Just as well we finished the wire yesterday since we were sitting having breakfast this morning when Dally the renderer toodled in. I was happy about this since every day that passes is a chance for rain to fall upon the straw.
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| Clarry escaped up the road this morning. She returned a couple of hours later in her usual condition! |
Susan set about tidying up the "carport" and back verandah with the assistance of Kat. They moved a fair bit of stuff and when I ventured to change the drill batteries over this afternoon there was a marked improvement.
I attempted the kitchen sink and the mixer tap. A new tap was bought the other day since this one has a string of leaks along the spout. The sink had to be removed which was pretty easy. However the bench had obviously been installed after the shelf/ledge the tap is installed on. If it was my bench I would cut a section from the ledge with the tap in it (neatly), change the tap and replace the ledge. However after scrambling under the bench with tools for 25 minutes I decided that there were a few land mines in trying to replace the tap working only by feel. In the end I applied an araldite patch to the stem with some super tape over the top. It still had a very small leak so more araldite was added. I will check it in the morning as the problem will be back pressure from the filter attached to the outlet. At least I got the sink siliconed in so the galvanised bench should stop corroding.
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| First render coat on the west wall |
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| Dally hard at it. |
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| So far so good! |
The renderers first coat was nine parts sand (dune) to three parts cement with a couple of pots of fireclay for plasticity. The next coat is one to five or four. You always go weaker to stop cracking. He was saying he hadn't mixed render this way for a couple of years as he mostly uses Dulux render which has better crack resistance and is easier to apply.
Susan talking to Dally the renderer ascertained he went to Gulmarrad School many years ago. There were a total of eleven children from three families and they were related. Susan reflected on how in the "olden" days a school could be open for three families where as now school sizes are much larger with small schools being extinct.
We did some final tidying on dusk and Susan reminded me about the bale covers after dark. I dropped them down and funnily enough we did have one short shower this evening.
Tea eaten last nights curry with some fresh vegetables with a cake for dessert baked by Kat.
Weather willing we will pack and leave later in the day tomorrow on our way northwards.
Cheers Simon
Whistler ducks on the dam this afternoon!
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