Wednesday, April 28, 2004
Saint Valerie
Bits and bobs day. The worst part about lots of little jobs is having to cart all your tools around, and I always forget something. I think I spend as much time walking backwards and forwards to my workshop as I do actually performing the task. Thats not to mention the countless trips to the DIY stores to buy the appropriate parts.
Plumbed in the new washing machine we bought yesterday. The machine was on special offer in one of the out of town supermarkets. Often they have great 'deals' that are genuine bargins. There is usually a very limited supply, so if you go home to think about it, by the time you return they are all sold out.
The cold water supply isn't usually too much of a problem, it's the waste water that causes grief. Water doesn't seem to flow uphill very well.
Very occasionally the fosse septiques would smell when all the gites were occupied and they where particularly active. It wasn't a really bad smell, or intrusive, (you had to be stood next to the tank), but it needed attention. The problem was simply that the ventilation pipes on one of the tanks had broken off and the other was too short with no cap on it. The plastic tubing seems to get brittle after many years weathering and it had been snapped off some time ago. Apparently if the tanks are not vented correctly the gas build up from the bacteria can erode the concrete tank, so it's essential to have a very tall ventilation pipe to discharge any smell high up away from noses. Fortunately the tanks, and vents, are round the back of the house and next to a farmers field. So a relatively simple job, lengths of 100mm tube, fixings and new caps etc. Now it smells as sweet as a rose garden.
Water butts plumbed together to collect 'free' water. Last year we used loads of tap water to water various new plants, hanging baskets, pots etc. We estimate about 400 euros worth. Water here is more expensive than in the UK, it's about 1 euro per cubic meter, however there are no sewerage charges due to the septic tanks. Just need to hook up a pump and voila, a few more euros saved.
This evening I hope to trim long grass under new leylandii hedge. Rather foolishly we didn't buy any of the porous plastic matting to prevent week growth. My attempts at strimming the saplings has already claimed 1 plant after stripping the bark with a slight slip of the hand. We are going to have to clear the growth by hand then mulch with something. There are 60 young trees, but we are definitely going to keep on-top of these after the hedge trimming episode last week. http://radio.weblogs.com/0136203/2004/04/19.html
| 7:34:21 PM
