Hmmmm, I said that I shouldn't speak too soon!
Living on an island that has no heavy industry and the type of manufacturing that is generally viewed as cottage industries in other countries, is pretty idyllic for the most part.....until you need something. As of yesterday the island was bereft of cement! That's right, there is not a one single bag of cement to be had for love, nor money. We have eeked out the supply that I purchased at the beginning of the week and managed to make good progress. The low retaining walls for the new garden are complete and three sides have a neat crown of mortar - there is just about enough cement left to finish the remaining side, which will happen on Monday. However, plastering the wall will have to wait for a new shipment of cement to arrive on island.....so like the characters in the movie "Casablanca", we must wait, and wait, and wait.....
Well actually, it's not so bad, the cement ship is due to arrive in port on 15th April. The contents will have to be unloaded, clear Customs and will then make its way to the retailer. So, by my reckoning and with the island's 'laissez faire' approach to life - we should be back on track in about 3 weeks! Being a rather impatient gardener, I have decided that we will continue to work on the project but that the remaining stages will have to be done out of sequence, not least because if I let Handy Andy go, there's no telling when he may decide to come back if he gets another project to work on.
So, starting on Monday, I will purchase timber for the surrounding fencing and possibly the covered workbench/potting shed-cum-shelter-cum-arbor-cum-gazebo (I haven't quite decided which as yet) and we'll plaster the walls at a later stage. Reading this, it sounds as though I am building a recreation ground for a local community, when in reality it's just a small sanctuary and secluded "garden-within-a-garden". However, for me, it's another great stride in turning a piece of wilderness that has stood empty since Grandpa bought it back in 1924, into a real home and garden.
It's dark now, so I will take some updated photos over the weekend. It's the end of what has been a rather busy and slightly manic week - of which the garden project and a very sickly mother has been just two small elements; I'm looking forward to a peaceful weekend of serene pottering.
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