And it goes on

Well the new fencing looks fantastic. G has recently completed ( bar cuts) a small path along the front of the house. We went to  the Small Farm Field Day in Balingup  last weekend and bought some ground covers to protect the soil as it drops down from the rose garden to the path.  Now we just need to move the additional soil elsewhere ( hmm  side garden??? and we can plant the ground covers  out). There's quite a bit more soil against the bricks than shown in the pic below now that hubby has finished the paving path.  We need to get a new wheel for the barrow before the soil can be shifted.

The bricks will be used for a new wicking bed around the side of the house as I plan to remove what's left of the veggie garden out the front.
Once the soil is moved I can order some blue metal for against the house and for the wicking beds.

See here for some wicking bed ideas.
This post is from Homeone.com.au

I've been researching this topic recently as I'm planning to move my veggie beds from the front garden into a dedicated area out the back. I have been wanting to do some wicking beds but was put off by the cost of the water cubes used. I've found a few more ways to do this. Here are some links in case anyone else is interested.

Original inspiration from Costa.

http://www.sbs.com.au/shows/costa/listings/detail/i/1/article/6172/wicking-garden-beds

Using ag pipe, stormwater pipe and even plastic storage crates.
wicking bed you tube clips
http://www.youtube.com/user/colinaustin1000/videos?view=0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q5fkvcEH_CA
http://www.youtube.com/user/WaterInstallations?feature=watch
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwh2BQ3BBmI







http://milkwood.net/2010/05/11/how_to_make_a_wicking_bed/

http://www.creativepumps.com.au/zpumps/pond_liner/epdm-pondliner/epdm-1mm-pondliner.htm

http://www.merribeeorganicfarm.net.au/

http://wickingbed.com/


http://www.urbanfoodgarden.org/main/wicking-beds/wicking-beds.htm

http://shecooksshegardens.com/2012/10/wicking_bed/ This link to a blog is refusing to working this morning but the link usually works.




Related PDF's

http://www.mvcc.vic.gov.au/for-residents/environment-programs/my-smart-garden/~/media/Files/ForResidents/Environment/My%20Smart%20Gardens/Wicking_Bed_Fact_Sheet_Feb%202012.ashx
http://earthwisewa.org/pages/wicking.pdf
http://permaculturewest.org.au/resources/pw-wicking-beds.pdf
http://www.waterright.com.au/wicking_bed_technology.pdf

Some links to previous threads on Homeone.
Lonnie:http://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=38476&hilit=wicking+bed

Petar:
http://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=52776&hilit=wicking+bed
Petars fabulous Wordpress blog link. It has a list of more links at the bottom of his blog page.
http://pkozul.wordpress.com/gardening/wicking-beds/

Almost there. Just a little further.

We finally decided to get some fencing quotes for the next fencing project.  Price came back and was pretty darn good so  we got to, organising  the fencing man. Trouble was he wanted to do it a week earlier than we could be ready so there was a lot of frantic clearing of pavers off the wall , weeding and paving done by G.  There is still about a 1 metre to go paving wise. But the fence looks fantastic.    Riversand framework and primrose( cream) panel and lattice.   We like it so much I think we will end up continuing it on in for the rest of the retaining wall but in a 1.2m height.

Temporary fence has since been removed. I'll replace this picture later today with one without the temp fence.

  We still have to fill in the gap between the house and paving and G has 3 paths to lay but these are minor in comparison to the huge expanses of paving already completed.


Of my back: I've been officially discharged from the care of the back surgeon. His comment was that when they opened me up they were astonished that I had been able to walk.  I need to get on to a physio soon and  get more strength building  exercises.  I'm still not doing much garden or otherwise. Though I did manage to plant 5 things yesterday  I wasn't ready to risk using a shovel so the holes were dug with a trowel. I also managed to remove one of the steel temp fencing posts by myself.  It was still enough exercise to make me a little achy last night. I'll have to be careful to not lift anything heavy for a few more months and to take each day as it comes.  The surgeon said there is still the possibility I might need further surgery later and to come see him if I have back pain later on. All up to me now.   He was very surprised at how stable I was and that I was able to walk nearly 5 kms within 3 weeks of surgery, get out of a straight chair just using my  legs etc. etc.

13 days post op.

Well I'm alive, kicking  and almost bored silly.   I'm gradually watching all  my favourite tv shows and movie collection. The operation was a huge success.  The entire cyst was removed. It was "well adhered" according to the surgeons notes for the physio.  Apart from some terrible pain and discomfort for the first day or so from the surgery  and a few minor post op effects I was 100% straight away.  None of the pre op pain existed from straight away.    It's now 13 days later.  I get tired quickly if I walk and can't go far yet. The first week going to the shops with G  meant I was shattered after 30 mins  from trying to stand and walk nice and straight etc.  I can feel the area that was operated on when I lie flat on my back. As in, I'm aware of it.  But no pain.  On a bad back day it feels like I've  over done the gardening and my back is left aching.  But that is less and less. The 23 staples were removed last Monday, exactly a week after the surgery. If some people go back to work after 3 weeks which would be in 8 days from now I can't see how I can't start doing more  in another week.  But I'll have to wait and see. I haven't been in a car for any great distance since returning home from the hospital.  That was done on 3 stages of 50 mins or so with back support and stops for a 10 mins stand and walk break. However I intend to get the youngest to take me to work on Thursday so I can talk to the teacher who will have my class and do a bit of a handover. She will also be my Friday job share teacher as we've decided I am going to only work 4 days a week from now on. I guess that means they are now, OUR class. Yippeee. 
Lying on my stomach is still far too uncomfortable and I was told not to do it but not for how long not to.  It is the same with all the other restrictions. told not to do them but not for how long.  I just have to stop myself  bending( a no no) or doing anything I'm not meant to.   No gardening, cleaning, cooking, washing, hanging washing etc.  hmm  well I've been making sandwiches for lunch since day 4.  Have cooked dinner twice.  The first time I was a bit tired by the time   prep was over.  But I've managed to cook a couple of cakes etc.  which is something I always try to do when on holidays. I am looking forward to seeing the physio next week hopefully although I haven't had a notice yet so I'm not sure when I'll be contacted.  I hope that the physio might be able to advise when I can start driving. I certainly can't imagine not driving for another 6 weeks.   Hopefully I'll get a letter with my post op appointment for  mid Feb soon.  Whilst it might not be 100% wise to drive yet I am not that limited and could do it easily.   I try not to twist or bend  as per surgeons instructions but of course sometimes you do.  There is no pain. Not to say that  it isn't stopping the healing process though. so very frustrating and I do try to limit the times I do it.
Poor dog and cat are  waiting  to be fed atm as I chose to bake for breakfast instead of feed them. I figure that's my "bend" for the morning.  I'll get eldest up soon to give them food.


The yard:
  The lawn was given a serious weeding by me before I left for the operation. It was also given a good dose of a soil wetter and minerals to try and help it out over the very hot patch and a seasol and molasses treatment.  I can see the weeds coming back. I know better than to try and weed although I've pulled out a couple of weeds that taunted me too much for me to stand.  1-5 good.   15  not so good. Won't do that again but I guess I could use a weed wand and poison them.
I am hoping to talk one of the boys into doing some gardening for me today. A few bits that are really annoying me. I guess it depends on how warm it gets though.
As the weather has been really warm G has taken the opportunity to have a break from paving but  I know he wants to get back into it and get it over with.   It will be good to see it all done. It's  a mammoth task.  Most garden work atm consists of watering to keep everything alive during this very warm period.

What's Happening

Well after my last post the painter returned and repainted the ceilings and touched up the wall where the plasterer had left fresh  plaster.   So far the  ceiling looks good. When the painter was here he noticed that part of the alfresco ceiling is  dropping. So now we've had to let the builders know about that of course we've had no response yet. so another thing to chase up.

G has had his traineeship extended by another 6 months. Woohoo and I'm dropping to 4 days a week at work starting next year.  We are all waiting  anxiously for eldest to get his exam results on NYE so we know what he is doing next year.

Wattle ( dog)  has now sired 12 pups all up.  6 in Wagga Wagga and 6 here a few months ago. His semen  was set over  and was successfully implanted in a chocolate labradoodle in Wagga Wagga.   The 6 were born on Dec 13th.  4 black and 2 brown.  4 girls and 2 males.

The weeds are going great guns here. I've spent a good part of the last few days  removing as many as I could from the front lawn. Yesterday G mowed it and today I've given it a dose of Seasol and Powerfeed.    Hopefully it will be enough to help the bare patches get some lawn growth soon.
I'm getting pretty desperate about sorting out the garden a bit more before mid January.  Just realised I had mentioned several post back about my back hurting. Well surgery is imminent. I really shouldn't be doing any gardening or anything heavy or involving sudden movements. As G pointed out today I should be on my back with an icepack.  I probably will be in  the next day or so as I just discovered today I've been taking slightly stronger pain meds ( pinched some of G's old ones thinking they were the same dosage as what I had been taking) and I've run out and am back to my usual ones as of today.  My back problem turned out to be a synovial cyst crushing all the nerve fibers  in my spinal cavity but below the actual spinal cord.  Surgery date is 14th of Jan and from what I can google I wont be driving for  6 weeks or so as the surgeon at this stage is not only planning to drain the cyst but also perform a laminectomy.( cutting into the lamina) I'm getting a little scared about afterwards atm.   I don't think I'll be back at work until at least the end of February

G has been paving again.  Right now he is filling in some gaps, doing cut-ins.

It's almost time to make some decisions about fencing on  the retaining wall. Looks like we'll get some quotes and then decide if we'll do the job ourselves or save to get someone else to do it. In the meantime G has decided to continue paving. He'll leave space for fencing posts to be added in at a later stage.  then once they are in the paving can be laid in the gaps left.

As you can see we bought 2 more garden benches for this area.  They look terrific.

So it begins.. again

The plasterer came this morning.  He's fixed in a heap of screws running in about 800mm from the side wall ( load bearing wall) on each joist(?) where the falling down plaster board is.  He's also  fixed screws to either side of the long plaster board gaps in the  kitchen and family room sections of the room. Red line is where the plaster was falling down. Green lines are where there are large enough cracks in the plaster boards for repairs to once again be done.

The plasterer is going to return on Wednesday.  he says at around 9.  Lets hope he's there then and I'm not spending my entire day waiting for him. Of course this return is for him to skim and flatten the boards. Then he has to return to sand which will be messy. Then someone else will have to come and repaint. It's a big area.   The ceiling runs through without any cornice or door frames all the way into the kids activiity room.  So it might all need to be repainted.