Daydream fund challenge part 4

Davesnave

Well done greenbee. You will remember putting up that greenhouse for a long time! Maybe if you're not forecast to have any strong winds this week, a few missing panes won't make much difference?

Our good news is that an expert viewed the chicks and they're all hens!

greenbee

Sometimes I wish I had the skills (and time) to do this stuff myself. I've really felt restricted by having someone else here even though they've been outside. However, that would mean i wouldn't be working and earning enough to pay the mortgage. Hopefully the wind won't be too bad this weekend and it'll be OK (fresh breeze forecast tomorrow - 22mph from the west, which is where one of the panes is missing, but then again, there are panes missing on 3 sides!). I'll give them the option of either getting the glass to me early next week or refunding me enough to get it locally (although I'd better check first that the glass place is open!). And then be nice to my brother and/or one of my more practical friends as I think help would be advisable when trying to wrangle glass into place!

Hopefully this is the last time I have anyone doing work here who will be using my garage and moving my stuff. I'm fed up with being unable to find tools (and I know I'm missing drill bits and a rubber mallet and a saw and probably more as a result). 

Great news on the chicks! I wish I had space for hens. Well I do have space... just not anything suitable... 

RAS

Great news greenbee and Dave. 
Greenbee, we're due for occasional gusts much stronger, so check your locality.
I'd be tempted to just use some plastic and duct tape to cover the holes as a precaution. If you knew how the greenhouse worked, you'd know better but maybe just be careful.

greenbee

Thanks @RAS - it looks like we’ve had the worst of the wind now and it’s all ok. I need to call the supplier later today. I also want to take a closer look at how the louvre vent has been put together as it doesn’t seem to close so I might have to redo it. As I mentioned, I do find it frustrating having to rely on other people who frequently decide to do thing their way rather than the way I asked, or make assumptions, or don’t follow instructions or bodge things. But with lockdown I couldn’t even have got someone over to help and do it with me, so there weren’t many options (other than very expensive ones where installation was included). But it’ll be done soon.

when I have a bit more energy I’ll start making up the staging and moving some slabs and working out where everything will go!

greenbee

The rest of the glass is being sent out on Monday (no clue when it will get here...) so at least that's sorted. 

We've had cold wind (which has now dropped) and drizzle here today. Probably not enough to do anything useful. Depending on which weather forecast I go by, tomorrow might be nice. If so, I'll get the staging sorted out and start putting some of the tomatoes into bigger pots, and think about what else needs sowing. Oh... and plant the sage and tarragon... 

Davesnave

A horrible day weather-wise here yesterday, but rain was welcome and a couple of people still managed to complete a survey of our barn, which might have an application for planning permission going in at some point. I think the government will probably soon be relaxing rules left, right and centre to assist the battered economy, and the building industry in particular, but in any event, this potential conversion isn't very contentious. lt exists as a big lump, but it's currently unattractive, it wouldn't seriously overlook anyone and services + a road are all on-site. Yes, there will be objections; there always are, but they'll mostly come from people who live in......barn conversions!

The barn's been ripe for development ever since the introduction of laws allowing redundant agricultural buildings to be re-purposed in 2013, but I've been hoping for amendments in the light of experience to allow alteration of shape whilst maintaining the same volume. This common sense change could allow more conversions to harmonise readily with existing buildings: in our case 12 conversions of old barns close by.....But rules is rules.

We aren't looking to make big bucks, but we'd like enough £££ to do something sensible with our other barns which are beyond hope, visually. Demolition and replacement with something simple that blends-in with the surrounding trees and fields would be nice. If we can't afford to do that, then we'll have to just hide them behind more hornbeam hedging.

EDIT. Any excuse...4 days old now:

RAS

Dave, is the one at the front a different colour, or is it just the front view?
Crap weather yesterday, so sorted shelves etc. However, at least the grounds soaking it up. Need to chit some seeds to make use of the moisture.

Davesnave

RAS said:

Dave, is the one at the front a different colour, or is it just the front view?

 She is different, but the guy who sold us the eggs says she's a hen, so who are we to argue? Anyway, if he's wrong, we'll sell  a pair. Pairs usually go at Hatherleigh, though cheaply.

Davesnave

Woke up to a huge downpour this morning; only 30 minutes worth but very valuable. That will maybe help this lot to grow a little more, as it's definitely struggling....

I'm field walking every evening now, as the !!!!!! down at the other end is still up to his tricks of throwing bottles over the hedge, trying to ruin the hay. He probably doesn't know it's not technically my hay, but he has no empathy with the animals he might harm either. What a sad individual. He won't succeed anyway.

in_my_wellies

Beautiful view Dave. The garden is taking care of itself for a few days so I've been out walking with mum.  I collected a supermarket bag full of rubbish three days in a row - up lane, down lane and over the back and I know I'm not the only one who collects. 
Found my old house for sale today, 25 years ago. We outgrew it but I'd go back in a heartbeat now the boy's have left but it's out of my price range now.