End of Q1

Since we last updated the blog winter is done, Spring has sprung and we are already through the first quarter of 2021.

The house is now fully drywalled, still a bit of tape and skimming to do and a couple of rooms to be primed, but all the other rooms are done and ready for final paint.  The heating works like a total charm, it is nice and cozy for Mr. M to be in there every day, productivity hasn't dropped off too much but there is a comfy chair out there so who knows, napping may be occurring.

We have chosen colors, we have been speaking to a friend and local artist about kitchen tiles, we have made lots of other decisions including, maybe bathroom tiles, or maybe we will still waiver on those for a little longer, and we feel like we are in the homeward stretch.  These are all the things that take the time, the finishing.

Daffodils have looked amazing this year.  The ones in pots will be transplanted into the garden to finish dying back and hopefully they will flower again next year and onwards.  I will be rinsing and repeating this fall until I get to a point where there is no more room for daffodils.  I love them, one of my favorite flowers.

We've been working hard in the garden, getting it ready for the summer.  We replaced some of the existing raised beds and I got ahead of the game and ordered seeds back in January, I also went and brought plenty of bags of compost to freshen up all of the beds.

I've replanted my flower beds with "deer resistant" flower mix - watch this space, I will report back, the skeptic in me thinks they will get eaten.  I refreshed and replanted all my strawberry beds with new bareroot stock, and moved some of my older plants into a new bed.  This year I did the weed matting in the hope that I can keep pests at bay, but I am sure I have just given the slugs somewhere to hide - again, watch this space.

We've finished up the leeks that were planted last fall (leek and potato soup anyone) 

I have broad (fava) beans, parsnips, peas, potatoes, beets, carrots, turnips, cilantro and spring onions all planted up.  Carrots have been in for a while and slow to germinate but the days are getting warmer as well as longer so hopefully growth will start soon!

Got my zukes and cuke seeds on the heat mat, and I found some old tomato seed and just chucked them in a pot, so far I have 6 germinated.  I said last year I wouldn't grow tomatoes again as I have never had success with them here, our plot is too shady and they grow well but when waiting for them to go red we run out of summer!  Apparently last years self didn't listen as I am giving it another go. 

Feels good to be back into longer days and outside more, we'll try not to let it keep us from updating you at the end of next quarter - if not before ;)

Final hurrah for 2020....

It's all about heating, actually the heat pump. Warning "picture" heavy blog and quite possibly the most boring blog ever!

It's not a cheap business, lots of "specialist tools" ebay provided a good source of used items saving quite a chunk of money...

First you build the concrete pad for the outside unit to sit on....

Then you purchase a big old copper pipe to connect the units....

Inside unit....

Connected to the outside unit...

Then the copper pipe was "braised" together, using the oxy acetylene kit and purging the pipes with argon...

Next it is pressure tested with argon...

A vacuum pump is connected so that all the air and moisture is removed from the system

Then a micron gauge checks the vacuum (exciting stuff right!) then the valves are opened on the outside unit to fill the system with refrigerant.

Some wiring was then completed inside, outside and to the thermostat unit...

Heating is up and working - toasty and warm - NOT!

Back down to the crawl space to finish up the plastic sheeting, which is laid over the gravel to stop moisture coming up through...

Then he shut the door to the house and took another 2 weeks off for the festive season.  We wish everyone a happy new year and onwards to 2021 and beyond! 

2021 = THE year we move in!!

Gah......

I know, I know it's been AGES since I did a blog, and seriously it isn't because things haven't been happening, it's because things that have been happening don't change that much week to week.

Firstly, ALL the gutters are on and done, and now we await rain! I don't think we've had more than a day of rain since they were installed - of course...

Then with the forthcoming winter in mind I asked for another garden shed, because a girl can never have too many sheds....

We  have now added some handles, collected from the beach but forgot the take an updated picture.

Oh and a cute little lean too for the wheelbarrows...

And after all that procrastinating, faffing around with gutters, building sheds he finally manned up and got down into the crawl space.  All the floor above had to be insulated...

Then all the heating ducts had to be completed and then wrapped in insulation and strapped to the rafters....

It's only 3 foot high down there, so the old camping chair is coming into it's own....

And then the air handler that has the blower in it (the heating system without the heat) was connected and air was blown through.  He then had to make a thing (think carboard and tape and wind speed gauge) to measure the air coming out of each vent so you can balance it to get the correct amount of heat in each room....

Next he will be connecting the heat pump and getting the heat running.  Lots of stuff is required for this project, parcels galore heading our way!

What else has been going on?  We ended up having a good year in the garden, and there are carrots, leeks and parsnips in the ground for the winter.  Garlic is planted up and the rest of the garden is pretty much put to bed.  One of my cherry tomato plants is still going great guns, and whilst we are still enjoying glorious autumnal weather it is given a reprieve from the compost pile...

Typical Summer basket....

And now we are into Autumn....

And so we continue, onwards and upwards and Thankfully the world keeps on turning......