12.04.2023 Bales, sand and water.

 ~o~

 Wednesday 12th 3½C/38F. Breezy and quite bright. With a red sky glow in the NW. A sunny morning will cloud over. With rain this afternoon. Up at 5.30 again. The Scotchlok connectors are out for delivery. I shall be at the museum.

 First 1/8th of the sand laid on the machine house floor.

 I am wondering if the addition of a lot more water to the filled pond. Will exacerbate the difference in level. Which is currently about 2cm or 1". The resulting overflow will be almost entirely at the lower edge. Causing local softness in the surrounding soil. While the high side will not enjoy the same water softening effect. 

 Perhaps I should withdraw the guttering? To leave the pond to settle under the weight of the existing [maximum] water load. Which I calculate to be about 900lbs spread over 28 square feet. 6' diameter with average depth of 6" = 3² x Pi = 14 cu ft x 62.5lbs or 32lbs/ft². Double the atmospheric pressure.

 It is fascinating how shallow the pond appears when one stands over it. How its surface transparency changes with the light conditions and height of the observer. A little wind also increases surface reflectivity. While in still conditions and from above, the pond looks completely empty. There is currently an absence of garden birds. My presence, during the excavation and installation may have caused them to become nervous. 

 06.50. The golden, morning light is falling on my wife's willows. The light will soon turn to silver and then appear almost cold. I am going for an early walk. There may be some heavy exercise at the museum. With lorry loads of sand and gravel being brought in for several projects. Including paths, parking spaces and for slab foundations in the much enlarged machine house. Much of it being moved by elderly muscle and hand tools alone. I leveled 1/8th of the sand last Wednesday. [Image above] 

 The thatchers were in to attend to the entire farm building's ridges. The museum produces hay for this job every year using antique machinery. I was involved in loading the small lorry with hay bales from an adjoining farm building.

 And so it continued. More hard labour. Shoveling and raking sand over the floor of the machine house for several hours. To an average depth of about 15cm or 6". One of the volunteers kept fetching more sand in a large bucket on his tractor. This would be tipped in a suitable spot. Then raked and shoveled to spread it out. We used long lengths of timber to even out and check the surface for flatness. The fine sand was very wet. So even a shovel full was heavy and very resistant to any movement. 

 I stayed there, working until after 2pm. Only two and sometimes three of us were involved. The sand will be compacted with a plate vibrator before laying the heavy, concrete slabs. Most of the floor now has sand up to the correct level.

 I shopped on the way home. It rained in the afternoon. So I had a nap. The stove was lit at 6.30 as the downstairs temperature had dropped to 15C or 60F. Still 18C/65F upstairs. I am still aching from the exercise. 

 The Corning 'Scotchlok' 3-way connectors have arrived to repair the e-bike wiring. Just as a week of showers is forecast. I only need one but ordered 10 as a round figure. Or a reserve if I mess up the first attempt.

 I just had a look at the pond/bird bath. There is quite a flow down the connecting gutters from the gutter downpipes. The water is overflowing from the SE edge of the dish and disappearing underneath the rim. This is likely to undercut the soil under the dish and cause cavities.

 Dinner is likely to be fish fingers. With pasta and peas. I have decided I can fold the kitchen door back on its hinges against the wall. Though I will wait for temperatures to rise first. To avoid chilling the kitchen with draughts from the greenhouse door. Which has yet to be properly sealed. The fridge and larder shelves will need to be moved temporarily. To allow the door to be swung back. The open door currently overlaps half the width of the fridge. Not a great inconvenience but easily overcome.

 The pan boiled over so I forgot to add salt to the pasta and peas. It was tasteless and hard work from start to finish. 

I went out and moved the pond filling gutters away from the downpipes. There was so much water running out of the dish it was undermining one edge. This needs further attention and probably complete emptying. To  be able to improve matters. 

 There won't be any need for a water flow once the pond is leveled. Getting it to that state is impossible with half a ton of water weighing it down! I could use the spare gutters when I pump the water over to the old pond. It seemed perfectly level when I laid the dish in the hole. The weight must have crushed the soft soil I back-filled underneath. 

~o~