(not bad for amateurs!)
.... this weekend saw us start on the less steep hill down the track to the double gate. Of course, the slope is not an even slope and so we are having to dig some holes 2 feet deep and are having to build others up because the ground is already too low.
We decided we would dig all the holes on Saturday ready for concreting on Sunday.What we hadn't accounted for was just how tough the hole digging would be.
The holes around the paddock were relatively easy to dig, the area hasn't been used as a pathway and although there were plenty of rocks to move, it wasn't too difficult.
If we thought the edge of the track down to the Rambla would be the same, we were sadly misled.
The house we live in is built on the original footprint of an older house that fell into ruin. This was bulldozed and the area cleared for our house to be built.
What we now know is where they bulldozed the rubble to - over the edge and on to the track below. Then they ran a tractor over it to settle it and this....
is what we were digging up! The double gates at the bottom also needed digging out so they would open and the rubble from the hillside we cleared used to level the lower section of the track.
After 3 hours of digging my lower back started to complain, but as you do, I ignored it and carried on to get the job done.
Later that night, I could hardly move. If I sat down, I couldn't get up, picking the dog bowls up to feed them was a task in itself and getting comfortable sitting, standing or laying down anywhere was an impossibility.
When we awoke on Sunday morning, Neil was worse then me. He could hardly move and in a lot of pain. We had overdone it and the cementing would not be getting done.
A soak in the hot tub, a number of ice packs and a quiet day (we watched all 3 DVD's of the Lord of the Rings Trilogy, which I haven't seen for some time). ...seems to have been a great help, I can at least move with relatively little pain. Neil is less comfortable but has gone to golf on the basis it will either help loosen his back OR, he'll not be able to move for the rest of the week!
So, we are 'hopefully' going to be fit enough to do the cementing tomorrow BUT we do have to take the wheel barrow full of cement up and down 3 slopes and that may prove to be one slope too many!
I always knew this was going to be a big job, but it's getting bigger every time we do a bit.
But, it is looking really good!
2 comments:
You pair NEVER fail to amaze us! No point in saying 'don't overdo it!' but OMG you push yourself to the limit! (I'm meaning YOU with your back, Jacqui). The fencing is as good as any pro would have done.
(Don't want to worry you but I've just had to type QUAKE as the word verification, take cover!!)
I look forward to the day when we get up and there is NOTHING to do.
Post a Comment