A week of disruption
There is no gain without pain and the past week has proved this with a vengeance. We have set a deadline of next weekend to get the garden and all the hard landscaping finished. This is partly because we need to get it done but also because my mum is visiting, her first trip her and to Ireland and only her second trip abroad.
By one of those strange coincidences, this week the solar panels are being fitted on the roof, and as I should have expected, it has proved more difficult than expected, by the fitters. It seems that the tiles are so well fitted that they are difficult to remove. I am actually quite pleased about this since on stormy nights in bed expecting the roof to fly off. I just hope the solar panels are as well fitted. With luck they may finish the job today. Mia (the cat) is hoping that too because she is traumatised (possibly more than me) by the banging and parade of strangers walking through the house. She may be more traumatised when she has to go to the vet this afternoon to look at her swollen leg that I think is an abscess.
And to add to the problems the well pump started ‘short cycling’ and we finally got someone to visit and replace the pressure tank last night to sort the problem. The belief that having a well means free water is very misleading.
But there has been some garden work. Because I couldn’t bear to be in the house with all the banging I have been out doing lots of weeding and planting and the greenhouse is, finally, almost empty. The ‘beds’ beside the main pond are dug over and filled with plants. It is a compromise for this year, with what is available, but it is done for the summer. The pump is in and working and the little bubble globe works. It will be a busy week ahead; the ponds still need more work, there is more paving and the stone for the drive arrives next week (all 45 tonnes to be spread) but the end is in sight.
The Biking Gardener 
Good luck! You’ll be too tired afterwards to entertain Mum! 🥱😴
I have a nasty feeling you are right! We should have a day to recover so we should be OK.
Well, it has often been said that there’s no such thing as free water! or was that a free lunch?
I’ve been in the same boat, albeit a much smaller one. My brother and his wife just came from California to stay for a few nights and I have been spring cleaning my tiny house in readiness. It had gone to hell over Covid as very few were invited in and I had stacks of stuff in every unused corner- not anymore! I feel thoroughly fend suy -ed he brought a new iPad for me with him which has now solved my ‘Comments’ problems and my Yahoo mail had entirely stopped working a few weeks ago! I hope your mum has a super visit and the weather keeps fine for her to enjoy your new house and garden. Mine has never looked better and any recent visitors have been enchanted. I hope you’ll visit sometime soon – before all is tired looking – perhaps with Mum if you’re up this way.
A visit is a good prompt to do all sorts of things! Well done for getting better connected. We are still in the throes of the solar panel fitting, not helped by the awful wind yesterday. But I am thoroughly fed up with it now. I am glad that the garden is looking good and I would love to get up to you – will see what I can do.