8th July 2026 - Another Work Day

Thought for the day ;"This morning I started out feeling Bold,
but then I lost my B."

Dry 

An early start as the sun was getting hot - so Chris and I started on the river - starting the river defences. The concept is a row of steel poles thumped into the ground, and then a row of pallets using the poles as a base to stop them being driven back when the the river gets sronger.

The pallets are all fixed to each other and battened. Today we got all the posts in place, and used all the pallets that we had available - we need 5 more I think - and may use a few more to act as a right angle support behind the pallets.     

The plan is to then take the 5 and 6ft  logs that we have felled and stack them against the pallets to change the water direction and to get the stones and river bed to stack up against the pallets so as to stop the eddies behind. A work in progress!

Sadly, the John Deere ran out of fuel  before we could move any of the logs - so that is a job for next time. 

After lunch, we moved one of the Aviary Poles so that it could form the gate for the new Aviary.

Then we took four sacks of bottles down to the lower quarter, ready for a future Bottle Wall in the Field Refectory...   

On the way back we took the opportunity of reweaving the Willow Fedge..   

That left one main task - which was to put Nancy's Marquee up .. Without instructions !

And by guesswork.

So the first time - we ran out of poles of the same size and had to take it apart again.

Then we found that some of the poles were different sizes - so we found nine we thought were the same size and built the structure. When finished - we tried to get the cover on and found that we were 18" short on the long side.  

Seems we had the long ones where the short ones should be and vice versa!!

So the whole think had to be taken down again - and rebuilt - correct this time.

Happily, this time if fitted and though it is a lot larger than I was expecting - should be fine for the Wedding.

 

Of course, had to get the Landie back into the driveway as it was right up to the gate, and with a bit of wriggle we managed to manoeuvre and will be able to get the car out later.

So, after all of that, a shower and a change of clothes, and some salad...

At least the sitting room is cool in the evening

Cheers