19.06.2025 When you're in a hole..

 ~o~

  Thursday 19th 52F/11C [6.00] Bright. Expected to be sunny all day.

 Up at 5.15 after an overactive night. 

 7-7.25 A short walk in a slightly chilly breeze. 

 I was planning on a minimum two hour drive to the other side of the island. To buy some specialist plumbing parts. For draining the greenhouse pond. Then I realised I had submersible pumps. Which would remove water just as efficiently via common hose pipe. So there is no excuse not to start digging. To sink the pond to a more attractive height/level. Unfortunately the tank dimension grow the deeper it goes. Due to the tapered sides.

 Several YT videos suggested pea gravel. On which to rest heavy water tanks. Such gravel is easily accessible. It will also deny the ants such easy excavation as in the present sand. On which I had laid the herringbone pattern of bricks with an angle grinder. All those years ago. 

 8.20 I have lifted most of the bricks where the tank will sit. Though the herringbone pattern is working against me. I cut hundreds of corners off to make them fit back then. I have no idea where the brick off-cuts went. They'd be quite handy now to fill in all the empty triangles. Or I could lay wood around the base of the tank to hide the gaps. 

 Logic suggests I push the container nearer the greenhouse front wall. Where I laid a pattern of normal brick bond. This will move me an easy brick's width away from the "teeth" in the foreground. It might still not be enough. The jagged edges to right and left will need local brick removal. The next step is to cut away the polythene and start digging. Which means barrowing soil away. 

 More rearrangement of the remaining contents of the greenhouse required. To make a clear path. I already shoved everything along to the east end. To allow the tank to be moved away from its intended resting place. 

 I had better keep going while the greenhouse temperature is tolerable. It will soon be roasting out there! Currently 67F/19C. I am already dripping with sweat. The end doors and skylights are open. The breeze is helping.

 9.30 Back in for a rest and morning coffee. Four barrows of clean sand have been trundled to the car park. Where it was dumped onto plywood. I have almost reached the bottom of the sand. With the excavation having reached 17cm in depth. Measured up to the straight edge bridging the hole. Whatever depth of pea gravel I choose to have under the tank. Must be added to the required depth of the hole to be dug.

 11.00 I am hot a tired and need a rest. Down to 30cm below floor level. Though it's not very even yet. I ran into my own hardcore under the sand. Which meant I had to use a garden fork to make any headway. I had better remove more bricks. To avoid damaging the container during trial fittings in the hole.

 13.00 Lunch. I had continued to dig in 90F/32C temperatures out in the greenhouse. The bottom of the excavation is slowly approaching level. Not helped by buried rocks and bricks. I removed another row of floor bricks on three sides. To ensure safe clearance with the sides of the hole. 

 I just hope I am strong enough to lift the tub back out of the hole afterwards. There won't  be room for levers. What if it jams? I had better lay some lengths of timber in the bottom of the hole. To simulate the correct depth.

 14.00 I am keeping my bouts of digging to short intervals. Because of the heat. The single layer of shade net seems to have almost no effect.

 15.00 Reached a satisfactory depth and level. Stacked some timber packing in the bottom. Ready for a trial fitting of the tub. Having a rest and taking some time to cool down. My t-shirt is glued to my bod.

 

  ~o~

18.06.2025 And there she was, gone again.

 ~o~

  Wednesday 18th 59F/15C [6.40] overcast. A cloudy morning should be followed by a sunny afternoon.

 Up at 6am after another quiet night.

 My guest is leaving today. After achieving amazing results with the display cabinets. She was also instrumental in helping me clear the greenhouse. I now have a collection to deliver to the recycling yard and charity shop.  

 7-7.25 I had a short walk. Breezy, overcast and an occasionally threatening sky. The birds were singing.

 12.00 Back from delivering my guest to the village bus stop. I shopped on the way home. 

 17.00 Back from the village. After delivering the recycling and charity stuff. A smart Tesla was parked next door. Checking the camera recording showed he came down my drive but soon reversed away. 

 21.30 Thanks to our efforts in clearing the greenhouse. I was able to easily slide the tub along the floor on the old cushions. Into the western corner of the greenhouse. It will be best not to push it too tightly into the corner. To allow easier access to the western sliding doors. Though the overlap is quite minimal. I had considered this aspect before ordering the tub.

 The side of the tub nearest the glass wall should be insulated. To stop direct sunshine from heating the water in the tub in summer. And to reduce heat loss through the glass in winter. I shall not begin to excavate a hole for the tub yet. Not until I have fully considered all the implications of its intended position. 

 I want to install a drain hose and tap. [PVC Ball valve] To make partial water changes as simple and as easy as possible. A short length of hose can be attached and brought out through the open sliding door. Though only when required. The water can be allowed to run away under a hedge and large shrubs. 

 I shall ask an expert in ponds. About a suitable size of pipework, tap and hose for managing these partial water changes. The outlet will be about 30cm above the tub's floor level. To allow clearance for the floor. When the tub is sunk into the floor.

 Dinner was weird. I wanted to go with toast but found some chicken to use up in the fridge. So I fried the chicken and had it on toast. Not my best idea! It was very dry.

 

  ~o~

17.06.2025 Rub a dub tub.

 ~o~

  Tuesday 17th 57F/14C [6.30] Overcast but meant to be sunny all day. 

 Up at 5.45 after a quiet night. A nosebleed started just prior to having my shower. 

 We shall both be going to see my English friend this morning. 

 7.15 Sunshine. Time for a walk. 

 7.45 Back from a half hour walk. I have never heard so many birds singing. Most of them were warblers.

 8.10 I managed to get the enormous tub into the greenhouse by myself. By sliding it on scrap cushions on its long side. The tub is smooth all over. Both inside and out. Which makes moving it about far easier. Unlike the usual, one-sided GRP. Which is often extremely rough on the non-cosmetic side. While being highly polished on the visible side.

 Though not inexpensive, the 1500 liter/400 gallon, glassfibre container is very sturdy. It compares well with the price of preformed plastic, fish ponds. Moreover it doesn't have the ugly folds of ponds lined with rubber or plastic sheeting. It is self supporting. So does not need to be buried to resist outward water pressure. It has no materials which can break down. Like wood or UV sensitive plastics.

 The plan is to bury the container to a depth of around 20cm or about 8". This will involve the removal of an area of bricks and some soil from the greenhouse floor. The bottom of the newly excavated hole will be given a sand base. Well stamped down and carefully leveled. For the container to stand on. This degree of lowering into the floor will reduce the visual impact of the container. While the reduced apparent water depth [by about one third] will make it appear. As if the bottom of the pond is at floor level. While the true water depth will remain at 80cm. 

 I shall place a layer of small stones [pea gravel] on the bottom of the pond. To give the goldfish somewhere to forage. Which they currently do most of the time in their aquarium. I hate naked floors on ponds and aquaria. They are not only unnatural but must stress the fish. 

 I shall have a threaded bulkhead fitting for drainage. With a PVC valve and a short length of flexible hose. To carry the waste water out through the open greenhouse doors. Thereby avoiding the need for excavation for the plumbing. Or, worse, bailing the container. If it ever needs to be emptied in a hurry. 

 13.00 Back from an enjoyable drive through the countryside to visit my friend. Where the three of us had coffee and Danish pastries outside in the warm sunshine. With a pleasant, cooling breeze. Followed by a conducted tour of his amazing, old house and large gardens by our. Before returning home by a circuitous route. Which took in several villages, supermarkets and charity shops.   

 16.00 Back indoors to cool off. I have been trying to downsize the contents of the greenhouse. Which had hardly been touched for several years. My attempt to insert a spare trolley into the airing cupboard was not very successful. Though I did find several boxes of unused, ceramic tiles. They can go to a charity shop. A small victory in the endless war on hoarding. I kept the spares. For those I have already fixed within the hovel. 

 18.30 We have been having a blitz on the greenhouse clutter. With great success. I shall have to deliver most of it to the recycling yard tomorrow. The ants in the greenhouse floor were not pleased to be disturbed. 

 Dinner will be salad. With some of the nice neighbour's, free range eggs. With tuna and the usual salad items. Plus grated, extra mature, cheddar cheese. My guest showed how to cut everything small and mix it [literally all the salad ingredients] in a large bowl. A far better way of enjoying it all. Alas, she will be returning to the royal mews in the capital tomorrow. 

 

  ~o~