Wednesday 13 May 2009

Bringing on the wall, Day 3 - foolishness is splendid

It seems that I told you about our plans to build this wall more than 3 years ago, and the footings were already in by then. It seems that, if we have it done by the end of the autumn, that the whole plan will have taken 5 years from conception to completion. I'm tremendously pleased that we have finally made a start on it, that I can actually - slowly, carefully and not to a professional standard notwithstanding - lay bricks and that we're all enjoying it. I love working with the Sage, and we've been so busy over quite some years that we don't do things together any more. And Dave, as well as being the spur and the help to getting it done at all, is good company and we are all getting on well and working well together.

Fabulously and wonderfully, the Sage is already talking about the next project he has in mind - rebuilding our boathouse, which hasn't been used for several decades. I adore this man (don't tell him that, I prefer to play it cool) - he's as much of a fool as I am. But we're fools with feet on the ground, because we plan things that are achievable*. I don't know if Dave is a fool? - oh go on, you must be, Dave. I'd only met you once when you offered to help with this project and now it's taking up half your life for several months. The kindness is terrific (ah, we're sorted into 'old enough to know where that comes from' and not, I suspect).

*I'm not entirely sure about the achievableness of the boathouse project, since it stands in the river and I'm not good around water. But I'll don the old Mae West and brave the element.

Anyway, today the first pillar was completed - that is, to the eventual height of the wall, which will be about 5 foot. Dave is leaning heavily on the wall, which makes it look as if it's bowed out slightly. It isn't.

As you can more clearly see here.

15 comments:

martina said...

The wall looks amazing! You are all doing a wonderful job of construction. What a great friend Dave is.

Z said...

He is. And I'd never have known if it hadn't been for blogging!

Dave said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Dave said...

Dave feels he should be wearing a stripey jumper - or get his hair cut - as he's looking more and more like Prof Mick Aston.

Z said...

It's the way I stand. Remember that one of my legs is shorter than the other.

Actually, it looks better than I remember it looking when I posted it. Must be because I've just had my first glass of wine of the evening.

Picture for those who don't know the Prof - http://sogaer.exeter.ac.uk/archaeology/staff/aston.shtml - you've a way to go yet, Dave.

Z said...

Because of the deleted comment, mine doesn't make sense. *Sigh* It's a conspiracy.

Dave said...

Well, I deleted my comment, because it was explaining that you had the camera on the tilt - and the field was on a slope too. But since I altered the tilt of the photo by 2ยบ, and you re-posted it, my comment made no sense either.

Z said...

Dave, dear heart, it's always more fun to confuse people. I was happily imagining people gazing at the photo thinking 'but it's not on the wonk at all, what's going on?'

Too honest, that's your trouble.

Dandelion said...

What an attractive wall.

Dave said...

Damning by faint praise there, Dandy.

Z said...

She's saving her superlatives until it's finished. Or until she's added her own contribution of bricklaying.

Dave said...

I rather meant that there was something else in the first photo, other than the wall.

Z said...

You look lovely, Dave.

luckyzmom said...

The wall looks great any way you photograph it and Dave does too.

Z said...

He's quite a hunk, isn't he?