Day 15

Tinny, Kuzuko's Head of Maintanence came to pick us up in the Landie this morning. You can tell it's a Land Rover as you can barely hear yourself think over the noise of all the rattling... I SAID...YOU CAN BARELY HEAR YOURSELF TH oh nevermind...

When we arrived Noel and Morne were already there, which was great because, as we have explained before, we are always desperate for more manpower. We assigned them the task of the celing struts, as all the main parts were complete now, there just the highest ones running the length of the Barn left to do. There was also a big old chopsaw that Tinny was going to use to cut the long steel bar that Gerhard had brought us the day before, to make the staples for The Big Crack, which we can hardly wait to see gone.

The obligatory Walk of The Waterhole where we officially confirm that it is indeed bigger than yesterday, then back to the Barn where Max and I got on with replacing the missing window pane in the roof, now that we have a ladder long enough to reach it, while Ines and Kira carried on with varnishing the outside window woodwork (we're keeping the old look of the Barn on the outside by varnishing the old wood rather than painting it).

Definitely bigger than yesterday

Also bigger than yesterday

No pane, no gain

When I knead you...I just close my eyes...

Like putty in my hands. Exactly like, in fact

Noel got busy strutting his stuff in the ceiling, but not before donning the customary ghost costume, much to the amusement of all, and Morne helped, climbing around on the struts that would have made a UK Health and Safety Officer faint in horror. They're both great and happy people to work with, and the air is always full of laughter when they're around.

We all worked hard until lunchtime arrived and gratefully we all downed tools and returned to reception to pick up our staff lunches of chicken and chips.

I told you I'd put this on the blog, Noel ;)

My partner, David Varnish

Carefully does it

Getting on the roof would've been far too dangerous. So I sent Max up instead

Puttying and not falling to his death. Impressive.

Tinny, Noel and Morne, or as we like to call them: The A Team.

Always good to see....Kira not entirely covered in paint

After lunch, it was over to reception to wait around for our lift back to Hopewell. Max and Kira played 'Kick the Stone Into An Ankle' game. Max won, wreaking revenge for the heavy towelling he had received a couple of days before.

If you could just completely ruin this photo, please Max..? Oh, you have

It's all fun and games until someone loses an ankle

Eventually, super guy and Head Ranger, Zander, arrived and whizzed us back to the Barn in a Cruiser. As you can see, she is clearly already plotting some kind of evil plan to get at an unsuspecting Maxi at this point..

She has an evil and cunning plan, I'll wager

Evil and cunning..? Meeee?

Back at the Barn we were just four again, and carried on where we had left off. Now though we could tick off the 'put window in roof' and now it's just one more window to replace (a tatty and lose perspex jobby that rattles almost as much as Tinny's Landie), fill a few tiny holes and the roof will be totally waterproof. Kira finished painting the door blue, and a wonderful job she did of it too, and Ines varnished, and then varnished some more. And then varnished again. Tinny popped back for a bit and finished putting the massive staples in the wall.

Ta daaaaa! 'N pragtige blou deur

If it moves, varnish it. If it doesn't, varnish it. Varnish EVERYTHING

You've got to fight. For your right. To puuuuuutteeeee..

Job's a good 'un

You should have seen the size of the stapler

Just before it was time to pack up, Joseph and Wellington arrived with the big sliding door we'd tagged for our barn at the other property previously, as well as their little friend, Yolo. It's not in terribly good condition, but the roller wheels are servicable. They also brought an old cabinet, and some aluminium roof tile things that we could use for the Barn. Have to say, they are some of the hardest working people we've met and never shy away from a bit of hard graft. Cheers, guys!

Zander arrived punctually at 5 as usual, whenever he picks us up, and it was home for a traditional Bond family Staring Competition. Which I won by miles. (No you didn't! - Kira) Yes I did. (Daddy!?!?! - Kira) Is it bedtime, Kira? Or did I win..? (Sigh...you won, Daddy - Kira)

Thank you. CHAMPION!!

Me, winning