Our shed

Lin came along with me to help lay the foundation slabs for the shed, itself obtained free via freegle on our allotment. We got some slabs through freecycle, some we lifted from street skips (with permission) and from a householder re-paving his front garden with red brick. He helped me lift them into the back of Lin's car. Once unloaded and stacked beside our plot I borrowed the allotment association's trolly to get them down to the raised area prepared for the shed. There are still four more slabs to position so we have a large enough paved area for a 6' x 8' shed. Lin and I took turns holding up the door-end, to place the shed where it'd do least harm to our view of the Park. I look forward to sitting inside the shed on a rainy winter day dunking biscuits in a mug of tea made from water I've boiled on a small propane stove. Having sawn through some panels to get them into the van we hired to collect them from Walsall before Christmas, I've got to join them up with splints. We need to refelt the roof and put glass in the window frames - perhaps transparent plastic sheet. And before assembly each panel needs weather-proofing. We also need guttering, downpipe and a waterbutt and I've a mind to lay some industrial carpet tiles we've been storing for a touch of extra comfort.
And from Corfu Richard Pine sends an email drawing my attention to one of many tents in Syntagma Square...

Οδός Δημοκρατίας, Πλατεία Συντάγματος, Αθήνα, Ελλάδα

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Yesterday evening we finally got enough members of the 'old committee' of the Central Handsworth Practical Care Project together at a community meeting room in Carlyle Road for the 'voluntary advisory group'  to be voted the delegated powers needed to make progress in getting the organisation into better repair.

Mike, Leslie, Linda, Edmund, Daphne and Charles in Carlyle Road

Many uncertainties remain but with good will and not too much bad luck we could be up and running, though we're not yet out of the woods, which is why Lin and I were up late enough again to see the sky lighten and, as the light grew, catch people in Canada and Australia for chats - one in our 'yesterday' and another in our 'tomorrow'. John Martin our good friend in Bendigo had turned the strongest green. Wonderful technology skype but we're still in its early days.

John asked about our allotment and I clicked on the screen share option which only works at present from me to him as his version of skype doesn't seem to have that option. I shared pictures - still and moving - of me scything, using an azada and being snide about strimmers. Meantime the sun rises over the roof tops of Handsworth.

Dawn in Birmingham (Photo: Richard Baddeley)

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Συζήτηση για το Νερό...

It seems to me that enough wise men and women in Ano Korakiana have got together to have had an encouragingly productive discussion yesterday about the water supply problem in the village and the surrounding area down to the coast. (for background see last para here...The areas nearer to the sea and of course more populated do not have 'good' water.They call it 'sea-water'. Our area Ano Korakiana has very good drinking water since they opened the bore-holes at Humouli and Damari - στη Χούμουλη και στο Νταμάρι. These two bore-holes cover all the needs for drinking and general use water for Ano Korakiana, Lower Korakiana and Agios Markos. In order to satisfy all, they draw more water than what is available.... )