Improving the upper footpaths

Well, after all of the headache of building the retaining wall over the last two months we are all set to add the final piece of the puzzle which is to concrete the capping gutter. Everything is in place, but just my luck, not one of the seven concrete pumps in this town is available. Apparently one is on the blink, but the other six are all booked to Baiada to do a massive expansion of their facility for terminating chooks. It is very frustrating because we need to do this before the shed and house frames are erected, which is booked for the week after next.
Making the most of the situation, we have hired a small excavator to tidy up and level the pathways above the house. They were originally cut with the big excavator reaching up, but that created just a 1m wide rough cut. The small excavator has made them twice as wide. They too will be concreted, and so perhaps when we do get a pump, both the gutter, which is itself a path, as well as the upper paths can be poured.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Image
My block is now resembling an estate development with almost all grass trampled on by the machinery and diggings. My neighbour has decided to address their issues with water run-off, well after their house being built. The same story is happening with the new builds all down the street. With the help of my groundworks manager, Paul, my water issues are being addressed from the outset with serious swales and drains. THe trenches are all ready for the final power and NBN conduits, and water pipes are in the ground with numerous garden taps. I am waiting for council to put in the sewer pipe, then all landscape digging will be complete. The tanks are now all in-situ.
Read more

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