The holidays are here and so it’s time for the dreaded retaining wall, I’m really looking forward to getting on with it. On Monday I picked up a new drop saw and most of the timber that I’ll need, I’ve already picked up concrete, although I think I only have enough for about 3 posts.
The ground slopes behind the shed and so I have been pondering on the best way to build the wall. It’s only once I get started that I’ve decided on the design.
First I took down the old chain link fence. Used my new fancy DeWalt reciprocal saw to cut through the bent galvanized posts, it’s a very powerful beast, made light work of them. The timber wall that was there was only held together by a few small timbers and nothing was fixed into the ground, so I’m thinking that when I get finished with my design it will last for another 20 years which should see me out.
As you can see above the existing bit of wall is not square, it was just too difficult to remove the old steel fence which was holding up the old timbers and so I just built around it. The new section I am doing now that will join to it will be square to the shed and I don’t think it will look out of place once it’s done.
We had a wee bit of rain over the weekend and this has made the ground that wee bit more difficult to dig. It’s black soil which is very sticky, so every shovel full has to be helped off the spade. It’s taken me three days to get to the point where I will put in the posts and concrete them in. I’ve only dug two holes, although they are connected by a trench. I’ve moved quite a bit of soil. It’s been hot, so I’ve only worked for about 4 hours in the morn and then inside during the middle of the day and then back out late afternoon. My body feels like it has had a workout, but no lasting pain. By Friday , I’m knackered and have a lazy day, just as well really because the rain came for a bit so I didn’t feel bad for not being out there. Tomorrow I’ll get the posts done.
Went out and got me a new library book called, “That was a shiver” by James Kelman, another Scottish author whom I have never read before. It is a book of short stories and so far I have finished the first one as I sat in the “Rafter & Rose” cafe drinking my double shot latte, which is run by the beautiful Portia………….and so if you are looking for great food and great coffee then I suggest you pay a visit very soon!
I returned my Irvine Welsh book “Resolution”, another episode in the life of “Ray Lennox, which brings of course a resolution to some unanswered questions in his life.
A week of the holidays has past already, it just flew by. Tomorrow I’ll get on with the wall in-between the predicted showers and then hopefully on Sunday I’ll get back out on the bike for a wee jaunt.