19.03.09 Day Of The Cement Mixer

hello everyone,

we started off by having a bit of a nightmare / huge delay. of course it had to be today as we were paying a builder so we could get the floor done faster:

after spending some time doing some preparation that should have really been done in advance, the mixer that we got lend wouldn't start so we called in the owner and he got really angry at us because it had not been cleaned properly.

it was tense and it really affected a few of us quite a lot as he was really kind letting us use it for no money and he did not really expect to see it as it was. we apologised and tried to take his anger with no success, but it is now as clean as when we got it (thanks to tony) so hopefully it will all get easier on that front. it was a lack of knowledge and organisation that translated
into lack of care. we should all try to make sure that this doesn't happen ever again.

ben offered some (very much needed) help and gave me a lift so i could hire 2 electric-and-a-lot-more-manageable mixers. then we got started and made some huge progress on the floor throughout the day (we are hoping to finish it tomorrow). cesar, nigel (he came with a helping friend today!) and later on alex 2 (that joined us once more) worked really hard on mixing while ryan and me were on our knees getting some little repetitive sbrain injuries.

meanwhile ben and dan worked on the backyard's (new) entrance and corridor. it's nearly there and will look amazing when finished.

ana finished the toilet, it's now got a mirror, even tiles around the sink, it's clean (surely for the first time in years) and looks 10 trillion times better. i think people needing to sit in there (this obviously depends on gender, weight of the material to be disposed and why not, personal preference) won't have to think it twice or ask graeme for permission to use his toilet. a little_huge step forward on usability.

david joined in at some point (i completely lost my sense of timing again) and alex1 helped him with the frame for the separation doors. the actual doors and some more glass only missing now and looking so beautiful that it hurts. (also to be finished tomorrow)

tony and later on clare were dismantling the plasterboard that was on the corridor's wall. graeme, clare and paul were going to box off the drain and finish the preparation work needed so tomorrow we get the floor finished.

we really do need a skip, graeme mentioned that some effort has been already put to contribute on the last skip and the one coming (he and tony have paid some money). anyone else so we can get another one and clear for one time the outside of the hermitage and get rid of the damping site look forever ??

tomorrow we'll make an early start again (8am) and the MP visit happens also in the morning
(around 9.30 i think)

have a good rest. there's a lot more to do still but we're getting there. i really like doing anyway, it's far better than talking.

javi