Saturday morning Patrick, Michelle and Amy came over to help Mike with projects that need to be completed before a house inspection later this week. Michelle and Amy filled the drainage pits, for the down spouts around the house, with rocks. And they leveled out the ground and cleared some of the rocks for the next 5 raised garden plots. Patrick back filled the trench from the pump house to the garage and Mike worked on the extractor fan in the upstairs bathroom. Heather went to the next town to another plant sale and came home with some great fruit trees that will be added to the orchard. I spent the morning priming the ceiling in the kitchen. After lunch Mike set up the scaffolding in the living room/dining room area and Heather and I were able to reach the high ceilings to plaster and sand. Mike dug the post holes and cemented in the posts for the fence around the orchard and then Patrick and Michelle (Amy had to leave) worked in the garage with Mike insulating the water pipes that run through the garage and into the house. After that Michelle had to leave but Patrick was staying the night so Heather and I went into the house to make dinner - comfort food, pasta and meatballs. After dinner, the boys took a bath in the outdoor bathtub, heated by an open fire. I don't have a picture of the tub, but I will get one and post it. Then we all settled down to watch the World Cup Rugby match, Wales against France. France won, boo! We were all cheering for Wales.
One more piece of Saturday news, Bexley, another one of the turkeys, is now sitting on a clutch of eggs in a brush pile next to the driveway. She was hissing at me and did not want me to get too close. Maybe that is why she looks very sinister in the picture below. Also, Bromley is now at day 10 for sitting on her eggs.
Up early Sunday morning and I made French toast for breakfast at Patrick's request. Yum! Mike and Patrick moved the spa tub so Mike could put in the electrical wiring and Heather and I continued patching and sanding in the living room and then in the laundry room. Before he had to leave, Patrick dug two post holes for the permanent fence around the garden plots. Heather wasn't feeling well after lunch so she laid down for a while and Mike and I continued working in the house.
Late in the afternoon the three of us drove to Ashburton, about and hour and a half south of Christchurch, to pick up a chicken run that Heather had purchased on Trade Me. It is completely enclosed and she is going to use it as a nursery for the newly hatched chickens and/or turkeys. It is still sitting on the trailer, so I don't have a picture yet, but I will post one tomorrow. Then we went for a quick visit with Mike's sister, Chrissie, and brother-in-law, Tristan. They have two boys, 5 and 2 years, and they love their Uncle Mike and Auntie "Gether".
Here is Sean, 5, playing with his Uncle Mike.
And here is Ryan, 2, following in his daddy's footsteps as a computer expert.
Chrissie is raising angora bunnies and plans to clip their fur and have it spun into yarn. She is also raising two orphaned lambs and has quite an impressive garden.
Here is Chrissie with one of the bunnies.
And Heather taking a turn for a bunny snuggle.
After a cup of tea and some cake and cookies, we headed home to watch another rugby match. This one was the New Zealand All Blacks against the Australia Wallabies. The All Blacks won (Woo-hoo!) and now go to the World Rugby Cup finals against France next week-end.
That's it for today. Bath tub and Chicken run pictures coming tomorrow!
Terri... this is so great... I wish I was there.... but I feel like part of it, even from 10K mile away.
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