Tuesday the 15th May marked our 10th working day on site, and I am amazed at how much has been achieved. All of the floors have been jacked up, re-beamed as necessary and supported sufficiently to be the bearers of a serious stomping party in every room. One or two infills need to be completed before sanding and sealing starts on Thursday, and the new boards in the kitchen need to be laid. All of the internal breaking is complete and I can begin to feel the “flow” of the house.
Wednesday should see most of the conduits for plugs and switches cut and all of the grinding for the outside wall openings finished.
Decisions, decisions: do I create the openings and simply board up to protect the furniture …….. or do the breaking and clearing closer to the time……..working around the covered furniture and boxes? I’ll decide before the 22nd when I fly back to Cape Town to help Pat with the upliftment - one way or the other a decision has to be made.
Spent a really interesting couple of hours with Graham and Lynn Walker, sipping a lovely 2007 Merlot at their beautiful renovation down in the valley where they look up over the same farmlands as we do. Graham visited me on site with a view to resolving a stormwater problem that threatens both his property and ours ………. we met this morning over a great cup of coffee at the Bistro where you pay what you think the coffee is worth ……….. or pay some extra forward with a disc that allows someone else who happens to be a bit short on the day to help him - or her - self to a cup…………..Graham invited me around for a drink after I had had a chance to fill out the necessary forms for the Ndlambe Municipality which he had kindly organised and supplied.........which is why I was there. Simple!
Ren and Colleen Brand sent through a pic of the Bistro a couple of weeks ago where they had met the proprietor ……… the lovely Anne, who is everything that they promised she would be. Thanks guys.
Today was one of those really special Autumn days - where the light was perfect in every respect - morning, noon and evening. Wherever you are in the world it seems this phenomenon reigns - and only lasts for a few days each season - so be aware of it ......... it is very special. This morning I got up very early and took some pics of the mist in the valley below this very special farm where I am staying ………. then I had the good fortune to watch the sparkling (fading) light against the farmlands from the Walker’s verandah, and as I returned to the farm and got out to open the gate there was the Evening Star in all its absolute glory against and azure sky settled gently on a burning rim of red that framed the northern hills. WOW! …….. Wish that you were all so lucky!
Had a young lady from the location that Anne had organized for me come in this morning to sweep out, dust and do a bit of washing. The cottage looks sparkling - and I have some clean clothes to wear. ……can’t wait after all the dust and dirt on site. On my way back from Port Alfred I picked up a small Rump Steak from Vaughn at the Shangri La store this morning ……….. cooked it up for dinner with a nice big fat mushroom, a few chips, red onion and tomato, some blue cheese and a slice of nice mature cheddar. Good steak makes such a difference………… unlike a piece I bought in Port Alfred last week which I seriously considered fashioning into a pair of sandals it was so tough. Goodonya Vaughn - keep it up! He also let me have a Free Range chicken - something I have not been able to find in any of the big stores up here so far.
My lovely cousin Lynda - and her (what shall I call him?), sparkling / cheerful / thoughtful / considerate / complimentary (enough, enough!), husband Robin ……… who grew up and farmed in the Karoo north of here (just a little south of Middleburg)……….. and who both have links to this part of the world via Grahamstown and Rhodes University, have together recommended that I obtain, and read, Noel Mostert’s “Frontiers”. My searches today tell me that it is something special, and somewhat of a “collector’s item”, and not so readily available as I had hoped. I have asked Pat to visit what used to be “The Two Old Oaks” bookstore in Simon’s Town in the hope that she will find a copy there ………. whatever, we will find one somewhere I am sure. In the meantime I am reading “Assegai over the Hills” by F.C.Metrowich published in 1953, and which gives huge insight into a great many aspects of the world as it was in the Grahamstown District during the early 1800’s. A history lesson indeed, filled with a wide range of astonishing characters from both sides of the spectrum.
Tomorrow I will upload a few pictures indicative of progress on the house (I hope!)
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