Thursday 8 October 2009

Bringing on the wall, Day 32 - and an intruder brings the Sage a present

Having tried out the capping for the wall, it was decided that the pillars would need to be a brick higher to provide a contrast. When you see the photos, they look a bit too high at present, but they won't in the end. Dave had a couple of pillars to finish and the final bricks to add to the others. In the meantime, I was going to be set loose on the middle pillar in the stretch of wall that is yet to be done. The foundation bricks are on two levels; there is a drop just beyond the pillar, so the first thing to do was to add three courses of bricks to make that level.

"I'll need half bricks, won't I" I said. Dave and I stood and looked at it. Yes I would, but it meant that there would be five mortar joints one above the other. Of course, if the brickie had staggered the row it would have looked less neat when the red bricks were laid upon the grey masonry bricks, and for added strength he had put in a metal tie so it won't make it a weak spot but it will look as if it is.

After I'd laid the first few bricks, I lost my confidence somewhat, and said that I'd rather build up the first course from the corner, rather than risk it being uneven. However, since there would only be enough mortar for me to put in a few more bricks, as Dave needs a great deal for filling in the centre of the columns, there wasn't much point in starting and, with apologies to Dave for being a slacker, I stood and watched him for a while instead.
Photos of the Great Man Inaction





Second one down is of the final brick being pointed.

When Dave arrived, Scarlet and Pinkie came over to greet him, so we gave them their breakfast. By the end of the morning, they were contentedly lying down in the sunshine, ruminating.

It was chilly at first, but turned out to be a gorgeous morning, warm and sunny. We decided we could have lunch on the lawn, possibly for the last time this year. We had bacon sandwiches. I squirted HP sauce on mine, but the chaps are far too classy for that sort of stuff. Most of my toast went to the chickens that came and clustered round.

Later, the Sage went to put his latest eBay purchase in a cabinet in the drawing room. When he opened it, he noticed a new arrival.
He rang Weeza, who denied knowing anything about it. Then he asked Dilly, who was equally innocent. He went to the shop to ask Al if he'd put it there. The thing is, it's a clever joke because it actually is a match holder and striker, if not the finest specimen, and the Sage collects antique vesta cases, which are Victorian/Edwarian match holders. This dog would have stood on a bar (it's got Guinness written the other side of the collar) and has a hole for matches on top of its head and a rough area for striking them in front of its neck and at the back of its head. Anyway, Al said he knew nothing about it either. We haven't asked Ro yet, but he's not been here for a couple of weeks and the Sage thinks he'd have noticed it since then. I've not opened the cabinet and might not have. It didn't occur to the Sage to ask if I put it there, but I didn't anyway. It's an amusing joke and still a mystery. The pottery dog has a small chip on the back - it was probably 50p at a junk stall or car boot fair.

23 comments:

Dave said...

I didn't put it there either.

I'm glad you included the photo of my standing on the crate - otherwise your wall looks v. small in some of the photos - or I look as if I've grown another foot.

Ms Scarlet said...

Oh go on with you Dave, I've always thought of you as a giant.
I'm off to ruminate now.
Sx

Z said...

Oh yes, I forgot to mention the crate, which was the reason for that photo.

Cud-dling is always a pleasure, isn't it Scarlet?

Dave said...

You also forgot to mention that yesterday I shaved all the hair off my head (except for my chin).

Z said...

No, that was on purpose. I was waiting to see if anyone would notice.

Can't you sleep, Dave?

Z said...

I mean the china is chipped, by the way - I don't mean a piece of fried potato from the pub is on its back.

Dave said...

You used the phrase 'Great Man Inaction' because these aren't moving pictures presumably?

No, I don't feel tired - still on the go after my lecture, despite having eaten a peanut butter sandwich and drunk a glass of milk.

Z said...

Yes.

I'd like to think you'll sleep in tomorrow morning, but I suppose you'll still wake up bright and early.

Dave said...

Probably.

Z said...

Well, I hate to be a quitter, but I'm tired, so I'm going to bed. Goodnight, Dave.

Goodnight Johnboy.

Goodnight Jimbob.

(continue ad nauseam

DILLIGAF said...

I would like a wall built.

I will pay in various unusual match holders.

He's a a good egg in't he?

Nice wall mate.

Marion said...

When you first started your blog, would you ever have thought you would have made such a friend and one who could actually build your hoped for wall? Why did you start a blog anyway?

martina said...

You both sound like you have jet lag-without crossing any time zones.
What a neat gift for the Sage. The mystery giver makes it more intriguing.

badgerdaddy said...

Are you sure they're ruminating, not masticating?

Sir Bruin said...

Have you considered dusting the mysterious new addition to the cabinet for fingerprints? You might find a match.

Sir Bruin said...

I have examined all pictures of Dave most carefully. He still appears to have the usual two lower appendages - no sign of an extra foot.

Sir Bruin said...

I have examined all pictures of Dave most carefully. He still appears to have the usual two lower appendages - no sign of an extra foot.

Sir Bruin said...

Hmm, I appear to be repeating myself - no idea what happened there.

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

PS I didn't use a plastic crate, in contravention of all H&S rules, all the time. I did have some scaffolding at one end. I shall use that fact to make an hilarious joke in Saturday's blog-post.

Z said...

My mind won't take me to the sort of match holders you might mean, 4D. Dave is a jolly good egg and, Marion, it was the last thing I expected when I started blogging. In fact, meeting other bloggers was thoroughly unexpected and I was desperately nervous the first time (Blue Witch was the first blogger I made an arrangement to meet, although Badgerdaddy was the first fellow blogger, but he was a neighbour then, although we didn't know at the time). No great thought went into starting blogging, I just thought it might be fun/interesting, but felt very self-conscious to start with.

Martina, it's all so inexplicable that the Sage is starting to wonder if he bought it himself and has forgotten - Al and I think this is hilarious! And Dave and I have no excuse for our peculiar late-night conversation. My only possible explanation is that I hadn't been drinking (as I'd been out, so had been driving).

Badge, maybe they were doing both. Lovely to hear from you. I was looking at your site, or your wife's rather, the other day to see what was going on, but didn't really find out.

Sir B, were it anyone but Dave, I'd suggest you look in his mouth.

Ooh, Dave, hilarious? That will certainly be worth waiting for. And we've done a Risk Assessment, remember. It goes 'Hm, a bit risky. Be careful'.

Dave said...

'Dave is a jolly good egg'.

Hmm. Well, a curate's egg, perhaps.

Z said...

Excellent, Dave (in parts, of course). And I admire the cleverness of the implied reference to your post.