It has taken a while but I have finally finished the stone wall separating us from the road. I nearly ran out of stone – just a wheelbarrow full of rejects left. I have run out of topping stones but I will add those as when I acquire some.We have also now marked out the driveway and turning area including setting heights so the next job is edging stones and more hardcore before we put crushed stone down. Off to Inverness to buy a rotary clothes line today so that we can finally get some clean clothes! (only joking, May has done a good job of washing & drying without outside help.) 

But before we start look at the visitor we discovered the other day, sunning himself in the morning sun.

We had a visit from Anjie , who took a few days from her busy schedule to relax with us. She spent most of it building the back drive!! A very welcome inspiration and impetus.Thank you Anjie. 

and Brian is back setting out and concreting the garage base, hard-standing for the cars and path to the back door.

Meanwhile I have been busy building the wall at the front of the house. I am just a few topping stones short so need to go out looking for some. But otherwise am pleased with the result.

We have also decorated the spare bedroom now (a bit of a must with Anjie visiting) and finished off quite a few of the internal jobs. Now we are on to gardening. Will take a few photos over the next day or so and update.

It has been good weather this weekend so we switched from the bathroom, which we have tiled and wallpapered to outside. I spent most of Saturday mixing concrete in a wheelbarrow and laying it on the path.

Then I laid the first tier of stones for the garden wall.  

Today I laid a bit more concrete and then put some fencing up around next door’s septic tank.  I should finish concreting the path this week. It is only 20 metres long and I am over half way. By the time I finish I will have used 20 bags of cement and 90 bags of aggregate. Then the next job is to find more stone for the garden wall.

After the last excuse for the telephone people not turning up – “we couldn’t find you” – we decided to push ahead making the gate and putting it up. Now say you can’t find us! Thanks again Uncle Mat for the sign.

The next job is re-building the wall on the other side of the gate.(and concreting the path and building the deck and………….) I am really looking forward to warmer weather and lighter nights so we can enjoy these jobs

Nigel has flattened the garden so that we can start planting and laying grass. May has already planted two apple and two cherry trees as well as half a dozen bushes.It still looks daunting but I’m sure we can do it a bit at a time.

 I took Friday off so I could be there to make sure the telephone engineer didn’t mess us around like last time. Unfortunately he just didn’t bother turning up! On the up side I was able to channel my anger into making a lot of progress at the front of the house. I finished the form work for the path, laid hardcore to most of it and shifted several tons of soil to level the garden. Then on Saturday we laid the first section of concrete, shifted several more tons of earth and then came inside to tape & plaster much of the spare bedroom. Sunday was lots more earth so we are just about there at the front. We were even looking at grass seed and border plants today.

May has been astounding me with her spade and wheelbarrow skills. I think she must have been a navvy in a previous life.

Sunday was really good weather so we both worked outside; May filling in soil where over the waste  pipes and me finishing the guttering, setting out for the path to the front door and filling trenches alongside May. We were both knackered by the end of the day and hurting the following day but it was worth it. The photo is May enjoying a well earned cuppa.    

We have also heard from the phone people. They are now promising phone and broadband on the 6th August. I will believe it when it happens!

It has been a long time since the last post. We have moved in; the underfloor heating is now working and keeping us nice and warm, we continue to work on the kitchen – May even put some wallpaper up last week. The blockwork is complete; the outside drainage is finished but is waiting for the ground to dry and thaw so that everything can be covered over leveled. Then we can start working on the garden. We were given 100’s of bulbs for Christmas and want to get them in asap. The garage base and hardstanding and path to the back door still needs to be done so we are using a path made of pallet to avoid the mud.The guttering still needs to be put up so we get wet going in and out of the house if it is raining, but that might be our project for the weekend.

Now I have access this blog again we will keep you posted.

Some things are happening, others frustratingly aren’t.

We have electricity, which is good. We don’t have plumbing and heating as yet. A lot of the work has been done but they have yet to turn on the taps as it were.

We still don’t have telephone, tv or the internet, but that could all change on Tuesday. It is also why we have been slow to add posts!

The drains and septic tank are all in and passed by the building inspector, so we can use them (once we have a toilet!)

The kitchen is almost complete, as you can see.