CRAZY PAVING

 Doug thought that the old drive would be broken up for removal but, when he noticed that they were cutting it into squares he asked them to leave some.  Since the drive was finished he has been breaking these slabs up and making a crazy paving path around the other side of the house.

At the same time he has made the path wider where it goes past the cat run.  Below is all that is now left of the old drive.  Not sure what Doug has planned for this.

FINISHED DRIVE

It is now eight days since the concreters finished and we are able to use on the drive.  Our Toyota Spade has been living next door while the work has been going on and has now returned (being led up the drive by Blue).

Pretty much the same view before the work.

 

On another subject,  We spent a very pleasant afternoon on Sunday helping Doug's Primary school friend celebrate his 90th birthday.
 

THE DRIVE 4

Yesterday, we had our usual Parkinson walk and got home just before midday.  The concreters were already here doing their final preparations ready for the pour.  The concrete truck was booked for 1 p.m. and arrived shortly after then the hard work began.  Three workers kept going until 9.30 p.m. and we are thrilled with the job.

Our contractor had decided to put an expansion cut down the middle as well as across.  He also brushed the concrete in different directions alternately giving a chequerboard effect.  These photos were taken first thing.  They had another job at 6.30 a.m. this morning but came a couple of hours ago to start cleaning up. 

We can walk on it from tomorrow with a week before it can be driven on.  We are so pleased with our choice of contractor.

DOUG'S PAINTINGS AND DRIVE

Here are a couple of Doug's recent paintings.  He knows I love and miss robins so painted this robin for me.

He also painted another view of the Whangarei Falls from a photo I had taken.  I love the light in this painting.

 As far as the drive is concerned we had an email last night to say the concrete is due to arrive at 1 p.m. on Monday.  Our contactor was here this morning doing some more work to get everything ready for the pour.  I know he is working on a big job tomorrow involving several firms.  He was telling Doug how he plans to finish the concrete.  We are really looking forward to seeing the finished job.  

WINTER VEGETABLES

In spite of the bad weather last month my vegetables are doing well.

Cabbages

                                                       Cauliflower Romanesco (my favourite)

                                                                        Parsley

                                                                  Lovage

                                                                         Sorrel

                                                        Swiss chard and perpetual spinach

The bottom part of the drive is still not concreted.  With all the rain earlier there is a queue for the concrete truck and the larger, established firms obviously take precedence.  It is a Long Weekend this weekend (tomorrow is Matariki holiday. We are hoping the concreting will be done on Monday.

 

THE DRIVE 4

Sunset is at 5.15 pm and last night they were working until 8 pm by torchlight to get the concrete to their desired finish.  We are very pleased with it.  They came back this morning to do some clearing up that they were unable to do last night and remove the boxing.  They had worked a sixteen hour day having started at 4 a.m. on another job. We discovered today that the wife of the man who we are actually working with is in hospital and had surgery on her back today.  What with that and the long hours from yesterday apart from the clearing up and a bit of work with a water blaster they are having a rest day.  I gather they will be back to start work on the bottom part of the drive tomorrow afternoon.  These photos were taken first thing before the tidying with the water blaster.

 

THE DRIVE 3

The workers didn't arrive until about 11 a.m.  All the concreters work together in the city and at 4 a.m. our workers were on a large job for another firm where there were twelve concreters working together.  It is now just gone 4 p.m. and they are still going on our job.  

There was more work needed to get the job ready for the concrete truck which came at about 2 p.m. and, so far, two of them have spent two hours spreading the concrete in our car port and on the top part of our drive down to the gate.  The concrete all needed to be moved in a motorized wheelbarrow.

                                                               First thing this morning

Ready for the concrete truck

First load in the motorized wheelbarrow

A couple of hours later