“. . . it is our dreams that tell us who we really are and what is important to us . . .”
– Paula Constant –
As our eventual plan is to combine the barn and ruin into one house, and with Michael always looking at the “bigger picture”, often to my chagrin, he had decided that for our July trip, leveling the area between the barn and the house, as well as around the house, was a priority. The builders, instead of building up, dug down, creating a potential issue with rainwater running into the house, instead of away from it, and as we do not yet have the funds for much needed rain gutters to divert the precious commodity to holding tanks for further use, we booked Frank the Digger in advance for work we estimated would take the better part of a week.
It is amazing how fast work gets done, when one has the right equipment, and know how. Frank made light work of all the different tasks, like moving stones and our small water tank, leveling entry ways between different pieces of the land, so that we can drive a tractor in between them for more effective land clearing, as well as digging a trench for a drainage system to divert excess water away from the house, to hopefully prevent damp inside the house in winter.
And you guessed it, now Michael wants a digger. And his argument for why it would be absolutely essential on the land, sounds rather convincing over a glass of wine on the couch. Always the supportive wife, I nod, and say “put it on that bucket list”. We may only differ on where on the list it should be placed.
Written by: Jolandi
July visit 2018
Much as I admire the digger and its results, I only had eyes for the two stone buildings! What a treasure this is going to be when you are finished. I’ll be patient … it’s so much fun to follow along on a project that I’d love to be doing myself!
We love these structures, too, Lexie. There is something about stone that outshines any other building material, according to me, at least. Thank you for your ongoing support, Lexie.
-Jolandi
Looks like a fun toy for him. I love how things are changing on your beautiful land. The stone house is so cool. I can imagine you are looking forward to being there full time. Thank you for sharing.
Definitely a fun toy for him, Terri. 🙂 We are amazed at how the look of the place is changing, even when we think nothing much is happening.
-Jolandi
I love the video, Jolandi! The digger will certainly have it’s uses in the future when you will need to dig more drainage gullies, clear ponds and perhaps dig out foundations for new buildings. Your husband’s need for a digger and mine for ride-on mowers is similar – I can always see a more urgent need for the money being spent! However, being a sympathetic good wife is most important when we need to work in harmony with our spouses! Best of luck with all your renovation work .
Thank you so much, Clare. Yip, you have nailed a good many uses for a digger! It is all about prioritizing, and although our priorities constantly seem to change, certain things will be better investments than others, so it will be interesting to see how this plays out in the future.
-Jolandi
Lovely Jolandi. I’ve read the coffee shop post on Dreaming in Arabic and then jump clicked to this one. You are in two different worlds right now. Both special. 😊😁🌻
Thank you, Corlia. You are so right. Although I write about our Portuguese dream here, it still mostly feel like a dream only, as it is so far removed from what life is like day to day for us in the UAE.
I can’t believe I missed this post!
I’m glad the digger is coming in handy. And you and Michael have lovely teamwork.
Thank you, Takami. Michael will head back to the land next week, and he has already booked Frank the Digger again, as there is quite a bit of clearing that needs to get done. And if all goes well, they will also sink our borehole. I am staying where it is nice and warm this time, so Michael will be slaving away on his own. 😉