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My last 'long long weekend' for a while. Planning to do the holiday in December still, but there's no more long weekends until October.
I chipped the remainder of the branches I could chip; there were innumerable moments where the blades got stuck, but I just restarted again. Also, when the blades are brand new edges, they do chip thicker brances quite nicely, but I still have a bunch of logs as thick as my lower legs that need chipping and I think I'm going to have to wait until the local council does a 'chipping day'.
I finished off the chook tunnels around the edges of the garden.
I did a bit of work on the compost bays, readying them to make 'lids' so they'll be largely protected against rainfall.
I put up the curtain railings in the kitchen and bathroom. Having second thoughts about the one in the bathroom, though. Any curtains we hang in there will need to be loose-weave nylon or they're probably going to grow mould.
--
We definitely have a mould issue along the eaves, but rather more worrying, the house is creaking and there are cracks beginning to happen at various points across the middle of the house - my room, the bathroom, the study. I'm wondering if we have a foundations issue with the clay under the house expanding and contracting (or possibly some undersoil getting washed away? IDK.)
I'm also wondering: the wooden windows we used to have were rather lighter than the double-glazed ones we have now. Which, maybe an extra 100kg? Shouldn't make that much difference to foundations, but what do I know of house foundations and building?
Anyway, I talked to a guy at church who works for a geotech company, he recommended a building surveyor - the kind you get to check out the house before you buy it - and then they can work from there. (Or they might say it's a geotech issue. It could go many ways.)
One concern I have is that some changes I made around the garden may have affected the underpinnings of the house. That, or possibly the drought-rain cycle we've been in for the last decade has shifted things. Anyway, for peace of mind, I'll get someone in. After that, we'll talk turkey.
I haven't told B2 yet. She's enjoying her holiday, don't want to distract her.
--
Friday morning, I went out to a croissanterie that's the brainchild of a guy who started making croissants during the pandemic and began home-delivery in 2021. I bought from him repeatedly, in bulk (getting about 8-10 at a time), and froze them for consumption over time. They were delicious and I enjoyed supporting a local artisan.
He opened his own cafe, specifically just for selling his croissants. I went about 4 months ago when they'd just opened, but he was busy out the back and I didn't get to say hi. I wasn't even sure he'd remember me - you know, there's a lot of people going in and out, and he was delivering maybe once every two months. This time, I was on my way out and he spotted me and recognised me! We chatted for a short white, and he was delighted I'd come across town to get the croissants (and run another errand, but hey, never turn down croissants).
It's nice to be recognised.
--
Saturday morning I made huevos rancheros for breakfast. Then on Sunday afternoon, after hockey (drew 1-1, against #2 team in our itsy bitsy chopped-in-half competition of 4 teams, our goal was scored with all of 90 seconds to go), I made them again with the remainder of the ingredients. Ate half (because it's quite a lot) and had the rest for dinner.
Definitely have to keep that on the breakfast menu for a weekend away. Assuming I have any weekends away going forward.
--
Hockey game was solid, but really tiring. Time of day, maybe - midday. Unfortunately, we had the ball up our goal end over and over and over again, but couldn't quite get the ball in - until the last 2 minutes of the game, when one of our players received it up the back and shot it through the goalie's legs. She'd been trying for the entirety of the game.
I missed at least three or four shots across the goal - feeling kind of shitty about that. The passes across the goal are either so soft that they get picked up, or so hard that I can't track them fast enough.
*sigh*
No game next week. Maybe I should take the time to practise my ball-stick co-ordination.
I chipped the remainder of the branches I could chip; there were innumerable moments where the blades got stuck, but I just restarted again. Also, when the blades are brand new edges, they do chip thicker brances quite nicely, but I still have a bunch of logs as thick as my lower legs that need chipping and I think I'm going to have to wait until the local council does a 'chipping day'.
I finished off the chook tunnels around the edges of the garden.
I did a bit of work on the compost bays, readying them to make 'lids' so they'll be largely protected against rainfall.
I put up the curtain railings in the kitchen and bathroom. Having second thoughts about the one in the bathroom, though. Any curtains we hang in there will need to be loose-weave nylon or they're probably going to grow mould.
--
We definitely have a mould issue along the eaves, but rather more worrying, the house is creaking and there are cracks beginning to happen at various points across the middle of the house - my room, the bathroom, the study. I'm wondering if we have a foundations issue with the clay under the house expanding and contracting (or possibly some undersoil getting washed away? IDK.)
I'm also wondering: the wooden windows we used to have were rather lighter than the double-glazed ones we have now. Which, maybe an extra 100kg? Shouldn't make that much difference to foundations, but what do I know of house foundations and building?
Anyway, I talked to a guy at church who works for a geotech company, he recommended a building surveyor - the kind you get to check out the house before you buy it - and then they can work from there. (Or they might say it's a geotech issue. It could go many ways.)
One concern I have is that some changes I made around the garden may have affected the underpinnings of the house. That, or possibly the drought-rain cycle we've been in for the last decade has shifted things. Anyway, for peace of mind, I'll get someone in. After that, we'll talk turkey.
I haven't told B2 yet. She's enjoying her holiday, don't want to distract her.
--
Friday morning, I went out to a croissanterie that's the brainchild of a guy who started making croissants during the pandemic and began home-delivery in 2021. I bought from him repeatedly, in bulk (getting about 8-10 at a time), and froze them for consumption over time. They were delicious and I enjoyed supporting a local artisan.
He opened his own cafe, specifically just for selling his croissants. I went about 4 months ago when they'd just opened, but he was busy out the back and I didn't get to say hi. I wasn't even sure he'd remember me - you know, there's a lot of people going in and out, and he was delivering maybe once every two months. This time, I was on my way out and he spotted me and recognised me! We chatted for a short white, and he was delighted I'd come across town to get the croissants (and run another errand, but hey, never turn down croissants).
It's nice to be recognised.
--
Saturday morning I made huevos rancheros for breakfast. Then on Sunday afternoon, after hockey (drew 1-1, against #2 team in our itsy bitsy chopped-in-half competition of 4 teams, our goal was scored with all of 90 seconds to go), I made them again with the remainder of the ingredients. Ate half (because it's quite a lot) and had the rest for dinner.
Definitely have to keep that on the breakfast menu for a weekend away. Assuming I have any weekends away going forward.
--
Hockey game was solid, but really tiring. Time of day, maybe - midday. Unfortunately, we had the ball up our goal end over and over and over again, but couldn't quite get the ball in - until the last 2 minutes of the game, when one of our players received it up the back and shot it through the goalie's legs. She'd been trying for the entirety of the game.
I missed at least three or four shots across the goal - feeling kind of shitty about that. The passes across the goal are either so soft that they get picked up, or so hard that I can't track them fast enough.
*sigh*
No game next week. Maybe I should take the time to practise my ball-stick co-ordination.