Daydream fund challenge part 4

Davesnave

COOLTRIKERCHICK wrote: »

We are only scraping the surface re- tradesmen at our place.. And we have already found out that they can take you for a cash cow/ mug everything we have done now by a trades person will be on a price per job, not on an hourly rate.

I know I grumble, but we've been pretty fortunate with the tradespeople we've employed. It's just the lack of communication which irks me sometimes....well, quite often!:o

But there again, take Mr Rod: he turns up bang on 8 am and works solid until around 5pm, without stopping for lunch. He just eats while he works, and if he doesn't stop to answer his phone either, then it's just part of the way he does things. I know now that even his wife can't get through to him!

The electricians are the same sometimes: hard to contact but they are out all day, flitting from one job to another, and signals aren't great here. On Friday they were here for an hour or so then zoomed off to a place just down the lane. Really, they suit us, as they are just keeping pace now with the work we're doing, and there's a lot more live circuitry, but in the early months it was more a case of,:rotfl: "Have they left us any power points?"

And our builder....well, he has the odd funny 5 minutes, but without him.....:eek:

I_have_spoken

Aquarium has arrived from Amazon, for a moment I was thinking about making a terrarium instead but I've already ordered the sunken galleon...(not really, just some rocks/wood/plastic ferns). Apparently live plants in aquariums are tricky, so I'll leave that for now.

Repotted the remaining 'rescue' orchids and put them on a pebble tray to boost humidity. The phals are in the west facing window at top of stairs, so hopefully that'll suite them (the window also has a frosting to diffuse the light).

Not unexpectedly the Eremurus (foxtail lillies) I planted last year look as sick as parrots, managing just about 10cm of tatty leaves; much too wet and cold for these plants I fear.

Damp and mild(er) so that meant the slug nematodes were 'deployed' last evening; I reckon these worked in previous years so hope for more of the same.

alfie_1

HI ALL


went to a boot sale this morning.. took mum, sis, sis OH.. masses of stalls and I got some bargains


then dropped mum home and we went to see dad.
got back to a gorgeous big roast dinner at mums


but now im pooped !


it was warm but overcast this morning but sun came out this afternoon. ive had to water the front rose beds !
tomorrow I intend to either sort /rearrange my lounge [furnishings wise] OR im going to weed the big flower bed :cool: I will see how the weather pans out ...

rozeepozee

Ah, it's good to be back


Have just got soaked locking to birds up. I have now moved them all into a large electric enclosure after our latest carnage: 23 Ixworth grower birds being raised for meat taken by the fox last weekend.


This week will be a struggle as OH is away on business and it's always tricky being lone parent. I have more time since the twins started full time school, though.


We are trying to tie up loose ends from the first phase of the build so that we can progress the next. Tricksy contractors won't cooperate, though. You are so lucky, Dave, but you have been there a good while now. We would make very different choices if we were to start any building work now to what we did in 2013. Those that we know are good are good and reliable.

choille

Went to Dunrobin castle today for a look around. Amazing castle with marvellous green stippled bedroom with beautiful painted furniture - would love to be able to replicate the furniture.

Set off for Inverness without seeing the falcon display or gardens as it started with the monsoon type rain again. Broke down in a very dangerous junction. It was 2 1/2 hours before we got picked up. I'd walked a mile to a caff for the loo & coffee.
So brand new car on a break down truck & us taxi=ed home by a guy who should be on the stage - great racounter. He's had some very posh folk in his taxi - apart from us that is.............

Davesnave

rozeepozee wrote: »

You are so lucky, Dave, but you have been there a good while now. We would make very different choices if we were to start any building work now to what we did in 2013. Those that we know are good are good and reliable.

Yes, we had time to make the right contacts. Good, reliable and £16 /hr is all do-able, but none of these people advertise!

We've had some bad luck too, though. The brickie who did the barn was brilliant and cheaper than above, but it was his last ever job, as he then had arm op that ruled -out any more bricklaying & blockwork. He drives a bus now.

Our architect was not terribly helpful and couldn't draw....hence a problem making new roof fit without hitting the chimney.:( And our engineer was not only expensive, but virtually useless.... and he held us up.:mad:

But overall, people have been OK to brilliant, so I'm not complaining. :A

Nice bit of rain here this morning. Glad I did mowing yesterday....not that it's ever 'done.' Missed out on the wheeled brushcutter again, but that was because it went out of my comfort zone price-wise. Do need one though.

Gosh! Poor you... 24 hens gone! :eek: We have really benefited from spending out on the high fences around our chicken orchards, but knowing what I know now, I can estimate that the useful life of the posts will mean replacement in the next few years. Hopefully, I can put in better posts on a sort of rolling basis starting next summer, as the corners and strainers are OK. It's a huge outlay for full replacement otherwise.

alfie_1

hi all...


well rain stopped play in the garden ! but ive almost finished clearing spare bedroom :j


I am going to list a lot on the bay...
its still amazing me what carp ive saved ?? but im getting quite ruthless in my old age ..;)


ive some nice bits ive been asked to sell for friend.


its quite cold today
I thought I was on automatic refill re heating oil but appears not as I appeared to have nearly run out :eek:
my fault for not checking.. but the oil wagon is often up and down the track for the 4 houses here and I assumed...:o they have promised to get here asap...


my back/hip is killing me at the moment... my fault again but hey ho..

phoebe1989seb

Hi all

Finally back from a hectic weekend away, with only time for fleeting moments online so will need to catch up later with everyone's news.....

Having left home early Friday morning, it feels as though we crammed so much in to our weekend, visiting Devon (a village near Lifton) to collect some eBay purchases from a lovely welcoming couple whom we found it hard to leave as they were telling us all about a recent visit to the Arts & Crafts house Coombe Trenchard which sounds fascinating and has been added to my list of Arts & Crafts houses to visit.

Then on to our old village in Wilts where we met up with some old friends, dropped our dogs off at kennels, then headed to Brighton where we were staying with DS and his GF. Saturday we crammed in a wonderful brunch in the Lanes as well as a long walk with their gorgeous Bedlington Terrier/Whippet cross puppy, before getting the train into London to the open air theatre in Regents Park for a performance of Chekhov's The Seagull and a yummy picnic

Yesterday after getting up scarily late we chilled out and got in a bit more retail therapy in Brighton before heading back through DH's spiritual home (the New Forest ) and into Dorset where we stayed with friends overnight before collecting our dogs and taking them for a long woodland walk this morning. Arrived home earlier, pooped but amazed we managed to do so much in such a short space of time and it was just so lovely spending time with family/friends

Back to reality this afternoon - dead-heading roses - then a spot of wallpaper stripping

Davesnave

phoebe1989seb wrote: »

...... visiting Devon (a village near Lifton) to collect some eBay purchases from a lovely welcoming couple whom we found it hard to leave as they were telling us all about a recent visit to the Arts & Crafts house Coombe Trenchard which sounds fascinating and has been added to my list of Arts & Crafts houses to visit.-

Been there, done that.

The house wasn't open on the day we visited, but some of it was being used by the local WI here for an event, so we were inside part of it.

I found the gardens a bit of a disappointment, but I understand the present owners hadn't been working on them for very long at that time.

Didn't you have a busy weekend!

COOLTRIKERCHICK

Afternoon all,

Take of yourself Alfie...

Had a good day or two on the bay with some vintage music and bike stuff going...done a few listings today, but really didn't want to be in work lol

Piddled down last night, but sun is out now..so good timing as we planted out our runner beans yesterday..

Right cuppa, then put one of our gammon joints in the oven, and then in the bath to have a nice soak..

Catch you all laters