- Sunday, 24 February 2008
UPDATE NO.6 - hitting a rocky patch
We have endured the second week of what seemed like everlasting ground works … never seen soil being moved around so frequently … one moment it is carted in with a wheel barrow and gingerly off-loaded in a designated spot, soon to be dug up again, loaded onto an ever faithfully wheelbarrow once again and transported to another spot which needs more soil … and so it goes on and on and on …. 
But, from what seemed like meaningless soil movement, a three dimensional landscape is emerging which is quite soothing on the eye. Towards the end of the second week, the landscape also got a backbone in the form of a railway sleeper pathway edged with cobblestones, ready for the exploration of human trains, step by step.
Leanne is hitting a ‘rocky patch’ at the moment with the trellis woodwork contractor who is letting her down. He had more than a week to start custom producing the trellises, but nothing as yet has materialised. We have not even seen a sample with the exact wood stain colour we requested. Leanne took it upon herself to do all the measurements herself to ensure that it is perfect and furnished this contractor with a list of all the exact measurements. Leanne had a serious meeting with him on Friday morning attempting to get him committed to this project and was assured that on Tuesday, the four trellises for the outside of the pavement boundary wall would be installed and ready for us to quality control. Let’s hold thumbs that this is not another empty promise. This is quite a serious situation because Leanne cannot start planting any plants until all the structural work is done … especially with quite a few aloe species and trees costing R2000+ each … so to have valuable plants like these being damaged by careless structural contractors is not an option at all.
The ‘World of Rock’ though was on time with their rocky deliveries i.e. stone bird feeders, pebbles, gravel, rocks and one serious giant rock which kept everyone holding their breath as it scaled the top of the boundary wall by just a millimeter or two … needless to say that Leanne had her timing also planned perfectly ensuring that she is not on site during this delicate operation … rand rather being out and about sourcing some prime plant species. Very sneaky Leanne! Our beautiful natural rock bench is however not resting in its final position yet. It is planned that on Tuesday, ‘The World of Rock’ crew will visit the site again and team up with Leanne’s full landscaping crew 10+ men to gently negotiate it to its perfect location.
This upcoming third week of our landscaping design will probably also mostly be spent on structural installations. We cannot wait for the fourth week into the design, when the serious/exciting planting stuff will start happening and hopefully soften our current construction site.
- Construction junkie signing off
But, from what seemed like meaningless soil movement, a three dimensional landscape is emerging which is quite soothing on the eye. Towards the end of the second week, the landscape also got a backbone in the form of a railway sleeper pathway edged with cobblestones, ready for the exploration of human trains, step by step.
Leanne is hitting a ‘rocky patch’ at the moment with the trellis woodwork contractor who is letting her down. He had more than a week to start custom producing the trellises, but nothing as yet has materialised. We have not even seen a sample with the exact wood stain colour we requested. Leanne took it upon herself to do all the measurements herself to ensure that it is perfect and furnished this contractor with a list of all the exact measurements. Leanne had a serious meeting with him on Friday morning attempting to get him committed to this project and was assured that on Tuesday, the four trellises for the outside of the pavement boundary wall would be installed and ready for us to quality control. Let’s hold thumbs that this is not another empty promise. This is quite a serious situation because Leanne cannot start planting any plants until all the structural work is done … especially with quite a few aloe species and trees costing R2000+ each … so to have valuable plants like these being damaged by careless structural contractors is not an option at all.
The ‘World of Rock’ though was on time with their rocky deliveries i.e. stone bird feeders, pebbles, gravel, rocks and one serious giant rock which kept everyone holding their breath as it scaled the top of the boundary wall by just a millimeter or two … needless to say that Leanne had her timing also planned perfectly ensuring that she is not on site during this delicate operation … rand rather being out and about sourcing some prime plant species. Very sneaky Leanne! Our beautiful natural rock bench is however not resting in its final position yet. It is planned that on Tuesday, ‘The World of Rock’ crew will visit the site again and team up with Leanne’s full landscaping crew 10+ men to gently negotiate it to its perfect location.
This upcoming third week of our landscaping design will probably also mostly be spent on structural installations. We cannot wait for the fourth week into the design, when the serious/exciting planting stuff will start happening and hopefully soften our current construction site.
- Construction junkie signing off
Oh my wow, that is really looking great - I love the sleeper pathway. That rock coming over your wall, must have got the grey hairs working!!! yikes that was close.
ReplyDeleteThis must be really great for you, being at home and able to watch all this - I know I would be watching like an eagle!
Enjoy and I look forward to the next update.
Regards
My goodness... it sure is coming together nicely!
ReplyDeleteHi Desire, What a lot of work and enthusiasm, Well worth it though it looks beautiful. xx
ReplyDelete