31 October 2016
Last day of October, and we are a hive of activity. Our bricklaying, floor-paving, concrete-pouring friend, Neil, has agreed to come and build the final, missing, bit of our foundation. For some reason, when the base ring-beam was laid out, the little area that will be glassed in (like a micro-conservatory) to create a winter heat source, didn't get made. But we did get the roof joists, so we are building this bit backwards - attaching a new little reinforced concrete ring-beam to our existing one, so we can build a wood frame up to the joists. So we ordered the materials. While waiting for delivery, I plastered the final section of bathroom internal wall, while Dave, with Dmitri's help, continued the final coat of whitewash.
Last day of October, and we are a hive of activity. Our bricklaying, floor-paving, concrete-pouring friend, Neil, has agreed to come and build the final, missing, bit of our foundation. For some reason, when the base ring-beam was laid out, the little area that will be glassed in (like a micro-conservatory) to create a winter heat source, didn't get made. But we did get the roof joists, so we are building this bit backwards - attaching a new little reinforced concrete ring-beam to our existing one, so we can build a wood frame up to the joists. So we ordered the materials. While waiting for delivery, I plastered the final section of bathroom internal wall, while Dave, with Dmitri's help, continued the final coat of whitewash.
Then the delivery came, Neil's cement and gravel, together with more sand and lime for plaster. And while the truck was here we asked him to move a ton bag of very fine sand we've had since grouting the kitchen floor, and not used very much of. It is now in the way. Because all synthetic materials break down in the sun, it was touch and go whether the bag would hold together. The bags have four loops for rope to link them to the hook on the swing arm. The bag moved a metre, and one loop pulled off. The rope was re-threaded, and the bag moved another two metres, before a second loop broke. With the loops tied up and threaded again, the bag finally scraped over to its new location. Phew!
The recalcitrant bag of fine sand
and the area (under the flying roof joists) where the new foundation is needed (showing a dark patch from where the bag of sand was moved).
This is the stack of floor pavers that collapsed when I took one off the stack to weigh down a waterproof cover over the cement bags. The pavers nearly got me, I had to do a few vertical take-off jumps to get clear. Luckily the aloe vera didn't get too battered, either.
After all the excitement, I went back to lathing - the last little space at the west end of the living room
with a close up to show the detail - complicated sections where an olive wood corner and an electrical fitting come together
And yet another mantis comes to visit us - outside the kitchen door this time
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