2nd April 2025 - Painful Wednesday

Thought for the day :"Sad, when you try to leave work early and the boss points out that there are 7 hours left"

Dry 

2025 : Wet 40 : Dry 51

Wednesday means Chris with me for 6 hours, or "Popeye" as Rhys terms him, I think because of his stamina ....

Dave and Rhys arrived a little later - some domestic matters to deal with but got on with some major tasks, Rhys o the painting, Dave on laying a new floor in the Ladies Loo, to stop it flexing and causing leaks, also to strengthen the structure so the door shuts ! and put some steps down. 

After that we decided that the trailer tent really should have some safe steps as well - so used up the blocks to get some safe steps.

Also helped with the internal structure of the Shower Block

(Note Susie's 'Victor Lock' on the front door.  Panels masticked and metal back plate for the shower put in place. 

Meanwhile, Chris and I attacked the first section of brush by the gate ... a lot of larch just lying down so cleared it away - the remaining branches seem to have some growth despite laying down..

Chris enjoyed this as it involved a big bonfire !!

Then we looked at the second task of the day - to cover the platforms with the grass carpet 

Sadly, we needed much more to cover the platforms than I had estimated - and we were only able to cover three- but have ordered more carpet to complete the job, and decided to get an additional 4 to act as ground flooring for the tents - one in each ..  Estimated delivery 2-4 days - hopefully we get within the time scale .

But must say I think that they look good

Job three was to put some steps in 

May use some of the clay earth from the pond to even the steps out and form a hard base.

A look now at tomorrows task - to level out the land around the pond and dig a proper trench - hopefully the digger will be able to get in there tomorrow 

 

And to finish the day - a walk around noting that there are parts of the garden that are flowering now - the first Bluebells are out and some of the other flowers are starting

First Bluebells

And White bells

Last set of lights to be hung in the lower quarter

Willow Fedge sprouting

And it is starting

Susie's Camelia - mine is still doing nothing 

Bullace Blossoming 

View of the house - thought I would
 take this so we see the magnolia
as it comes out 

And so - A Time for  Beer 

 

In other news

Picked this up form my old Facebook Notes
Since you can't access them except o memory I decided to put it here for posterity 

 

Note to Self : Get Passport Early cos....

Subject: Passport Application

Dear Minister,
I'm in the process of renewing my passport but I am a total loss to understand or believe the hoops I am being asked to jump through.

How is it that Bert Smith of T.V. Rentals Basingstoke has my address and telephone number and knows that I bought a satellite dish from them back in 1994, and yet, the Government is still asking me where I was born and on what date?

How come that nice West African immigrant chappy who comes round every Thursday night with his DVD rentals van can tell me every film or video I have had out since he started his business up eleven years ago, yet you still want me to remind you of my last three jobs, two of which were with contractors working for the government?

How come the T.V. detector van can tell if my T.V. is on, what channel I am watching and whether I have paid my licence or not, and yet if I win the government run lottery they have no idea I have won or where I am and will keep the bloody money to themselves if I fail to claim in good time.
Do you people do this by hand?

You have my birth date on numerous files you hold on me, including the one with all the income tax forms I've filed for the past 30-odd years. It's on my health insurance card, my driver's licence, on the last four passports I've had, on all those stupid customs declaration forms I've had to fill out before being allowed off the planes and boats over the last 30 years, and all those insufferable census forms that are done every ten years and the electoral registration forms I have to complete, by law, every time our lords and masters are up for re-election.

Would somebody please take note, once and for all, I was born in Maidenhead on the 4th of March 1957, my mother's name is Mary, her maiden name was Reynolds, my father's name is Robert, and I'd be absolutely astounded if that ever changed between now and the day I die!

I apologise Minister. I'm obviously not myself this morning. But between you and me, I have simply had enough! You mail the application to my house, then you ask me for my address. What is going on? Do you have a gang of Neanderthals working there? Look at my damn picture. Do I look like Bin Laden? I don't want to activate the Fifth Reich for God's sake! I just want to go and park my weary backside on a sunny, sandy beach for a couple of week's well-earned rest away from all this crap.

Well, I have to go now, because I have to go to back to Salisbury and get another copy of my birth certificate because you lost the last one. AND to the tune of 60 quid! What a racket THAT is!! Would it be so complicated to have all the services in the same spot to assist in the issuance of a new passport the same day? But nooooo, that'd be too damn easy and maybe make sense. You'd rather have us running all over the place like chickens with our heads cut off, then find some tosser to confirm that it's really me on the goddamn picture - you know... the one where we're not allowed to smile in in case we look as if we are enjoying the process!
Hey, you know why we can't smile? 'Cause we're totally jacked off!

I served in the armed forces for more than 25 years including over ten years at the Ministry of Defence in London. I have had security clearances which allowed me to sit in the Cabinet Office, five seats away from the Prime Minister while he was being briefed on the first Gulf War and I have been doing volunteer work for the British Red Cross ever since I left the Services. However, I have to get someone "important" to verify who I am -- you know, someone like my doctor ... who, before he got his medical degree 6 months ago WAS LIVING IN PAKISTAN...

Yours sincerely,

An Irate British Citizen.

Cheers !