Driveway = Done-ish

Can you hear that... That's the sound of gravel.. Or "Gap 40 " on our driveway, which makes that project complete!!! We had the guys from Fulton Hogan some and spread two trucks of Gap 40 on the drive today. They did a great job of making it even. Rowan doesn't need to do any raking in the weekend... 

Which means that Rowan can work on his  short list of jobs. Still in the list, after 2 months  is to hook up a down pipe to the water tank so we can start catching water- so far we have half a cup. Although that's probably evaporated by now.

Justin and Rowan clipping in some of Justin's spare spouting- thanks Justin :) 

Progress

We have the consent... In at the council. Fingers crossed it doesn't take long and it all comes back with no problems to hold us up! Watch this space... Bets on less than two months? 

We have prices coming in for the septic tank, pipes, water tanks an pumps which means lots of exciting things to buy!!! 

Rowan's "thinking time"- just thinking of water tank options.

View looking back over shed build site. 

Moving Day

Now that the building pad is nearly completed we were ready to move the shed onto its second "temporary" site. 

Will and Row planned the shift and moved the shed using the digger. To my surprise there was only one window casualty...well done Will- your aim was faultless! 

The shed made a safe landing and is now ready for doors, and building supplies to fill it! We're even ready to start collecting water in our water tank from the shed roof.

In fact... We are so on top of everything we are ready to install our new fire place- when the shed is built.

The Pad

Rowan made a good start to the build pad yesterday. 

Also the driveway is now finished and is ready for the top soil to be raked over and the grass to be placed on the batters...

Biiig job " be a good one for you to do Maegs" 

Productivity - low. 

Scraping and shopping

A horrible, rainy day today. No work allowed on the digger so here we are set up in Justin's shed, protected from the rain. 

~What's that on the table you ask... 

That's 2 of 4 cedar bifold doors that Rowan envisages using in the shed rather than a roller door. Rowan wanted something a bit unique and rustic in the shed and when he found these in Justin's supply of treasures! 

Justin said they'd be roughly 80 years old ,so that's quite rustic!

For some reason they have been painted with a few coats of very stubborn paint! 

So we set to work. 

See that sanding block...I had to use that. I wasn't allowed to use the scraper incase I " had an accident and gouged out the wood" 

However... Rowan realised that he would need an accomplice to help finish this task before  2015! 

So after I proved myself as a scraper there was only one thing left to do...

SHOPPING!!! 

Hmmm Mitre10 Mega! Shopping is possible here- but not with Rowan. He was in and out of there on a mission!

We bought a few bonus items to make the trip worth while including some spouting for the garden shed, and the extra parts as well as a second scraper and and different kind which Row said " would help with the fiddly bits" 

Oh, and because he likes shopping so much 

He splashed out on new overalls! It's  good to see Rowan now interested in protecting his clothes- bit of a hard word from his brother Brendon may have helped there! (Thanks!!!) 

So here we are.. 1 side down, lots to go! We'd been at it for over 3 hours by now. I had proved myself so worthy of a scraper that Rowan let me use the new, sharp one! Justin had a good time quietly observing- impressed with the ease in which Rowan was stripping the paint! I guess he was impressed with me too but didn't say much :) 

At hour 5 our enthusiasm was fading fast and we needed a pick up. Of course this came in the cheerful words of Barbara who was shocked that we had scraped 3/4 of the doors without paint stripper! 

Rowan never mentioned this as an option  because his dad had never used it. 

So, for some reason we sped through the last 1/4 of the door knowing that there was hope for us tomorrow for the other 2 doors by the way of a tiny tin of trial paint stripper!!

I really hope that door survives. If not- we have one beautifully scraped and sanded door to cover half of the garage door opening! 

Secretly hoping for a sunny digger day tomorrow- to rest my hands- and ears! 

Rowans blue overalls got a bit dusty today. He asked if he should wash them. 

Go figure!!

Practicing patience...again

Rowan is beside himself with excitement to get back on that digger and cut out the building pad! The ground is sooo wet from nearly 3 days of solid rain so he will have to wait ... Again 

Maybe he could help me make some doors for the shed?? 

It's like someone tossed dandelion seeds  EVERYWHERE! 

The calm before another rain storm! Can't wait to sit on our deck and watch the storms roll in off the rangers!