Trials and Tribulations

The last two days have been eventful to say the least. Yesterday began with a visit from the National Grid. The helicopter had flown over the gas main the previous night and noticed our trench was going over the top of the pipe. They informed us that they should have inspected the site before we began work. We explained that we had contacted them asking them to come out and that they had replied to say we could go ahead. He was very understanding and told us that he had not been given the message and appreciated the fault at their end. He inspected the trench and told us we had to let them know when we began to fill in again.

Alistair was getting on really well when the digger decided to break down. Our local mechanic soon went out and got him going again. There had been a blockage in the diesel filter.

Our next problem was trying to find the electric cable for the gate. We went very carefully and found a pipe. We thought this was the electric cable and were really pleased that we had found it without damaging it. Unfortunately this wasn't the case. Alistair began digging again this morning and came across the cable. Unfortunately it was damaged, we should have known things wouldn't be that easy. The electrician came out this afternoon and repaired it. The trench was finally completed, Alistair has done a really good job. Sand was put onto the bottom and the water pipe has been unravelled and laid. We are about 10 metres short of pipe and cannot get any more delivered before early next week. Alistair has managed to get a friend to help him and has begun to add the next layer of sand on top ready for the electric cable to be added.

We have managed to get a bonfire going in the orchard and start to burn all the dead wood and rubbish that was in there. We are trying to prepare it for setting up an apiary and hope to get five hives set up before the summer.

We contacted the architect this afternoon to find out if there was any news from the Council. He has been chasing them up and the reply he got was, 'We are still considering it'.

The vet has contacted us and the puppies have been put onto a particular anti-biotic as they have finally diagnosed that the pups have a bacterial infection called campylobacta. Hopefully this will kill off the infection and we will not have any more problems.