Thursday 24 September 2009

Bringing on the wall, Day 30 - East is East and Z is Z ...

... and the twain met. This was very cheering. We've done sections that met before, obviously, but this is the very first time that Dave has started at one end of the row and I have started at the other and we've carried on until there was just one brick separating us, at which point I went to get my camera and Dave slapped on the mortar.

Dave would like it to be pointed out that this part of the wall runs north to south so he doesn't think the heading is accurate. I would like to point out that his surname is East and my name, here at any rate, is Z, so it is.

Here is Dave getting ready to lay that last brick. I'm the one at the start sounding like Boris Johnson (actually, Boris models himself on me, or so I've heard) and the Sage is the encouraging one at the end. The picture is of Dave.

And here are other photos of that brick, and of the wall as a whole.





And it really is a whole (yes, it has holes too) now, although there is still a course to lay before the top goes on. I thought it would be too tall for me today, but whereas from the kitchen garden side it comes up to my eyebrows, from the drive side it is hardly to my chin and still manageable. We have scaffold boards (and a Risk Assessment in place) for the final layers. I am tremendously excited; a few weeks ago Dave saw me lose my rag somewhat with the absent Sage (I had time to recover my temper before he arrived home) and today he saw me in excited mood.

When we'd finished, I went to make tea and while the kettle was boiling I took the plates, mugs and cake out on to the lawn. Three bantams came rushing hopefully to meet me. I was tremendously flattered as they usually only do that to the Sage. I had already planned to bring bread, so dumped everything on a convenient barbecue and went back to fetch it, and the tea. Dave, who is a Man of Steel, didn't flinch once as, from a couple of feet away, I kept flinging handfuls of breadcrumbs to hopeful chickens. I did, at least, throw overarm and not like a girlie. One chicken, a charming 4-year-old, ate from my hand.

Today I received the bill from the heating engineer for the London boiler, the bill from the hospital for the x-ray and the bill from the consultant. The Sage received one eBay purchase, an email to say another had been posted and he's already got his other two purchases. We've both spent about the same amount. I will revert to my practice of thinking of all money spent in terms of something not routine. Like, I want to buy a new fridge - that's about a Lowestoft sparrowbeak jug. Or a computer - that's a teapot in generally good order, if not in an exciting pattern. Going by that, the boiler cost a rather special teabowl and saucer and looking at my hip cost a Victorian vesta.

Actually, I was not dismayed by that bill. I told Al, when I'd posted off the cheque and phoned with my credit card for the x-ray. "That doesn't seem too bad," he said. "When I think what I paid the dentist this year, and what I paid the plumber." I agreed.

Adding a video to a post takes ages, but at least I could type in the meantime, and now I've just got to insert the rest of the photos. Well, soon. It's finished uploading and is now processing.

Ho hum. *Twiddles fingers*

We've had time to watch an eBay item finish and chuckle at the high price, especially in view of the fact that it was somewhat misdescribed as enamelled instead of a wrap-around. Buyer might be disappointed, we think.

Oh hooray. It took 35 minutes to upload that video.

13 comments:

Dave said...

I'm trying to think how to describe my spending. Putting things in terms of pounds of sausages is a little mundane compared withyour method.

Z said...

A week in Wales with your mum! A new dining room table! It's all spend, spend, spend with you, Dave.

I'm just going to Amazon to check out what's on my wishlist. I haven't actually given myself any treats at all, even though I've spent the better part of £2,000.

martina said...

I put things in terms of trips to dog groomers ($65.00 per dog). A passport renewal will cost 1 1/2 dog groomings.
Z-thanks for the videos-well worth your effort. Dave's bricklaying is commendable. Everyone could use cheerleaders like you and the Sage while working on projects.

Z said...

I'd reckoned a hip operation in terms of cosmetic surgery. Not that I was planning on any cosmetic surgery.

$56 is more than I spend on a trip to the hairdresser - but then the dogs have more and better hair than I do!

Wasn't the Sage encouraging? And wasn't I inarticulate?

Z said...

Oh, I've visited Mr Amazon...

I, Like The View said...

Z there's no sign of Dave this morning - is he (his mother?) ok?

do you know?

Jacqueline

Dave said...

Don't panic. Got in late from leading a bible study, then read too much, and couldn't be bothered to get up this morning.

Z said...

You've got lovely friends, Dave. I'd have assumed that your internet connection was playing up again.

sablonneuse said...

Congratulations on (nearly) finishing the wall - and uploading the video to prove it. Both feats would be way beyond my capabilities but every time you mention bantams I feel a growing urge to have chickems in our garden - not the bit the cats play in; in the orchard behind the fence - but the family all cry 'no way!'

Sir Bruin said...

You may well have a risk assessment in place, but have you written a SMOW?

Z said...

Splendid, isn't it Dand? - all of us in there in one way or another.

Bantams are lovely and not much trouble at all - besides, it's a pleasure, especially when they start running towards you when you arrive instead of away. Though if you have foxes in the area, there's potential for disaster of course.

SNAFU, Sir B - will that do?

Anonymous said...

I rather like that way of measuring spending. I think I shall adopt the TopShop measure - how many trips to TopShop with the teenagers does something equal. On that basis the fridge and dishwasher I am going to buy myself are two trips, and the Macbook I lust after will be 6 1/2. Hmmm, put like that, it all seems terribly reasonable - when you consider how often I am dragged into TopShop.

Z said...

it works for me, because it makes me evaluate what else the money could pay for. Especially if I'm contemplating spending it on me and think about what it would buy for someone else.

You do well to keep up with your daughters' spending habits. My daughter and I used to get very ratty with each other, and in the end I gave her an allowance and she got a weekend job as well and we didn't go shopping together.