Daydream fund challenge part 4

Davesnave

Heard back from the MD of the conservatory company, who, from saying he would 'look at compensating you for your disappointment' at our site meeting, now writes. 'I do not think compensation is justified.' Obviously his looking didn't include the fact that they broke the contract; something that won't go down well if we go to independent arbitration.

We've said that's where this will probably have to go next, as it's a waste of time holding further discussions with him. He can set it up. We don't think small claims will look at it until we've exhausted all avenues. We also don't think he'll risk small claims!

I know we've had less rain than you Chesapeake, but I went fishing last night on the back of what we did have. However, not a touch in 3 hours!:(

I fell off the bank as well, thanks to the Himalayan balsam that Pete's supposed to be controlling, which hid where the edge was very effectively. I went straight down 5' or 6' leaving my rod behind somehow, but instead of falling into the expected deep pool, I ended-up in a nettle bed, completely dry and unharmed, just rather stung. Wot a twit! It's a very long time since I last made a basic error like that, waterside.

Pete spotted me whilst on his tractor, came over and told me how wild he was with the posh fishermen on the larger river who'd blocked his gateway with their cars. "But just you watch, I'll have them now!" He went off with his grass cutter attached, and two minutes later he was thrashing his way down the riverbank with it, probably scaring the fish silly! As I left, two old guys with rods were making their way across the road into a different field!! :rotfl::rotfl:

Chesapeake

Davesnave wrote: »

Heard back from the MD of the conservatory company, who, from saying he would 'look at compensating you for your disappointment' at our site meeting, now writes. 'I do not think compensation is justified.' Obviously his looking didn't include the fact that they broke the contract; something that won't go down well if we go to independent arbitration.

We've said that's where this will probably have to go next, as it's a waste of time holding further discussions with him. He can set it up. We don't think small claims will look at it until we've exhausted all avenues. We also don't think he'll risk small claims!

I know we've had less rain than you Chesapeake, but I went fishing last night on the back of what we did have. However, not a touch in 3 hours!:(

I fell off the bank as well, thanks to the Himalayan balsam that Pete's supposed to be controlling, which hid where the edge was very effectively. I went straight down 5' or 6' leaving my rod behind somehow, but instead of falling into the expected deep pool, I ended-up in a nettle bed, completely dry and unharmed, just rather stung. Wot a twit! It's a very long time since I last made a basic error like that, waterside.

Pete spotted me whilst on his tractor, came over and told me how wild he was with the posh fishermen on the larger river who'd blocked his gateway with their cars. "But just you watch, I'll have them now!" He went off with his grass cutter attached, and two minutes later he was thrashing his way down the riverbank with it, probably scaring the fish silly! As I left, two old guys with rods were making their way across the road into a different field!! :rotfl::rotfl:

Hmmm Seems like the MD reckons now he has fixed the job he can push for full payment.... probably thinks you'll forgive him and have magically "lost" all records of previous convo's etc!

Our reservoir is waaaay down, the dog has to run across 10-20ft of mud to swim in the water now, hopefully a few more weeks with rainfall and it will start rising again. The herons have buiggered off but the swans have 3 lovely goslings swimming around with them.

Fishermen... hmmm... I used to fish on the banks of my local river when I was a kid but now I walk the dog round the reservoir I'm less friendly. Whoever owns the land has cut big sections of trees down from the banks and cleared water weeds out to create a bunch of fishing spots, the fishermen leave rubbish and crap around and are very anti-dog as they are paranoid about them scaring the fish.

Saying that I'd love to find a bit of land with decent water frontage so I can put in a few water turbines for power and fish a bit myself. Not so convinced I'd want to let others fish there though, there's nothing like being a hypocrite!

Davesnave

Chesapeake wrote: »

Hmmm Seems like the MD reckons now he has fixed the job he can push for full payment.... probably thinks you'll forgive him and have magically "lost" all records of previous convo's etc!

He's only fixed the structure his firm provided, which wasn't what we asked for in the first place, and as his firm altered the original spec without bothering to gain our permission in writing, they broke the contract's T&C.

Helpfully, he provided an additional estimate for altering things to the way we wanted them (!) so we used this to determine how much not to pay him.

After our experience with them, there was no way we would have allowed his firm to do the alteration anyway!

COOLTRIKERCHICK

Talking about fishing... Hubby and I were talking about digging out his old fishing rods (side thought moment😇😆) and going are fishing again...

Been pithing it down here. So didn't go to the small poultry/and crap sale yesturday. So been listing on eBay.

Chesapeake

I do love sea fishing, a large part of my plans for self sufficiency involve a lot of mackerel fishing off the shore here... there's nothing likely freshly caught mackerel bbq'd with butter and garlic... nom nom nom!

fuddle

CTC can I join you all again?

Things have moved on in my life and I've spent the year tweaking things to live as self sufficiently as possible.

I inherited last year which enabled us to buy an old stone pit house. It is tiny but I've made it into a home by renewing the small kitchen and installing a multifuel stove.

What brings me back to you is that today is my very first day on my allotment plot. Our allotments are right at the back of the yard so it kind of feels like it's my kitchen garden. DH has sources fencing for chickens so they are on the cards too.

This is it. It won't get better than this for me. I've somehow scrabbled together a way of life and a means to living that life. It might not be the conventional dream but I'm excited and raring to go!

Davesnave

fuddle wrote: »

I've somehow scrabbled together a way of life and a means to living that life.

That's pretty much how it is for all of us, fuddle, however large or small our plots. We scrabble along, getting some things right, and our little successes keep us going. It's good to hear you got your plot in the end. :beer:

So, welcome back. Just post as much as you want here, when you want. I'm sure CTC has the thread permanently set to "open all hours"... There's no age limit and you don't even need to take your boots off.

Davesnave

OK who nicked our rain? :mad:

*Edit: Coverack!!! :shocked:

Thunderstorms, they said, torrential downpours!:eek:


We had about half an hour of normal rain, interspersed with drizzle.

Tried to work out the storm water drainage this afternoon while we had some of the wet stuff. The previous owner laid two soak away pipes to separate downpipe gully traps, but both pipes go uphill at one point and I have no idea where they end up. They were both blocked at the uphill bit, so it was either a very clever way to trap silt, or, more likely, just a lash-up.:undecided

simplelivingcottage

Hello all,

Popping in to join. I don't have anything amazing as an allotment, just a super small scrap of space. I think you'd call it a courtyard but its got grass on it! Hoping to get a small greenhouse put in next year (of freecycle just need to add some glass that was broken) as the other half hates looking out of the bedroom window and all he see's is the tomato plants! Plus they make a right smell when you close the curtains. Needs must though you understand how else can I dream of mountains of soup with the small two tomatoes I get!

Anyway I'm yibbering because I'm hoping to up root some of my potatoes this week. I only have three tubs but I really want to keep the potatoes as long as possible and wondered where everyone keeps them? I used to keep them in a corner cupboard which gets no light when the doors are closed but last year (the first year I grew potatoes) they ended up sprouting super quick! In a matter of a month and that was it. Am I doing something wrong/anyone got any tips? I don't have anything like a cellar or a garage (as our's is super super damp!) just the kitchen I can use really.

Thanks for any help and letting me yibber!

fuddle

I know Davesnave. Poor souls. I saw images on the news. Dreadful. There's rain, even torrential stuff but when it does that amount of devastation. :eek:

Thank you for the welcome back.

I've spent the day pottering really:

-I made seed starters with toilet rolls
-picked/washed/froze blackcurrents from the plot
-restarted my sourdough starter
-found the key rack had decided it wanted to dump the keys in the tray with the kitchen compost items so screwed the hooks in the notice board. Keys safe and problem fixed at no cost.
-made a seedling watering can out of a milk carton

and finally I've started hot composting in a tub. I'm trying it out in the hope that I can get some matter to go in with the rasps when I replant them.

So far I've got fruit, veg, teabags, coffee grounds and eggshells mixed with a little soil. I intend on adding our rabbits 'cleaning out matter' and some wood ash. I know I have to turn it daily and going to put cardboard over the top. If there's anything I'm missing or doing wrong please spare me from my misery.