(August 25th)

The Shed

Finally we are building the shed! Slab was poured a while ago.  It is a daunting task. A 12x12m shed – can you imagine the span of the rafters? It’s all in steel too. A very good friend (not mentioning any names, Rob!!) has offered to come down and bring lots of tools and his engineering brain with him – could be interesting – two engineers from two different disciplines agreeing on what to do and how to do it!

We arrive at Sally Supreme – what? no water…. grrrr… we only filled the tank a while ago – probably has all leaked out of the corner piece of pipe that seems to have a hole in it – the freezing conditions over the previous weeks probably has just exacerbated the problem.  It seems that there is also a problem with the gas bottle connection – more leaking out than is getting into the cooker!  It is really freezing cold – the genie just keeps on cutting out – so we can’t turn on the heater or have any lights on! We manage to heat up some hot water and cook dinner. The hot water goes into the hot water bottles – a small consolation!

We have another practical person to add to our merry group thank goodness and moi, well, I’m just the dog’s body – running around trying to be of some practical assistance – and obviously not always successful with the expletives pouring out of C’s mouth! Sigh! He should be happy that his wife knows what a shifter is or what cleats and brackets are, what a drill bit is or what to look for when there is a need for the plumb-bob  or how to start up the genie and charge up the tool batteries… hold this, get this, find this… measure that…hold the ladder… find some rope… where’s the wonder-bar  (should be called the wanda-bar  I think!)

Shed construction video had been watched and re-watched several times. Plans read and re-read umpteen times. It doesn’t help when the video is for a two car garage – not too hard for a couple of guys to put up – nothing at all like at 12 x 12 m shed – nothing like it!

Day one – read the plans for the umpteenth time – check the bill of materials and lay out big bits of steel. I have to mention that J had come down the previous week and had helped sort out some of the steel – purlins had been put together (12m lengths – someone was going to lift and carry these and put them on top of the rafters!! Then the beams bolted together.

So, day one progressed – the third man arriving later in the afternoon to cast his eye over what had been done and what needed to be done.  By the end of the day some of the beams had been bolted into the slab and some bracing put in place. Of course this always entails the breaking of many drill bits and the need to take a 34km return trip to the local hardware store to try and buy replacement bits and pieces.

Tonight we get to stay in a civilised bit of accommodation at least (thank you Cathy! Love looking after the puppies) – hot shower! yay! Electricity to charge phones and batteries for tools! Plus a bistro to eat in!  We watch some tv and retire quite early. Unfortunately I don’t sleep very well and neither does C – we toss and turn – the heating is too hot, we turn it down, then it’s too cold and so it goes – I think we sleep better in Sally Supreme!

Day two – by midday the beams had been bolted into the slab and all was ready for the first rafters to be placed, and, of course, a trip into town to buy more bits and pieces!

I don’t ever want to see a repeat of a day like today. At least the weather had been kind – sunny and only a mid-strength breeze. I cringed and shuddered at the sight of three guys lifting incredibly heavy rafters up ladders and onto scaffolding and somehow holding it in place precariously whilst trying to line up a holding bolt and get one in then another then another then going over to the other side to do the same and then somehow bolting them together at the apex! What can I say…. OMG!

By the end of the day our third man had to leave to work at a local restaurant…. I have to mention that he had spent the morning chopping wood which he sells as his other job!! wow!

Well, our good friend bid us farewell, probably very happy to be going home to collapse! Marvellous to have such good friends! I’m sure his wife was very happy to have him home all in one piece!

Well, back to Sally Supreme. We did find out what the problem was with the genie – somehow the fuel switch had been turned to off!!! So tonight at least we have power and lights. We manage to have a great fire and it’s really not as cold as it has been thank goodness.  The heater has been on so it’s fine inside.

Biggest question is… is it too early to go to bed at 8:30pm??

good night!