Week 4: Patience is Key!

Unfortunately we did not meet the guys from the timber frame company as planned, due to thieves in Torquay stealing laptops and memory sticks, and so the meeting had to be put off for another week.......this has been the story of the build so far (the delays not the criminal behaviour). It didn't take long to learn that if you want to finish a self build project the one thing you need (other than a bottomless pit of money perhaps) is the patience of a saint.

NOTHING happens when you expect it to and EVERYTHING takes longer than planned........by now I have (almost) mastered the art of patience. Mainly by taking out my frustration out by just nagging Jud about it!!

A few more of you have been introduced to my blog, and perhaps will come back to check it occasionally so I thought I would mention that it has been pointed out to me that:

a) I have not mentioned our builder, who shall for the purposes of this blog be known as Mr D.



He has done a cracking job so far, along with' Mr S' and I think he has managed to even get the neighbours on side...well almost anyway!

Some top notch trenching has been demonstrated and his skills as a digger driving instructor, I can say from first hand experience, are excellent (video to follow)


and,

b) That I cannot spell hamster. (I cannot spell. Full stop.)

Back to the build - The progress on site continues to march on, as the concrete in the foundations was setting the soak away was dug (basically a big hole from what I can tell). We put some bright orange plastic netting around it...hopefully nobody falls in....... ;)

Blocks arrived on site



and then Mr S started building the walls (I don't actually think these are called walls - maybe something about wall plate level??)




Meanwhile Jud and I thought we would lend a helping hand to move some of the excess soil which we had (400 tonnes but who is counting!!)



I am afraid that Jud, who is somewhat inept with cameras, managed not to get a photo of me mastering the digger, following my lesson from Mr D - probably because he was rubbish at it and didn't want any evidence of me 'winning' at diggering!! :0) Instead he videoed the event....to follow I promise....for now here is the view from the window



Anyway, regardless of childish competitions on the digger it is suffice to say we were not much help (I managed three loads and Jud one - I think it would have taken about 6 months for us to load the lorrys!!) So we left it the professionals for the next two days and suddunly the four piles of soil had reduced and we could see the view again.

On another note we have decided that building a house will have to become an annual project as it seems to bring with it such lovely weather. Current forecast:

Sat Day weather - Sunny Intervals

Sun Day weather - Sunny Intervals

Mon Day weather - Sunny

...apologies if this optimism causes the snow to return....fingers crossed it stays dry.