Making real progress

Things must be progressing fast as I do not usually blog twice in 10 days!

Firstly I must sing the praises of the 'adult' sized paddling pool, had it not been for this I think I may have expired!! The heat (which I love, and am NOT complaining about in the very slightest) has been somewhat relentless, temperatures of 29 degrees in the shade, which was hot shade. No electric fans for sale anywhere in the Midlands or on the internet! So I have had to cool off in the pool; don't worry though - I do wait until all builders have left the site, they don't want to see a beached whale impression before they go home for their dinner!!

The most exciting day this week was Monday when the Concrete arrived. The way its done is really clever: Its all mixed in the wagon via different chambers and poured down a chute - I haven't seen that on Grand Designs!!

So all the foundations were poured and then overnight Monday and Tuesday we had horrendous thunder storms! I was terrified as the noise on the caravan roof and the booming noise from the thunder was scary... and as you can see the foundations just filled with water!

Getting me and two dogs off the site that morning was no mean feat, by the time we got to the car the dogs had clay boulders hanging from their feet and ears!!

It soon started to dry out and we took delivery of our blocks for the foundations and house footprint. Tommy and Reg (yes of course I keep calling them Ronnie and Reg!)our brickies arrived and boy have they cracked on; as you can see from the photos below: Thursday about 10am then Today at midday!

On a more sober note and allowing me to vent for a moment, we had a complaint this week via Wychavon council about the fact we'd taken out; where the front of the drive is: a small wall and "ancient" hedgerow - the hedgerow consisted of 2 discarded christmas trees, a tree that had been sawn through (also dead) a small amount of privet, a Leylandii and a falling down dry stone wall. It was a condition of the planning permission to do this as access for the lorries would be dangerous and we will put back a nicer dry stone wall and some hornbeam hedging. I just wish people would approach us and talk to us, allow us to explain what we are doing but I guess its part of the process. We will not be able to please everyone but hopefully in time when its finished and adds value to the street and they see what a keen gardener I am (ambition is to be part of the open garden scheme NGS!!) any animosity will pass. Rant over!

Anyway good news - The studio is scheduled to arrive 3rd week in August and the house is 'pencilled in' for 2nd September onwards. I am getting flooring quotes and window quotes etc which is keeping me very busy!

We should be in France with our friends Richard and Dinah for the next two weeks but have cancelled as we need the time here and the money spent here. Their lovely properties are Bel Air in Lacapelle Biron which is where we should be now: http://www.belair-farmhouse.co.uk/ and in fact their other house The Tobacco barn is our inspiration for this very project, a stunning old barn which we've watch turn into a beautiful home.
Paul our builder spent months working out there and is how we found him! Its in Barsalio 5 minutes from Monpazier http://www.tobaccobarncompany.com/