in front: Daniel, Madeleine
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Anita, David, Alan, Andrew in front: Daniel, Madeleine |
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| Ride-On Mower | Creek Crossing |
I have just finished the roof on the garage so will be able to get started on the house proper soon. There has been a lot of landscaping work done. I have recently been employing a person to help me with some of the work. A triumph of "common sense over Laing stubbornness" I hear you say - well you're never to old to learn! Whilst it IS possible to do just about everything by oneself it IS easier (and quicker) if someone is there to hold the other end of long heavy sheets of roofing or timber or whatever.
Fortunately I found a fifty year old ex-carpenter who is now a farmer/landscape gardener/racehorse breeder. Just the wealth of knowledge I can use!! Not so far as the horses are concerned mind you. He and his wife came over from New Zealand fifteen years ago to compete in "endurance riding events" and they now breed Arab horses on their hundred acre farm near Oberon. Fortunately he didn't charge much for his labour so I could afford to employ him for a few days a week. I must admit it made a difference to the rate of progress and I have no doubt my dented pride will soon be forgotten! I am now back working on my own and will still be doing all the block-work on the house walls. Bob returned to doing his lawn-mowing business, which is more profitable and I now have a ride-on mower!
Andrew came to visit me with brother David and family from Wollongong for the October long weekend. We all had a great time and were fortunate to have good weather - it is still only Spring here! I bought two trees for the kids and they were planted in suitably strategic spots. The trees that is! Meanwhile the "big boys" built a creek crossing to allow Grandad to get his tractor closer to the work. I am still clearing the fallen timber and pushing it up into great piles for burning. The kids loved the fires - nearly as much as the grown-ups!
My old tractor/digger is proving so invaluable that I have decided to spend some money on it, getting its quaint little ways rectified! Going down the hills without effective brakes can be a challenge!!! The mechanic who is doing the job, specialises in tractors/bulldozers/heavy equipment so his rates are not cheap, but I take my hat off to him. Everything about the machines is big and really heavy. He's another one who works on his own - but he has to use a crane to lift off bits he's dismantling!!