4 September 2011

Monday morning saw me clearing all the plants we have taken out on Saturday. After that, I decided the southern side of the house looks bad, and washed it with bleach to get rid of the mold, on the wall and the deck. Nice improvement. But, since we have done no work on that side yet, it needs a bit of a lean up.  Removed all the leftover rubbish and cut some of the broken deck boards down. Much safer now. Then I noticed the condition of the paint, peeling and flaking. Called the Resene helpline. (This is our local paint manufacturer) They recommended taking a sample for analysis. Guess what, I got on the ladder and it slipped from under me, whilst I had a nice sharp paint scraper in my hand. A cut in my forehead of 40 mm. In to Hamilton A&E and got eight stitches. Not Harry Potter, but Gary Potterer now. Healing nicely.

Had the paint analysed. It is a lead base. The reason for the flaking seems to be water penetration from the leaking roof before that was replaced. I have proven that the original colour was a sort of khaki paint, not the white that became the norm on Victorian villas some years later. It will take some convincing to get the local historian "experts" to accept that.

Most of the remainder of the week spent on the shed. That is done now, apart from the floor. The floor has to be clear of the ground. On Friday we moved the metal lathe and large saw table to the shed, but left it outside because of the floor. I didn't mention that the one side wall of the shed hinges up, forming a nice work area. The best thing of the shed it that I haven't spent a cent on it, all built from material I had saved up, or being given by friends.

Saturday was a lazy day, not much work done. Today we had the local children over and had a nice "potjie". Discussed all the nice "things we can do" with them. Nice to dream, even if you have no money.