All Kicks Off

Mr B boarded an aeroplane on Monday to start a series of flights that would end in England. He had not even left NZ air space when it all started to go wrong back at base camp.

Windows were being delivered as we loaded the van to drive to Nelson airport. When I got back mid-afternoon it was to learn that despite on-site measuring the window manufacturers had made the 'reveals' too wide.

(The reveal is the wooden bit you see round the inside of the aluminium frame - the bit that hides all the edges of interior wall lining.)

Then I got an email from the Council's Building Department advising that our drainage consent (permit to intall waste water processing) was approaching its first birthday and would be cancelled because we hadn't started! 

"Don't get me started." That's a saga. I'd planned to get that in first so we'd have a working toilet on site when building work began. The builders and drainage people didn't agree on stuff ; things dragged on. We finally got agreement on where to put it only to have Council put their oar in. We would be joining a locally managed scheme which, because we were the connection that represents 50% capacity, meant the scheme tipped into a new monitoring category. Closer monitoring had revealed it wasn't running properly, particularly during rain, and needs lots of maintenance and a good deal of upgrade. Someone at the Council sent a message round all the drainage companies telling them they were not to install any more connections to the scheme until further notice. Council didn't tell me - the holder of a 'Consent'.

Needless to say, the story is much longer and way more twisted and involved than my summary.  And so we wait.  Along the way I'd discovered the Council person sending the 'no connections' notice was not empowered to do so - not his decision to make - and he got slapped down by 'higher up'. However it had the effect of delaying things until after the scaffolding went up round the buildings here and now the work can't be done until the scaffolding comes down.

Meanwhile the house progresses, all pipes and drains are in place awaiting the day we can dig a big hole and bury a septic-tank and pumping equipment. I wanted to respond to the Council notice with a verbal rocket but the lovely builder said he'd deal with it. Just as well; he was far more polite and conciliatory than I would have been.

Danny the sparky turned up today - so it was walk round and communicate our decisions on lights and power sockets. There was plenty we hadn't thought about... which end the motors go on the big blinds, outside lighting along the alley between the buildings, some light-switch options, extractor fan in bathroom is not optional (we had elected shower dome instead but apparently building regulations require a, to us redundant, noisy darned fan thing integrated with the light switch. (That will be integrated only for as long as it takes to get the building signed off by inspectors; domes are so much more effective. And who wants a fan motor roaring away when OH gets up in the night to use the toilet? ... or aiming in the dark. 🙄)

Scully missed BBQ lunch last Friday. She was at School Pet Day and raced up to see us in the evening sporting a big red sash in a fancy bow about her neck conveying the information that she was (again) the first prize winning pet of the day. I had to rescue the sash from imminent destruction as she sought to investigate the source of BBQ scents. That girl wouldn't give a fig for the soles on her Louboutins if she had human feet and high heels.

Who needs high heels anyway? I'd be in her camp. The price of those things would buy 5 pairs of classy (long wearing, comfortable, and practical) tramping boots - and be so much better for my feet, legs and posture.

It's a very hot day here today. We've gone from zero to 30+ in less than a week.

First strawberry