An extension of mess

I’ve mentioned before that the Crazies are having an extension built on the back of their house. It’s been interesting watching the progress (I have a clear view from my (soon to be ex) study upstairs).

The scaffold has gone now (the roof and walls being finished) and the builders are working inside. While the scaffold was in place, they had built a chute for all the rubbish which gradually piled up in the back garden.

On Friday, a skip appeared out the front and a young lad has been gradually moving stuff from the back to the front. I say ‘gradually’ because I’m fairly sure I’ve never seen someone work so slowly.

I was watching him while talking on the phone to Mirinda this afternoon. He is about 18 and is obviously not keen on his position at the bottom of the pecking order. Armed with a shovel, wheelbarrow and buckets, he spent ages moving things back and forth, teasing out great lumps of flashing, blocks of wood and rocks.

The reason he took so long was because every three uses of the shovel required a rest. He would stop, lean the shovel on his leg and check his mobile. Once or twice he would respond to a text but generally he would just look at it then put it back in his pocket. The rest of his rest would be spent rubbing his head from his exertions. He’d then use the shovel again.

If he’s paid by the barrow load, he’ll not be taking much pay home this week!

Apart from the slackness of the labourer, the scene next door is a bit like a battle field. It made me wonder what ours’ would look like. I started counting the plants we’d lose. The Crazies are not big gardeners so all they’ve lost is grass but we’d lose the twisted hazel, two beautiful roses, lavender, etc, etc. It would be devastating.

Mirinda (who was still on the phone) claimed we (meaning me) would transplant everything to a safe bed in the back. I’m not convinced.

This is how next door is looking at the moment.

The Somme

I noticed that the labourer didn’t work in the rain, which came and went throughout the day. It didn’t stop me putting the undercoat on the desk top and the shelves. And for my mother’s information, the shelves were not painted earlier because they will be the same colour as the top.

I’m on the home run now, just having the window frames to finish (need to paint them from the outside which doesn’t work in the rain) and the final gloss coat on the desk. With the electricity arriving next week, I am right on schedule.