Tuesday 27 June 2023
There has been rain and it’s very good to hear so much running water around the garden again. I haven’t checked the water tank yet today but, before dinner, it was up to 58cm. Since then, I have done a second wash (the excitement of being able to use a washing machine is almost too much for me) and, thanks to a strong breeze to keep the midges away, I had a comparatively long, hot, outdoor shower last night as well as a few toilet flushes and other everyday water-based activities.
After work yesterday, I went outside to wrestle with a runaway climbing rose bush. Two hours later, I had pruned that (I know, I know, should have been March/April time up here), trimmed dead ends of another plant, done some weeding and, most significantly, cleared part of the land for my cabin foundations. I feel I should confess that Mitch (he’s our regular handyman but to us he’s more of a land and house manager as he sorts out most things) started the clearing process by roughly marking out an 11’x13’ area and clearing some of the weeds and stones. I had not expected to enjoy clearing more of that area as much as I did. I had music playing on my phone in my pocket, there was a comfortable breeze, no midges and the sun was partially out. I couldn’t have been much more content for the three-quarters of an hour or so I spent clearing the earth. I have been reading a lot about building sheds and cabins recently and a recurring theme is that it’s something humans have always done, build shelters for themselves. On this basis, I’m assuming the build will be easy for me, instinct, latent knowledge … hmmm.
After dinner, I had another burst of brilliance. I finally finished making the headboard cover for our bedroom. I did the painting on Sunday and Monday and yesterday measured the amount of fabric I’d need to cut out, reluctantly, from the bedspread I had been using as a drape over the headboard. I had limited enthusiasm for the staple gun element of the headboard, but I amazed myself by actually getting it done. Finally. And I am really pleased with how it looks and how much more blue the paint became by the time I’d done three coats. Very satisfying day on the house-and-garden side of things. Less productive with writing but I got up shortly after 05:30 this morning rather than desperately trying to sleep for longer (almost never happens if I wake up after about 04:00) and at 07:56 I seem to have done more already than I did over a significantly longer period of time yesterday.
Today, I will probably check the water tank at least twice (if it is still filling, that will give me a huge buzz and I will use that joy to propel me on to doing more work. Probably), write out a list of basic materials to make a start on the cabin base (gulp), drive part way to the nearest letter box to incorporate a walk with posting and write loads and generally get stuff done. High expectations.
