1st June 2025 Carport assembly Day 1.

 ~o~

 Sunday 1st 57F/14C. Overcast. A day of sunshine and possible cloudbursts is promised. Rather windy later from around the south. The chart is already showing lightning. How will heavy rain effect my new gravel? Hopefully the chipping will prevent damage to the more vulnerable self-stabilizing gravel.

 Up at 6am after a fairly quiet night. Not a day for a ride. I have a massive tidying job to do. All the stuff and some junk forced onto the western lawn. By the clearing of the observatory and yard. 

 I readily admit I haven't really thought it through yet. Anything moved onto the gravel will stand out like a sore thumb. What to do with all the plywood and timber?

 7.45 Walk. 

 8.20 Dry and breezy but not cold. Three lapwings on the front field. Sunday traffic quiet. Lots of birdsong in the trees and hedges. Not least in the garden but the roadside hedgerows are stuffed with them.

 11.20 71F/22C! Warm, sunny and windy. I have been assembling the carport roof. This required I drill out six of the holes. Where welding inaccuracy required better bolt alignment. It was not only impossible to insert the bolts but the roof arches [spars] were visibly leaning over. I tried using an F-clamp for leverage but even this did not help. Drilling out hot galvanized components could lead to rust. I could not tell if the original holes had been drilled before or after galvanizing.

 13.00 Lunch over. The roof diagonals measured 4cm difference. I may have to use a ratchet strap to pull the framework straight. It is now far too windy to start fitting the polycarbonate roofing sheets. Besides, I need a 3.5mm drill for the fixing screws. Hopefully they have these in the local builders merchants. Threatening plates of cloud keep crossing but it has remained dry so far. The garden trees are alive with warblers, blackbirds and chaffinches. So much for peace of the countryside! 

 I tidied up the tools and other kit I was using. There was no point in continuing in this wind. Despite the previous warnings of cloudbursts and lightning strikes on the chart it has remained warm and dry. Most of the bad weather is passing north and south of us. 

 I suppose I ought to lift the carport roof off the gravel onto wooden blocks. In case it marks the galvanizing if it gets damp. Blocks will make it easier to lift too. Assuming I can still lift it at all! It is already well over 160kg if memory serves. Six curved spars at 10kg and two gutters at 52kg each. It was hard enough walking the length of the new parking space with the gutters. One at a time. I hasten to add. 

 Dinner was fish fingers, peas and chips. I just couldn't face Sunday Bisto gravy with fish fingers. 

 My security camera has just recorded and notified me of a passing cat. My first. A tabby, in case you are interested. Interestingly it gave a Person warning first then quickly changed it to animal. Worth remembering I think. An easy mistake to make.

 

  ~o~