Daydream fund challenge part 4

alfie_1

choille wrote: »

If the weather got bad?????? The weather is disgusting. Found a sheep dead this morning. The weather is relentless & the condition seems to be just dropping off them. Their backs are always wet. It's depressing.

The plumber will work this week with his mate & we'll see how far things get along. At least we have the wood-burner in the caravan.

is there any way you can rig up a shelter for the sheep ? obviously the weight of snow may limit this . or do they have shelter ? sorry missed the previous answer

alfie_1

choille wrote: »

I have the tup in with some pure breeds, but have some seperated & there's only the one byre. So the ones not with the tup are out in the cold. It's terrible, but they are a hardy breed. It's just so wet & has been for so long really.

OH can hardly walk at the mo so I don't know what would happen if we got snow. He just struggles on & doesn't whinge, unlike me!

once you get in your warm cosy house [:o] it will make a difference to your OH. it certainly did me. i suffer but im not constantly suffering ...:)

choille

Yes, once the Rayburn is rigged up we'll be camping out in the house.

lostinrates

Thank goodness choille.



I've been moping about our failed holly hedge and wondering about putting a few of one of the sorts of eucalyptus there that people talk about for firewood. Maybe urn gum. Its hard to pick one variety of something. But its scented, evergreen but not too screening....( we liked the open aspect here when we came, ) useful, and the right eucalyptus ...not sure which it is, would cope with the horrid conditions out there.

Davesnave

Eucalyptus dalrympleana is probably the hardiest in the UK, but it grows at quite a rate, so would need radical stooling every few years. Would you want to suffer that much nudity so often?

It would be much the same for other eucalyptus.

And to be honest, I don't think eucalyptus rate as firewood.

There must be something faster than holly that's at least semi-evergreen and not cotoneaster, which you dislike! :think:

choille

Eucalyptus is really hardy, but as Dave says it's not that great as firewood.

You do get some lovely firs that are every decorative. I do like the Ash trees, especially the Mountain ash, not evergreen but lovely trunks. Silver birch, again not evergreen, but lovely trunks. All these are very hardy.

I do like these woven willow fences/hedges & these are really fast growing. I keep thinking of doing one, but it's never got beyond that.

Incredibly cold here, but brightish - grey.

Davesnave

Willow leaf-up early, and the red stemmed varieties take kindly to pollarding, giving a semi see-through effect in winter. Easy and cheap to propagate too; free if you know where there are a few!

Thin willow stems are worth having for their use in making rooting water for other shrubs too. Just mash up the chopped stems in hot water, leave to stand for a day and then dunk whatever you want to root in the infusion. Who'd pay for rooting hormone gel?

Better_Days

Just popping back in. Haven't been able to keep up with you all recently - not been too well, plus had a transition document to work on with the NHS Patient Group I am on, and keeping on at the chap who is doing the work in the house.

Sorry to hear about Old Dog LIR. House must feel very strange now.

Congrats Phoebe - so pleased for you, hope things are going well, although I expect you are horrendously busy.

Dave - I hope you haven't disappeared in a puff of brick dust with all the work that you are having done.

Love your Christmas tree Alfie - so cheerful

Today was the last day for the kitchen/utility and he has finally gone
:j:j:j:j:j:j:j:j:j:j:j:j:j:j
The sense of relief is enormous. He started the kitchen in July and the utility in September so both Mr BD and I mega fed up with the delays.

Have had two awkward conversations about the final bill. He told us he would get some second hand cupboards for the utility, but that fell through. Instead of discussing with us, he just went out and bought the 5 units (without doors) from a local retailer. He could have got them from B&Q or even better the chap who supplied the doors much cheaper.

Not a happy bunny - he tried to charge us over £600 for 5 kitchen units using an 'estimate' from the local retailer as evidence of what he paid. Ridiculous. Mr BD emailed the retailer who quoted just over £300. There were lots of other problems too, and we are both so glad this stage of the work is over.

alfie_1

evening all you all seem busy busy.... ive been trying to find a lab pup for friends. they have one of MY dogs pups [now 10] who ive looked after often. big lump that he is....:rotfl: they feel theyde like another to give him a bit of umpf and so its not to big a loss when [whisper] his time is........:o they would like to rehome a needy one if possible.. i did my airport run T time and there was a hiace 4x4 going down he motorway through road works like a nutter... not speeding but wibble wobbling like a gooden. almost hit the central barrier a few times... it was like a police rolling stop with every one keeping behind him . he then signalled right and crossed 2 lanes left :eek: i rang the police before he ended up causing an accident.... and probably remaining oblivious to it !! a cow was hit on a straight open forest road here , daylight ,and the other day ,a donkey hit and run just up the road from me... both died i know what id do to the drivers...:mad::mad:

Davesnave

Better_Days wrote: »

Dave - I hope you haven't disappeared in a puff of brick dust with all the work that you are having done.


Today was the last day for the kitchen/utility and he has finally gone
:j:j:j:j:j:j:j:j:j:j:j:j:j:j
The sense of relief is enormous..

Nope, still here, and with the weather turning milder, we've gone for it and knocked a 10' hole in the front of the house! :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:
This is the bit where we lose the old front door and move a window, so they're both out. :eek:

The problem is that the mild temperatures come with rain attached, so our builder has rigged-up a canopy to work under tomorrow.

Your 'man' sounds a right pain in the botty. Ours had a slight blip today, having been told by the postman that no front door would mean he couldn't deliver any more letters.

I expect the postie was just winding him up, but our builder took it to heart and spent the next two hours constructing a temporary post box, complete with the letters flap from the old front door! :rotfl:

All funny stuff till you think £15/hr x2 = £30 and the real thing is only:
http://www.thesafeshop.co.uk/products/trent-steel-post-box-green.html

:(:(