The greenhouse glass has arrived, wrapped in a wooden protective jacket, and all in one piece. Handyman asked, did I want him to finish the roof or put the glass in first? Silly question - of course I want my greenhouse finished - and at warp speed! I will show photos when it's finished. . . . . spoke too soon, handyman has just moved some of the triangular pieces and a nibble on the edge of one! We didn't get every piece out of that pack of course. That was clearly "My fault" - handyman says I should have made him get every piece out and hold it up to the missing apertures. Well, I needed to get back to Keith, who was mid-breakfast - and I told handyman the glass was delivered. I should have got HIM to check it. I think we have spare larger panes so may need to go and get one cut to size at Llandod. Update: All sorted as there was a spare amongst the other pack of broken glass. We have lift off!
I doubt I shall have him to do work again as he depresses me - yesterday he said he thought that the roof tiles were asbestos! Funny, we were under the impression they were slate . . . He said not to get anyone to work on it when it was dry, because there was a dust coming off them as he scraped the moss off. That was a real punch below the belt but then later he mentioned a couple of the "slates" being damaged so to keep an eye on them.
I also had some more fabric delivered, having ordered some fat 1/4s and a metre of another fabric. They phoned yesterday to say they couldn't do one of them, so I asked for a substitute and it's fine. As it's warm and sunny this morning, I intend to get out in the garden, but then I really MUST get back to the quilt. I've not had a chance all week.
Danny, Emma and "I" are away for two days, returning Saturday. Of course, Keith has had a turn for the worse and was very wobbly last night and this morning, so I am praying I don't have problems getting him to bed. Talk about bad timing.
One thing I forgot to mention buying at Malvern was a lovely yellow Hamamelis. It was only £15. I nearly bit his hand off -saw one the same size at the small garden centre yesterday and that was £45! I will get that planted today. Tesco's had their cut-price fruit trees in yesterday - £7 each or two for £12. I bought another Discovery apple tree. I also got some alpines and another red Gooseberry from the small garden centre. Off to plant up the steps shortly.
So we're still watching this space re: greenhouse glass. What a palaver it has been.
ReplyDeleteFingers crossed Keith is stable while your family is away. Two days can seem an eternity.
I love Hamamelis, that was a good buy indeed.
Sigh of relief breathed as it is all finished now - bar for the shades going up. Will get Dan to help me with that. Oh and I need to start assembling the staging pronto too.
DeleteOne challenging evening down, one to go. Keith as bad as he's ever been last night.
Had to look up Hamamelis - Oh a witch hazel! lovely
ReplyDeleteHope all goes well while the family are away
It was a struggle at bed time. I needed wine afterwards!
DeleteStill working out best situation for the Witch Hazel.
It's finished now, thank goodness. Now I have to put together the plantstands so I can get stuff sown and growing :) I had a delightful morning weeding the steps, sweeping up dead leaves, and creating a home for 7 Alpines (common or garden types). Pleased with myself over that progress. Hamamelis still in pot as it's come on to rain, so now it's sewing time.
ReplyDeleteI've managed to get Keith to and from the kitchen table for lunch. Just need to be able to do it and an early night for him - from the kitchen upstairs to the bathroom and bed, but even manouvreing him around the bathroom is dodgy as he can barely turn.
So pleased for you that the greenhouse glass is FINALLY sorted. It sounds like your 'handyman' is garrulously full of opinions that may or may not correspond to facts. Our season is not forward enough to do any planting, although I could get out on a pleasant afternoon for some pruning. I'm pondering the overhaul of the raised bed by the front steps--the taller plants I established there lean out and need to be replaced with something more compact.
ReplyDeleteI was getting so frustrated about it. I hate it when the Universe keeps blocking things happening. Too true about the handyman. I would only use him again if there was NO alternative! It was his way with words - I got the feeling he was getting his own back after Ihad spoken my mind to him.
DeletePerhaps some Alpines by the front steps? Or something annual that would trail downwards?
So muc planting! Spring must come early where you are.
ReplyDeleteThe greenhouse is important to you I know...I d have given up.
Since D & etc seem to be away regularly maybe you need to line up a home help for those days to take over.
The birds are singing, it was WARM yesterday - and some of the newspaper headlines online are predicting heavy snow for Wales (and elsewhere) at the end of the month! Since the greenhouse cost an arm and a leg and was no use half-finished, no way would I have given up!
DeleteD&E's nights away this week a bit of a surprise. Icouldn't have gottencover at such short notice.
It makes a huge difference even just having half an hour in the garden. It's still far too wet to do much..but just being outside does the job!
ReplyDeleteBeing outside - gardening or walking - makes a huge difference to my mental wellbeing. Mind you, my back is complaining this morning :)
DeleteWonderful news on the greenhouse. I imagine you keep taking a peek to check it’s still there. Hamamelis are lovely. Mine is called Jelena and she has coppery pink flowers and was propagated and bought at Nymans about five years ago and so tiny she cost only £6.95. She is looking much more statuesque now and clearly loves the free-draining sandy acidic soil enriched with plenty of leaf mould that is her woodland edge home. I had an hour in the garden this afternoon. S had woken up unable to move which happens with PD (more often than we’d like it has to be said) and as it was such a lovely day I thought a slow shuffle along Littlehampton promenade would be easy and cheer us both up. We had a bowl of roasted carrot and sweet potato soup sitting outside the East Beach cafe in the sunshine and there was quite a surf up. On the way back to the car we treated ourselves to a dressed crab (£9.90) from the fresh fish shack so we had that for our supper with little potatoes and salad. What did I do in the garden. I pruned buddleia Black Knight growing in the meadow bed where tete a tete are flowering in profusion and the scented pom-poms of Viburnum Carlesii are just starting to open. I cut back to the ground Panicum Virgatum, aka American Switch Grass, as she was more flopped than upright and spotted tiny shoots of Peony Duchesse de Nemours just breaking through and I planted divisions made last autumn of Pulmonaria Sissinghurst White and Brunnera Jack Frost in the woodland edge underneath a group of Hydrangea Paniculata. My veg bed looks to be growing a good crop of forget me nots. I pulled out the ones growing through the asparagus, leeks and garlic but left the rest as I think it will be quite pretty in a month or two and I don’t need the space until potato planting time. I’m enjoying a live concert now from Glasgow City Hall including in the second half Rachmaninov’s second piano concerto, which always breaks my heart, while S catches up with the cricket from India. That will feel him better for sure. Hope you are feeling ok after your gardening exertions and bedtime goes smoothly. We must pace ourselves. Take care BB. Sarah x
ReplyDeleteNow I can't ignore building the staging any longer! Terrible Aries trait - very Scarlett O'Hara "I'll think about it tomorrow"!! But I am distracted with many other calls on my time. Your garden sounds to have such wonderful plantings. Things I cannot get round here - apart from Buddleia Black Knight, which I treated myself to (after the one already planted here had a bad hit with the frost last winter.) I've never seen a white Lungwort offered anywhere nor I don't think the Brunnera Jack Frost. I will have to take myself off to the walled garden nursery by Llangorse Lake again. She specialized in Hardy Perennials and is very tempting.
DeleteThe last time I had fresh dressed crab was nearly 40 years ago, when I sailed to Guernsey with friends who had a yacht. Gosh, it was good.
Sorry that S was struggling so first thing. Keith wanted to be woken early (7.30)as he said he didn't want to be in bed too long. Last night he told me to let him sleep on today . . .
What good news about the greenhouse! New plants! That has got to be a great mood boost for you. Hope Keith is good tonight.
ReplyDeleteNew plants are always a delight. The finished greenhouse has really cheered me up - FINALLY finished, apart from the blinds. It was a struggle with Keith.
DeleteWhew, how lucky to have that piece of glass among all the broken ones. Lift off to a finished greenhouse. Hope the gardening went well and Keith was okay getting into bed.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
Indeed. I shall leave the remains of that pack in the stables in case of any breakages in future. The gardening went better than the getting Keith to bed, I have to say.
DeleteSounds like better news on the greenhouse - hope its finished soon and Keith got to bed ok. I love witch hazels but as you say normally so very expensive.
ReplyDeleteHurrah to the greenhouse! You will have many happy moments pottering in there for sure X Danette
ReplyDeleteI see the glass and the greenhouse frame are together safely now. It must be such a relief, and when the staging is finally fixed you can potter to your hearts content. Thelma
ReplyDelete