Lots of gravel shovelling

2 March 2020

We didn't want to get too much underfoot for the workforce, so Dave and I decided to tackle the gravel down the side of the house.  The drainage ditch there has had a lot of soil washed into it over the years, so some of it had to be dug out.

 Until the workforce reach the area under the washing line, we can use it as a dumping ground for soiled gravel, it needs the gravel to stabilise it anyway, so it saves using new, clean stuff.

 One part of the washing line path crosses with a barrow-route to the log store, so I used some large rocks to edge it and built a ramp of rubble and gravel to be paved with the rest in due course.

 This is the area down the west side of the house.  Very weedy, and with a temporary and unstable covering of water pipes and electric cables that needs fixing.

 Taking a break from digging and barrowing.

 This is the external corner of the bathroom.  We were busy digging out the old gravel, pulling up weeds and laying the copper lightning cable into the earth, and I was a little weary.  Luckily, there was a handy seat made of rock jutting out from the wall, just where I needed it.

Back in September 2013, when my son Richie came to stay and help for a couple of weeks, we were at that corner with building the wall.  There was a jutting bit of concrete ring-beam that the contractors had done wrong and needed covering.  I had just built round it when Richie appeared with a large flat, but softly rounded stone and said it was to be put on top in case a seat was ever needed just there!  Very prescient, Richie.