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Post by petdesigns on Oct 1, 2009 10:45:54 GMT 1
Oh you actually have visible police community officers there?? Wow! (When a few years ago I reported something rather unpleasant, it took the police 2 days to bother to see me and then it was all left as there were no witnesses. I doubt I'd bother to call the police ever again - what's the point??)
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Post by Old Dragon (Al) on Oct 1, 2009 16:29:24 GMT 1
Around here they walk around in a pair, listen to people's complaints, and reply that the problem is, they don't have the resources to do anything! I wonder what they think they are? Clearly not a resource! I reported something that I'd witnessed not long ago - they didn't want to know.
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Post by Old Dragon (Al) on Oct 1, 2009 21:45:18 GMT 1
Didn't manage to take the offending car's bits to the police station today in the end, but if they are still their tomorrow, I will. I have to get into town then anyway, and no one has bothered to go and look yet, according to the builders. One of the bushes planted outside the fence has also been pinched now, too. It was quite a big, ball-shaped evergreen shrub that I'd been given. The way things are going, I think I'll more all the salvageable garden plants down to the bird garden, and start sacking up horse manure and dumping that in the back garden under the guise of mulch to keep the 'weeds' down. Perhaps then I'll be able to grow a row or two of runner beans as a screen for my kitchen window in the summer, so that I can't see their kids bouncing around on the trampoline in their concrete pit of a 'garden'? BTW, did I say the builders have finally finished the roof? I gather they plan to add some guttering tomorrow and concrete the path in front of the building. Failed to get photos today. Somehow lost one of the camera batteries enroute. Suspect it's probably fallen out in the car, and will reappear when I am next due to visit my mother, therefore muck out the footwells, nooks and crannies. She wants me to visit, and has a large old tin trunk for me to collect, and to store things like the horse rugs in. Tried to replace the missing door bolts today when over at the feed place, but they were out of stock of the right ones. I hope they are back in stock by next week, as the builders aim to fit the doors then. Those were sent twice by the suppliers, and have been sent back again because they were damaged! What does it take for things to run smoothly and people to get things right first time? Surely that must be far less hassle and stress for all concerned in the long run?
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Post by mysticalmidnight on Oct 3, 2009 13:57:05 GMT 1
People actually have to care Many people just don't give an horses ass about customer satisfaction, even when they are self-employed.. Glad to hear the roof is on We have recently been granted planning permission for a two story extension....Please would you pass on your builders and suppliers details, so that i can thoroughly make sure that i start off on the right footing ;D ;D ;D ;D Please post some more pictures soon and once it is all ready, i will be down, with Mackenzie to have a nosey. We will also come bearing gifts Dray x
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Post by Old Dragon (Al) on Oct 3, 2009 15:11:43 GMT 1
I will attempt to get some photos later today, Dray. As for 'when it is finished', even when the builders complete their bit, there will be loads left to do, including plenty of work in the garden area, so just bring garden spades and strong, fit muscles. Bags of hacked off plaster that will break down on the turning circle's acceptable, too. ;D At the moment, there is a step up onto the pathway in front of the building, and probably some 10" high. The guttering was fitted yesterday, so it will be interesting to see if there's any water in ther barrels under the downpipes today after the rain. Those barrels are only temporary, and to tide things over until I can afford to sort proper tanks out.
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Post by reclaimingrebus on Oct 3, 2009 17:23:47 GMT 1
Last time I whinged on a similar theme to my boss he told me I shouldn't judge people by the standards I apply to myself
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Post by Old Dragon (Al) on Oct 3, 2009 18:34:23 GMT 1
I've just returned from a photo shoot of auction goods down at the site and guess what I forgot to take a photo of?... Yep, the progress on the building! (And you reckon that any brain cells discovered are yours, Elaine? ) Also discovered the step is more than 10 inches in most places. Stepped back to take a shot and fell off it! We probably have plenty of hardcore rubble to build it up with.. Trouble is, it has all been buried over in the bird garden, so needs digging out and bringing back up the hill!!
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Post by Old Dragon (Al) on Oct 5, 2009 20:04:49 GMT 1
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Post by Old Dragon (Al) on Oct 6, 2009 17:20:34 GMT 1
Day 139 and it has rained all day. The builders showed their faces there early on, but the boss has caught the dreaded bug so is thowing a sickie, and although I gather they did go to Cardiff to collect the door that has been delivered damaged twice and sent back, nothing more was done. They did, however, notice what I noticed as soon as I opened the door to get feed... There is a pool of water in the rear of the TRPD bit and a patch of the wall of what will be Merlyn's stable is soaking wet! Phoned and was told it is probably something to do with a bit of missing silicone sealant... Yea, right! Actually, two of the damp areas are caused by the temporary water barrels having slipped into the ditch and tilted back against the walls, as the bases of those weren't set on level ground. That can be sorted with some muscle, and I am hoping the problem higher up, and clearly related to the guttering, can be resolved by the builders. They said that the doors were being fitted tomorrow, so fingers crossed! I have the blacksmith coming Thursday to show Merlyn, who has managed to split a piece out of one hoof, and to trim the two little ones in front. They have quite good hoofs, and don't really do enough work to warrant shoeing either at present. Merlyn doesn't do much work either, but his feet aren't great, so shoeing does help to keep those in shape. I was hoping that Merlyn would be able to go in now the weather has turned. Perhaps tomorrow the builders will prioritise his stable? That even if he does have to jump up the step to get into it.
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Post by reclaimingrebus on Oct 6, 2009 22:42:23 GMT 1
Fingers crossed for you Merlyn,
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Post by Old Dragon (Al) on Oct 6, 2009 23:26:57 GMT 1
Mine are all crossed, too, Elaine. While in town chasing up a copy of my washing machine receipt, I called in to B & Q to see about the masonary paint for the building, having decided we'd need white for inside the TRPD room, I was hoping to get something less glaring for the exterior. Despite all the choices showing on the net, it seems there's a choice of white or, at and extra £11 per 10 litre can, magnolia! Asked if they could, perhaps, mix something up that would tone the white down for the outside, just to stop some of the glare... They can't! Could they tell me how many containers I'd need for the whole building? (Well, my maths isn't great so I thought they'd be able to sort that out on their calculators, having been given the dimensions.) No, they couldn't! The best they could come up with was to suggest I took one can and see how far that went, and work it out from there! I then asked about a masonary paint roller... Dunno why I bothered. They don't stock those, only the brushes. That because the store is too small to stock everything! Small? It looks massive to me! Could they porder me one? They checked their computer but, alas, couldn't find any listed in any of their stores! I came away with a brush... Now just need to find a volunteer to use it!
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Post by Old Dragon (Al) on Oct 7, 2009 19:58:28 GMT 1
Day140 and whatever happened to 'We'll definitely be fitting the doors today.'?
I arrived down the yard to find all locked up and deserted. Having various appointments today, and a list of things to do as long as one's arm, I thought perhaps they were running late, so put some bedding into what is to become Merlyn's stable, and as my water buckets all seem to have turned into cement encrusted urns, added 'Buy water buckets' to the list; fed and filled haynets and hung those up off the tree in the field, and shot off into town. I really anticipated returning later to see, at least, a door on Merlyn's box. Instead one of the builders was there looking for a bit of their scaffolding equipment for another job. He didn't seem to think doors were going to be fitted today at all, and said I could always put the old horse in and tie him up to stop him getting out! Yeah, right! I can just see Merlyn putting up with that. If he didn't entangle his legs over any rope, he'd likely chew through it from boredom the moment my back was turned. Apart from that, I discovered my headcollars had all mysteriously disappeared! Finally managed to find two ropes and a very old, very tatty headcollar that, with luck, would fit Bronnie, but I'll have to make one for Merlyn before morning, when the blacksmith's due to come and see to his feet, which will, of course, be plastered in wet mud and burrs, as he is still out in the field! Guess who will have to be up at the crack of dawn tomorrow and stuck down at the yard for hours? Better not tell the builders, else they are most unlikely to turn up and risk getting their lugs burned!
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Post by Old Dragon (Al) on Oct 19, 2009 18:53:38 GMT 1
Now, I think you will all have to decide whether the builders actually finished the job last Friday, or whether laying some self-levelling stuff on Saturday, and one of our W & W volunteers sorting out the gutters and downpipes today, count towards the time it is taking? Tomorrow, Peter should be wielding a paintbrush, and guess who forgot the stuff for the preserving the woodwork when in B & Q today? However, I DID remember to get a dunny and a water carrier with a tap for drinking water! Might have a heater and camping stove, plus a kettle coming soon, too. Someone else is looking into floor covering for the TRPD room, too. How much will be done by the dog walk on 8th is another matter, but Peter also levelled a bit more of the car park, so that I can plod on a bit more with spreading the bark while waiting for the nags to finish their bucket feeds.
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Post by reclaimingrebus on Oct 19, 2009 19:40:32 GMT 1
How long before they present their bill?
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Post by Old Dragon (Al) on Oct 19, 2009 19:45:18 GMT 1
They have been having staged payments, and I've not given them the final one yet. ;D We still have a rising damp problem and some other little things to sort, but they are away for 2 - 3 weeks now.
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Post by mysticalmidnight on Oct 19, 2009 22:15:32 GMT 1
Can't wait to come down and see how it looks. That damp sounds a bit naughty When will you plant more trees, next spring ? Mackenzie still asks if we can bring some with us;) Dray x
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Post by Florrie on Oct 20, 2009 13:46:47 GMT 1
light at the end of the tunnel then
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Post by Old Dragon (Al) on Oct 20, 2009 14:01:34 GMT 1
Well, Peter is painting the inside walls of the TRPD room today and putting wood preserve on the doors and frames.
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Post by Florrie on Oct 29, 2009 16:06:54 GMT 1
what day are you up to now??
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Post by Old Dragon (Al) on Oct 29, 2009 16:27:03 GMT 1
I'll need to find the calendar before I can tell you that! (Can see me needing a 2010 one at this rate.)
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