste bin (our own garden waste bin was already FTB) is a bit like trying to persuade spaghetti to make a neat pile on a plate. In the end he shoved a load into the bin, and chopped off all the bits that didn't fit. Just like spaghetti.

The garage and shed are now revealed in all their decrepitude. I think the shed-raising is postponed until next year now - too much to do before the end of the year (like getting the windows replaced before they all opt out of their own accord. Trust me, that is no exaggeration).

I brought the labourer a cup of tea. I hoped the picture might prove refreshing... 

 if not entirely seasonal.

In the end we used three bins - both neighbours had some space left in theirs. No collections for another fortnight so that means minimal garden waste production - or in other words, a bit of a respite?

Saturday 10th May - The Garage part 1 - photographs

When we moved into this house, 30 years ago, we were warned that the garage was suffering from osmosis and wouldn't last long.


It has held together through the intervening years, although the shed next to it is a rotten ruin. Maybe that is all down to the Russian vine we planted, to hide the ugly structure. Perhaps it was the paint, we applied to the surface of the concrete panels. Paint didn't seem to be sufficient to stop the doors  from rotting.



It's time has come; we plan to replace it with one of these;



A sort of semi-detached garden room with tool shed next door. There is no point in having a garage as the only car that one can drive alongside the house is a Smart or a Mini. We're just thankful to have off-road parking.

That should be easy. Knock down the garage and put this up on the same base.

Step 1; order one of these:


Step 2; go back to the shop and arrange for a replacement because one panel and one metal construction piece are broken

Step 3; check replacement before delivery man disappears - yup ok.

Step 4; package up first faulty unit for collection next Wednesday. The bricks are holding the polythene down before we tape it, as it is very windy today.

Step 5; get out the strimmer and clear the bottom of the garden to make a place for it to go.

Step 6; weed and smooth the ground in the corner of the garden.

Step 7; redo the dog-proof wire fence along the bottom hedge.
Step 7.5 saw off some bits of the hedge so that the fence fits.

Step 8; It's started to rain. In a great hurry, clear up the extension cables and strimmer, gather up tin snips, pliers, saw, garden tools, fleece and rush indoors.

Step 9; Lug the broken shed indoors out of the wet and dump it in the hallway. It's only until Wednesday, after all.

Step 10; It' stopped raining. Take tin snips. wire, pliers, and finish the fence.

I think this a saga that will run for some time.

Meanwhile, we're stopping for lunch.