Day 2 of the retaining wall build and they have found their rhythm with three times the blocks laid today than was laid on the first day. The block-layers I was lucky to get have the reputation of being the best in town. The wall is perfectly neat, clean and straight.
I come up to the block almost every day at sunset. This morning I came at 5:30 to see the sunrise as well because I needed to make up the orange electrical mains conduit so that the block layers could cut a hole in the wall to let it through. You can see it poking up in the above picture. This evening Paul and Fiona came up, and for the second night running we stayed well after dark as Paul and I discussed the perennial problem of how we are going to handle the storm water. Building the house will be a piece of cake compared to the effort we have put into the groundworks to mitigate the storm surges. Erosion is the enemy of living on a side of the hill, but I am confident we will have it sorted, thanks to Paul's insistence.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Dramatic change

Image
After six months of groundwork and preparation, the house shape emerges in just one day. The photos do not do the size justice. My first impressions as I drove up the street this afternoon was quite startling. For in introvert like me, the house is quite the opposite. Fortunately the few remaining gums in front soften the view. It is as tall as my Signal Box house in Armidale, but over twice the width and twice the length. My architects and I put a lot of thought in getting the proportions right. Not too big to be unaffordable, and not too small to appear too boxy. Four of the telescope mounts in the observatory were finished as well. The fourth wall of the shed also completed today. Just the roof, doors and trim to go. And I had to take the drone for a spin on such a day...
Read more

Another Day, Another Year

Image
Happy New Year! After several enjoyable engagements with friends on and after Christmas, I suddenly find myself alone and the street quiet this New Year's Eve and Day. My ever present, ever friendly neighbours and their loyal Kelpie, Tiny, have all gone to the coast for the New Year festivities and a dip in the sea. Thus I am left to my own devices to roam the streets seeking entertainment but find that most temples of merchandise are closed, except of course my favourite, the temple of the big red hammer. First thing this morning I go to the temple to make an offering and walked away with a very inexpensive porcelain throne for the water closet and several more trial sprinkler heads. With these boxed gifts, I trek up the block for 256th time so I can chip away at these few jobs that I am qualified to do. One is to create a worksite toilet cubicle in the shed to replace the very expesive hired port-a-loo, and the other is to build an irrigation system for the Gardens of Baby...
Read more

Drone view Paths done

Image
The footpaths are complete, and most of the low wall blocks are in place. This will create an easily accessible terraced garden in future. At the top is the observatory, whose slab is also complete. Underground drainage pipework is also complete, to my great relief. We are "storm ready" at last. Here are the latest drone shots:
Read more