Song of the day: “Complicated” by Avril Lavigne. And boy was it appropriate.
I don’t know what the heck happened last night but for some reason I got sick as a dog after we got home from grocery shopping. Seriously, there was bowel movement going God knows where, vomiting and then, basically, passing out an hour before my bedtime.
The fun continued through the night, and then persisted during the morning where I woke (beyond being able to snooze some more) still feeling “the love” so to speak. I went down to the house under a cloudy sky, had several trips to you-know-where during the course of the morning.
We did some proofreading, and when big brother and grandpa left for the village to get a wheelbarrow (it’s been driving us daft to have only two what with all the projects going on) and cement for today’s outside work, and I dozed off in my chair for ‘bout half an hour. Afterwards I did some more proofreading, studied the Chicago manual thing, and then went out to start for the day.
The project of the day is pouring concrete, but instead of being able to just haul sand down from our supply I have to scrape the majority off the ground (it’s a collection of the spills from the last few weeks) sieve it clean of dirt and then use it for mixing concrete.
It’s a slow process, what with me still feeling poorly, but luckily after an hour or two, I’m deep enough into the project not to mind. With the younger sibs coming at the usual time, we manage to put down the path rather well. We finish at least and hour before sundown, and by then we have one wheelbarrow of concrete left.
Big brother and grandpa have worked by the old stable, finishing up the roof and walls, in case the predicted rains come. Though big brother is supposed to finish up the last bit of concrete, middle sister and I end up laying in a small concrete ditch by the lower gate, so the water won’t erode the ground.
Strangely enough the stomach ache doesn’t return until we’re done, so I take a long hot shower, which does improve my condition enough for me to have dinner - big brother made mac ‘n cheese - and start on the Blog. Hmmm. So now, I’ve recounted the day and I’ve not a clue as to what else to…oh yeah.
A bit of good news: Since the day before yesterday I’m officially under the triple digits (kilo wise, of course) with my weight.
Oh my, who’d have thought that I’d ever see the day that I’m going under the weight I haven’t been under since I was twelve years old; I sure didn’t.
But I gotta admit I’m noticing the weight loss more and more, heck, almost every day I’m finding bones in my body I never thought I had.
Apparently, I’ve got hipbones, shoulder blades, knees and even tendons…and I can actually just look down and see them, go figure! Hah. Big brother is warning me that a handful of pounds more and I’m going to have to be careful that I don’t get to skinny. Seriously, if someone had told me that I would need to watch out for weighing too little, I would have laughed in his or her faces.
Friday, September 11, 2009
Quicky.
No song of the day; it was just too busy for there to be room.
So, this morning our book “The Chicago manual of Style” arrived today. Yay. And considering we got up about two hours earlier, we dug in during the edit, just to see how much we had wrong. Not at all bad, the amount of “rules” we went through was stuff we basically knew already and hadn’t done wrong. Phew.
After five hours of pouring through information it is time to head up to the car to put in the boxes and the like so we can go grocery shopping. Over at our place it’s rather cool, but then when we arrive in town the temperature is a lot better, almost hot, which is rather wonderful.
I could of course go on and on about how we went from store to store all day long, but I’ll spare you. Oh yeah, we got out on the highway at one point, and then had to drive to the next town before we could turn around again, darn it. The entire thing, along with another wrong turn, cost us at least an hour, which made us take six whole hours to finish.
Seriously, by the time we got home it was dark, and the three of us (big brother, little sister and me) completely done for. Considering we did groceries for two weeks again, it was worth it. We got some stuff from the hard ware store too, so for the projects we’re set too. Can hardly wait.
And today is over (I’m actually watching “The Grand Torino” with Clint Eastwood, good one.)
Yep. With a little luck, I’ll turn in early, maybe do a little more proofreading, and then get up early too, to start fresh.
So, this morning our book “The Chicago manual of Style” arrived today. Yay. And considering we got up about two hours earlier, we dug in during the edit, just to see how much we had wrong. Not at all bad, the amount of “rules” we went through was stuff we basically knew already and hadn’t done wrong. Phew.
After five hours of pouring through information it is time to head up to the car to put in the boxes and the like so we can go grocery shopping. Over at our place it’s rather cool, but then when we arrive in town the temperature is a lot better, almost hot, which is rather wonderful.
I could of course go on and on about how we went from store to store all day long, but I’ll spare you. Oh yeah, we got out on the highway at one point, and then had to drive to the next town before we could turn around again, darn it. The entire thing, along with another wrong turn, cost us at least an hour, which made us take six whole hours to finish.
Seriously, by the time we got home it was dark, and the three of us (big brother, little sister and me) completely done for. Considering we did groceries for two weeks again, it was worth it. We got some stuff from the hard ware store too, so for the projects we’re set too. Can hardly wait.
And today is over (I’m actually watching “The Grand Torino” with Clint Eastwood, good one.)
Yep. With a little luck, I’ll turn in early, maybe do a little more proofreading, and then get up early too, to start fresh.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Just pictures.
Song of the day: “Mr. Rock & Roll” by Amy MacDonald.
Seeing as I’m way too tired. Spend four hours finishing the supportive wall, then digging ditches up by the main gate in case the weathercasts are correct and rainstorms drop in.
So instead of doing the usual blog today, I’m throwing in some pictures, just for the heck of it.
The support wall underneath the veranda day one. Right hand corner are the first two rocks, hah.
Day two. Coming along nicely. Sonia is taking a nap on top.
Day three. Big rocks all 'round.
Day three too. Wish I'd taken some tonight too, but I was too late.
The path leading towards the new support wall.
This is the outside wall of the courtyard.
Another one, just because.
The inside of the courtyard, taken from the east.
Other way round. That's our "big" olive tree in the center.
The view down from the terrace of the house. We're thinking about a veggie garden here.
My cabin and the new terrace below it. Love it!
The stairs big brother worked on today and yesterday. It's beside the wall that crashed.
The square between all the walls, with on the right the stairs you see above, and on the left last week's stairs. Yay.
The garden by the wall. Finally managed to capture the flowers.
This 'll do for today. Tomorrow is grocery shopping day. Aaaargh.
Seeing as I’m way too tired. Spend four hours finishing the supportive wall, then digging ditches up by the main gate in case the weathercasts are correct and rainstorms drop in.
So instead of doing the usual blog today, I’m throwing in some pictures, just for the heck of it.
The support wall underneath the veranda day one. Right hand corner are the first two rocks, hah.
Day two. Coming along nicely. Sonia is taking a nap on top.
Day three. Big rocks all 'round.
Day three too. Wish I'd taken some tonight too, but I was too late.
The path leading towards the new support wall.
This is the outside wall of the courtyard.
Another one, just because.
The inside of the courtyard, taken from the east.
Other way round. That's our "big" olive tree in the center.
The view down from the terrace of the house. We're thinking about a veggie garden here.
My cabin and the new terrace below it. Love it!
The stairs big brother worked on today and yesterday. It's beside the wall that crashed.
The square between all the walls, with on the right the stairs you see above, and on the left last week's stairs. Yay.
The garden by the wall. Finally managed to capture the flowers.
This 'll do for today. Tomorrow is grocery shopping day. Aaaargh.
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Autum's approaching rapidly...darn it!
Song of the day: “Pop goes my heart” by Hugh Grant and band from the movie Music and Lyrics. The song cracks me up every time, especially when I imagine the clip they made for it.
Today’s proofreading went well after the usual morning chores. We managed a solid chapter in the hours that passed, doing a few more random fact checks while we were at it. Yep, definitely a good day for the manuscript.
The weather was wonderfully (at least the sibs thought so) cool. Me? I’m already missing the heat of the summer darn it. Still, the sun was shining, a fresh breeze came in from the sea and well…it was an excellent day for outside work, and we used it wholeheartedly.
Went out about half and hour earlier than usual, and since the sibs were still doing…well, whatever the heck they like to do before the workday starts, I go down to the new wall to start hauling some rocks to the site. I’ve got a nice stash going, when little sister begins making cement. The wall goes really well today, middle sister and I add a good foot and a half on top of the section we did yesterday.
The dogs are constantly in the way, of course. They love nothing more than lying down exactly there where we have to walk back and forth. Now the little cockers aren’t much of a problem, but labs Knight II (Great Dane) well, they’re hard to step over, especially when they decide to get up just when you’re trying to step over them. Aaargh. Almost fell flat on my face while carrying two huge buckets of cement up the narrow path.
Big ass rocks today, make it a speedy process. One rock was actually so big I couldn’t lift it at first, but then after warming up with some smaller ones, I do manage it…of course by then I’d already forgotten that I tried the weight out and found it too heavy…still, I didn’t remember until I had already placed it beside the wall.
We use cement for the façade of the wall, clean and smooth for the flat big rocks; concrete in the back and then pour a really thin mix over the entirety. That wall isn’t going anywhere, that’s a fact. I’m going to have to post pictures to do it justice. Hah.
What with the days getting shorter, about half way through a bikini top gets to be too cold, so I had to get a shirt. Soon I won’t be able to do shorts anymore either, darn it. I’m actually cold during the cleanup afterwards, but manage to warm up a little when I start hauling down wheelbarrows of sand for tomorrow’s work.
That done and with twilight already starting up, I head towards where big brother is finishing the three steps of yet another stairs he is making. I help out, by throwing in some rubble and then we smoothen out the last step of the day.
It is almost completely dark when we continue on our way up to make measure out the gate so big brother can start making plans for the new gate we intend to build in the next few months. What with yesterday’s batch, we should be able to make it too. Yay. The only thing we need now is steel, which we’re going to have to buy next month or so. I’m actually looking forward to it.
So that brings another successful day to an end. Maybe some more proofreading tonight, and then I’m done.
Today’s proofreading went well after the usual morning chores. We managed a solid chapter in the hours that passed, doing a few more random fact checks while we were at it. Yep, definitely a good day for the manuscript.
The weather was wonderfully (at least the sibs thought so) cool. Me? I’m already missing the heat of the summer darn it. Still, the sun was shining, a fresh breeze came in from the sea and well…it was an excellent day for outside work, and we used it wholeheartedly.
Went out about half and hour earlier than usual, and since the sibs were still doing…well, whatever the heck they like to do before the workday starts, I go down to the new wall to start hauling some rocks to the site. I’ve got a nice stash going, when little sister begins making cement. The wall goes really well today, middle sister and I add a good foot and a half on top of the section we did yesterday.
The dogs are constantly in the way, of course. They love nothing more than lying down exactly there where we have to walk back and forth. Now the little cockers aren’t much of a problem, but labs Knight II (Great Dane) well, they’re hard to step over, especially when they decide to get up just when you’re trying to step over them. Aaargh. Almost fell flat on my face while carrying two huge buckets of cement up the narrow path.
Big ass rocks today, make it a speedy process. One rock was actually so big I couldn’t lift it at first, but then after warming up with some smaller ones, I do manage it…of course by then I’d already forgotten that I tried the weight out and found it too heavy…still, I didn’t remember until I had already placed it beside the wall.
We use cement for the façade of the wall, clean and smooth for the flat big rocks; concrete in the back and then pour a really thin mix over the entirety. That wall isn’t going anywhere, that’s a fact. I’m going to have to post pictures to do it justice. Hah.
What with the days getting shorter, about half way through a bikini top gets to be too cold, so I had to get a shirt. Soon I won’t be able to do shorts anymore either, darn it. I’m actually cold during the cleanup afterwards, but manage to warm up a little when I start hauling down wheelbarrows of sand for tomorrow’s work.
That done and with twilight already starting up, I head towards where big brother is finishing the three steps of yet another stairs he is making. I help out, by throwing in some rubble and then we smoothen out the last step of the day.
It is almost completely dark when we continue on our way up to make measure out the gate so big brother can start making plans for the new gate we intend to build in the next few months. What with yesterday’s batch, we should be able to make it too. Yay. The only thing we need now is steel, which we’re going to have to buy next month or so. I’m actually looking forward to it.
So that brings another successful day to an end. Maybe some more proofreading tonight, and then I’m done.
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