and then....

Good start - fresh home made bread, tuna sandwiches, two good mixes in the trench to finish off the big roundhouse stepped section and then ..... hydraulic failure on the tractor. Mark came over, checked it out and confirmed the diagnosis - needs new O ring. So our big day intending to finish all but 8m of footings spluttered to an early close. There's ground water in the other trench but not deep enough to pump out. Then it rained a bit more got very very dreich and we came home early. Self building for crusties is full of aches and pains, tendonitis, bad backs, and many other ailments to do with impending old age - and Jayne feels the cold too so we had our afternoon off - displacement activity was cooking my favourite saffron rice and a curry - we didn't even relax in front of the telly. We may be living the dream but today was another setback. For all those who think it is just a matter of determination and hard work ... well - a bit of luck helps too. Don't romanticise self building - it's tough, constant tiredness, financial aches and pains - vehicle failures - the Cabstar had a new water pump, gaskets etc., 250 miles ago and overheated this week as we went to pick up the cement. It is peeing out water and another day will be wasted going to Arnold Clark's in Dumbarton - they did it so they can sort it out....Though we have had a good week overall we have had several steps forward and several steps backwards. A teetering tightrope walk.. Maybe there is a book in all this - something existentialist - Zen and the art of self building maybe ?