Tuesday 14 September 2010

The story of my porch, continued...

The brick work for the foundations is now complete and various layers of cement, sand, damp proofing and insulation are laid in the floor of the new porch.

A very large order is placed at the builders merchants and a lorry with a crane arrives.
200 blocks are delivered

And my front garden looks even more like a building site. We await the return of Wayne the bricklayer to lay the blocks!
























Sunday 5 September 2010

Autumn Show

Yesterday was the Horticultural Society Autumn Show. I entered quite a few things and it was a little fraught in the morning as I prepared all the things to take up the hall. We had to nip to the allotment to pick flowers, make another cake and label the photos as I had forgotten. Everything need to be displayed by 11 O'clock and then the hall closes for judging. I went back later and was very pleased to see that I had got prizes for quite a few things, but even more surprised when they announced that I had won the cups in the wine and photo categories.












This is my wine, I got first for the Rose and Sweet red wines and third for the dry white, but nothing for the sweet white.


This is my vase of annuals, winning second prize.


Below is 10 stems of homegrown flowers, mine is the small yellow one at the front which came third (out of 3!!!)














This is the anniversary class, there had to be flowers, pot plant and then 2 out of 4 items, I chose a plate of tomatoes and some knitted socks.

I also won first for a truss of tomatoes, "transport and "A parade" photos and a jar of chutney. 2nd for a basket of vegetables. Third for knitted garment for a child,10 cherry tomatoes. But nothing for my cakes or pasties. I thought that I was quite good at cooking, but perhaps I should stick to making wine!

It was good fun to enter and compete against others, will need to start planning for the spring show now.

Thursday 2 September 2010

On Tuesday the bricklayer came and bricked up the first 6 "courses" that is bricklayer speak for 6 layers!! That takes the bricks to the DPC or dampproof course! or to ground level. Two rows of bricks with a cavity inbetween for the insulation.

And then when the bricks had set a layer of "crushed hardcore" was put in the big hole in the middle, which will eventually be the floor of my porch........