1 March 2014
The curious and quite marvellous thing about the drill-rig going is the way it was removed.  I had not seen it arrive so had no idea how that was done and had no pre-conceived idea about how it would go except that as it had tracked wheels I thought it would trundle down the drive and put itself on a low-loader.

That was not the case.  Firstly, the ineptitude of both the men and equipment continued when they were unable to start the power pack which powered the drill and it had to be jump-started from their decrepit white van which I thought was comical.  Having eventually got the power going the drill was taken backwards down the drive and then the enormous low-loader was manoeuvered into position at the bottom of the drive.  This vehicle was so long I had no idea how on earth it was going to get backwards down our cul-de-sac but then that thankfully, was not my problem.

What I found marvellous was that the grab-arm of the low-loader was electronically controlled and it was lowered round the rig and just lifted it onto the bed of the lorry.  The rig weighed three tons (old ones - I don't do metric!) and I was amazed that this could be done so smoothly.  Then the power pack followed and some forty minutes later the driver got in the cab, drove up the road to the end and then backed down partly on the pavement with the white van riding shotgun.  All very exciting.

However, that was not all for that day as no sooner had I recovered from that excitement than my mobile rang and my step-daughter told me that she had just given birth, some ten minutes earlier, to our second grandchild, a boy.  What a day!
28 December 2014
Today would have been OH's Mum's 95th birthday and we have been reflecting on the inevitable happening of his Dad's death, which at nearly 95 is surely imminent, and the consequences of being left as orphans.

I remember when my Mum died, quite unexpectedly, my big Sis was really struck by the fact that we were then orphans and that she, in effect, was the senior member and it is a cold, hard fact the is will happen to all of us so I think it is up to us to make the most of what we have here and the time we have left and the people we have left.

This may seem a somewhat morbid musing for this time of year but the loss of Si is no more blunt than it was when it first happened and the commercialisation of the Christmas season and the vast amounts of booze piled in front of the supermarket doors has concentrated my mind wonderfully just now!  That and the fact that I have spent Christmas either on the sofa under a blanket or in bed thanks to a horrible 'flu-type cold has me feeling a real Victor Meldrew but thankfully today the sun is shining and although I am not yet up to going out (and at minus 1 degree  I have no intention of doing so) and the snow will not last so I will concentrate on the good things in my life.

The best things are the birds who have come to the bird-tables and feeders and thanks to Christmas gifts from OH I have now some beautiful cast-iron feeders and baths which I am sure they will appreciate when the weather improves.  I am thrilled that we have had visits from bullfinches, a song thrush and a couple of weeks ago a nuthatch which I had not seen for years since in a previous house they nested in a pine tree in the garden. They are apparently becoming very rare and so are starlings - the experts should come to our garden when I am sure they will then find the world population of starlings!
5 September 2014
Such a lot has happened over the summer that I have had no time to update!

Thanks to the land-slip and the Council's delay in putting the same to rights it has been two years since we have been able to do anything in either the front or back gardens.  As our large plot is triangular, the loss of access to and from the side garden has meant that either side of the waste-land has become a jungle!  We were unable to take any tools, wheelbarrows etc., either to front or back thanks to the ongoing works so there was a great deal to be done.

In particular we had lost around six feet of garden in the back as we could not find the fence!  In addition there are two female cats in the next house down and they have been creating absolute mayhem as they think that our garden is theirs' and I have had to do extensive research into how to discourage both them, and the clattering of jackdaws (at least 21) who seem to think that all food put out for our small birds is simply food for them!

The crunch came when the tabby cat, Tilly, made her resting place in the platform of the bird-house and indeed one day actually pulled the whole thing down on herself.  She was uninjured but the birds were disturbed to say the least.  So I purchased a cage which although not particularly beautiful (I would prefer some natural-looking solution) it has worked as the jackdaws are too big in the neck to get their heads inside and it did not take the small birds any time to get themselves acquainted with how to get in or out but the young starlings were very entertaining as they tried to work out how to get out having successfully having got in!
11 April 2014
Why is it that contractors cannot finish off one job before they start another?  I know the commercial arguments but when you are on the receiving end it is so dispiriting.

We have now been treated to two 35' lamp-standards with flouorescent tubes which illuminate not only the footpath but also our garden, bedrooms and sitting room in a glow equivalent to flood-lights on a football pitch!

Apparently, we are contributing to the lessening of the carbon footprint of our local Council - do I care when at 3 am I do not need to put on lights to make a cup of tea in my kitchen and have to ignore the birds who think, by virtue of their song, that it is broad daylight!
1 March 2014
January has been quite a month what with one thing and another or at least the 20th of that month certainly was.

Firstly the drill went and I was so pleased I took a picture from the bedroom window of the leaving and the men all looked up in surprise at the flash from the camera so I thought I had better not take another!
Obviously the boss who was here on Thursday and Friday has evidenced his opinion on the workers so far.  It certainly gave me a chuckle!
19 January 2014
Having endured three and a half months (including Saturdays) of drilling, brought about apparently by the difficulty of the ground and contributed to by the laziness of the two main drillers, yesterday they actually managed to get the last pile in place.

OH and I have been astonished at the amount of piles which the Council, in their wisdom, has decided should be necessary for a footpath - 67 in a total length of 66 feet - and we could now legitimately drive our cars on it, supposing it were wide enough - the Great Wall of China has nothing on us!

I fully understand that people might think we were a bit stick-in-the-mud but we elected to have Christmas quietly, just the two of us and it was bliss.  No workmen, no drilling and above all no noise.  We did go to see our little grand-daughter on the Monday before New Year which, being three hours there and three hours back ensured that we were both wiped out by the time New Year's Eve came and we had to decline an invitation out.  I didn't really mind as to me every day is new and I do not care for this artificial end and beginning and anyway I fell asleep before I could see the fireworks in London. 

I have obviously sadly grown out of partying.
20 December 2013
OH has been kind enough to share his Respiratory Syncytial virus with me which has caused a great deal of coughing and fatigue which is thankfully passing now.

The Christmas concert for my choral society was a highlight of the last few weeks although the descant on "Hark the Herald" nearly finished my voice off completely - I really must resume my singing lessons which will strengthen my vocal cords so that I can shake off such things a great deal easier.

The Council have reassessed their "design" as the ground beneath us is bedrock composed of limestone grit, some quartz and granite and is immensely hard.  Therefore instead of nine holes to be drilled they have decided on 66.  A conundrum as OH and I cannot understand why harder ground should mean more, not less, piles but there it is.

The mess and dirt have to be seen to be believed but the lovely men who are employed by the builders rather than the rather coarse drilling men have once more taken my breath away today by delivering a beautiful luxury hamper as " the least we could do considering all the mess".  Such a thoughtful gesture although I am not sure OH was too keen when he was accosted as soon as he got home from work so that all could be put away!

I am promised a jet-wash tomorrow and Monday as the house is covered in gritty sludge - such joy!
20 November 2013

What a splendid birthday I have just had!  Beautiful cards, text messages, Facebook and gifts and an OH who took time from work to be with me!  We had a long and delicious lunch at a restaurant which overlooks the countryside and the day was glorious - frosty, clear with blue sky and sunshine and we took our time which was just right.

So, relaxing at home at around 5. 30 pm we were surprised when the doorbell rang and there on the door-step was the Site Manager, changed out of his high-vis uniform, clutching a birthday card and the most beautiful flower arrangement which was from all "the Lads" on the construction site.

It is seldom that I am at a loss for words but I certainly was then - I burst into tears at the lovely and unexpected gesture from the men who seem to fully understand just how awful this job is and could not quite get a coherent sentence out!  Thankfully OH was on hand to supply the necessary and of course I was full of thanks and touched beyond expression.

The arrangement thankfully included no lilies which are so toxic to asthmatics so I have been able to keep them in the house where they are giving much pleasure.
23 November 2013
23 November 2014

8 June 2014
So, two months further on and although, thanks to OH's hard work and my designing, the garden at the side of the house is looking pretty good, the snags remaining from the contractor's shoddy work are still unresolved.

My last email to the Project Manager on the Council, who incidentally is no longer doing that job,  was along the lines of "another week of resounding silence and in the meantime we have a paddling pool for a path"and referred to the fact that there are serious difficulties with drainage from the small wall and the new dining-room window was badly scratched when they took down the hoarding along-side the house.

But at least we do have something beautiful to look at!