I'm not very good at keeping my blog up to date. Maybe because I'm not getting all the attention I deserve. Also with these Helpex's - or now they're gone Exhelpers and 'She who occasional does - not a lot' I've not been able to get a look in on the computer - and I have to time these things to perfection. You would think they'd not seen a computer for years!

Anyway this evening I'm not writing a blog I'm writing a bog - why? Well for a mere gite to be I thought it was a bit of a play on words. 'He who has been doing' has been continuing his quest to install a septic tank and filter bed system but due to various circumstances the time taken for these works seems to be taking an age and my surrounding areas are now resembling a bog. Get it blog/bog! Okay it's bad.

If 'he who is doing' had kept to soon sort of schedule this job would have been completed when the weather was rather nice - but no he waits for the rain and have we had some. Poor 'Buckets' has been a slipping and a sliding and is looking a bit dirty at the moment - well at least he's working again (ooh hope I've not spoken too soon?). And the mud gets everywhere - not that I'm complaining - pas moi?.

Well at least 'he who is doing' is slowly getting on - one day I'll be a gite - one day!

Anyone would think I've been away or something - but I'm still here. And not really much has happened. It all started weeks ago now when those black tank things arrived and are they in the ground yet - well yes they are - again. Those tanks have had more ups and downs than the average yo-yo. 'Buckets' has lifted them in the holes and lifted them out again. I thought they were learning the 'Hokey Cokey'

So down to basics - well that's what 'he who is doing' should learn. That bright yellow thing, or the long red one is called a level and with the aid of the bubble in the middle you can see if things are level, or down hill or up hill. Yes you, 'he who is doing', understand. Next - the waste water leaving the kitchen has to be higher than the inlet on the black tank thing - not the other way round - simple?

So both tanks had to come out, more soil dug out and then put in again. What a farce. At least you checked it all with a laser level this time! But 'he who is doing' has at last got the water main underground and the pipes to the other areas sorted. And he has had some help - from a guy called Pete. That rather nice Pete who could manage to spot the aforementioned problem.

While the saga of the tanks continued a few other little jobs have been done. I now have another window in place and so does 'House'. My roof rafters have been brushed and vacuumed ready for the next stage - so it was farewell to many spider friends - hope they enjoyed the ride down that sucking tube.

Plus - I'm impressed. That old wood that arrived, that I may have had a small and minor moan about, turns out not to be oak. At first this did not go down too well with 'he who is doing' but then after some planing and sanding 'he who is doing' was as happy as I was impressed - and it is my wood not for a "nice table". Any idea what it is though?

Well with 'Buckets' back in action 'he who is doing' is back working on my water and waste works.  And what a long drawn out saga this is becoming.  What with cutting through the water mains and having to get that fixed, 'Buckets' having a (nervous) brake-down, and 101 other excuses an eternity seems to have passed since those black tanks - which I now know as my waste system tanks - were delivered.

In fairness to 'he who is doing' the task has not been made easy as there is a complex maze of pipe works in the area he is working - and not all where expected. Some are still in use, others haven't seen the the light of waste for ages and others are just a plain old WHY!  So I do, in my way feel, a tad sorry for 'he who is doing' especially when one of the mystery pipes gets broken and 'he who is doing' gets splashed - smelly or what?  Oh well more washing for 'she who......... what'.

Sometimes 'they who are doing' go a brick too far. I could not believe my glass panes (well the ones I have). What on earth are they doing bringing back an old wreck of a barn's unwanted oak joists. Why would an up and coming gite, with aspirations, want these old reclaimed lumps of something else's left over junk incorporated into my inner soul?

And 'he who is doing' paid for these pieces of I don't know what. Do they have any pride?

I know, I know, I haven't done a post for a while - well life has been a little slow here lately. 'She who might or might do' became 'she who disappeared'. Taking a holiday like 'Buckets' I suppose. So 'he who is doing' became 'he who has to do her stuff as well' - still with me or have you lost the plot as well?

Anyway in between feeding animals and looking after 'those that hinder' 'he who is doing' did manage to build me a flue for my future wood burner. He still has to get it out of the roof yet. But so far I'm quite happy with what he has done.

Now 'she who is doing(ish)' has returned and 'he who he doing' has spent some more time on me - and about time too. Yesterday he made temporary doors for the two entrances. He says it's to keep the elements out but I say it is to keep him warm - 'he whose a wimp'? He he.

And today he put granite sills on my future bathroom and kitchen windows. Heavy work - and I'm glad I was up too it. My poor beams and joists - what a strain. But, again, I quite satisfied with what 'he who is doing' has done.

And 'buckets' is back - I thought he had been on holiday but apparently he has not been well and had to be worked on - sorry 'Buckets'. Now get on and do some work.

"Hoy house, what's going on?"

"House I said what is going on? I cannot hear you"

"Talk to me House - I'm feeling all alone"

"What was that House 'he who is doing' has filled in our communications port"

What a cheek - now I'm going to have to shout to speak to house. This doorway was our main means of having a chat and for me to find out what is going on. What with 'Buckets' going on strike and now having a vacation I feeling right miserable.

And after last weeks fiasco off breaking water pipes and 'Buckets' being rather temperamental and having all the attention I'm feeling a little low.

But 'he who is doing' has been doing various bits of stone work and finishing off little jobs that he hadn't finished previously. Also I had quite a shock seeing 'she who is doing' in action - aiding and abetting 'he who is doing' filling in my communications port. Well I suppose it's all in the aid of progress.

Well thanks for nothing - and what excuses are you going to make this time?