Fun weekend.

Amish time over the shed is up! It took about the amount of time I thought it would, an hour, except I didn't allow for some other bits and pieces. Firstly the continuation of creating the base that extends from the middle one of the three planters; birdbaths, planters easy to mix them up one contains water the other flowers, well in this case grass.

So moving some 2ft by 4ft inch thick concrete slabs slowly up the garden, then levelling them off took some time. Then getting everything out of the shed, taking it apart, lying it at the bottom of the garden, then erecting it at the top, then putting everything back in the shed. That including taking things out of the other shed (which is due for demolition) and hauling it up the garden too.

All the time the dark clouds were gathering and looking like rain, did keep the sun off us though which was nice.

Best bit was when we found the bolt on the door wouldn't slide across, it had to be removed and put back where it originally was when we'd first dismantled it. So I'm tidying and hauling when my father discovers this

"Do you need the drill?" I ask
"No"
"Okay I'll put it back in the toolbox and reel in the extension cord"

back down to the bottom of the garden and I put the drill in the base of the toolbox (in case it rained) unplugged the extension and slowly started to reel it up

"Oh I might need that"
"What for?"
"I mind need the drill"

<sigh>

So down my dad comes and starts looking for a drill bit in the toolbox; takes them up to the new shed. Asks if the power is on... it will be. Then he heads back down to pick up the drill.

"Umm why don't you take the toolbox with you seeing as it's going back in the shed anyway?"
"Umm yeah"

So he takes the drill out of the box, closes it, puts in on top of the box covering the handle, then cradles the box in his arms and walks slowly up the garden making sure the drill doesn't slide off the top... I later spot that he's taken out the tray insert and left it behind.

This is the genetic legacy I have to fight against every day ;-)

So all done I decide to head into town to see how they're doing with the bridge. They've laid the pavement and about half the bridge (of the bit they'd dug up). I'd say it was quiet, but it seems all the mopeds and motorcycles were using the opportunity to make loud noises and speeding along the open bridge. The workmen did nothing, they were all sitting in their cars when I went over (and were when I came back several hours later)

Down the steps past the paddling pool to the putting green which no longer resembles a lake, but is now pretty much ruined for the year. Standing amongst all the people taking photos and I was suddenly attacked by a skinhead.

Said skinhead being about three feet tall and answering to the name Bratus Minor sporting a haircut, my uncle and aunt had come down for the afternoon the amusements for Minor being better here then in Tenbury and Bratus Major being away on a Scout thing (He'd have wanted to stay at the fairground)

Minor headed onto the spider web while I chatted to his parents, I was surprised they hadn't called to let me know they were in my neck-of the-woods when I realised I'd left my phone on silent while shed-building. No they hadn't called, but others had; I'd deal with them later. For now Minor had got about two-thirds of the way up the web and wasn't going any further

"Going any higher?" I asked
"No" came the reply
"He doesn't like heights" said his father
"You don't like heights. Fair enough"

I pulled out my camera and focussed on him and hey he goes up another rung, then another until he's standing at the top.

"'Doesn't like heights!' You just need the right motivation"

Of course now he'd done it once he was up and down it with no fear.

Crazy golf next, the Playland one. The sun came out a couple of times, and then disappeared to my delight (too damn hot with no shade). We all managed at least one hole-in-one and all managed to hit the ball out of the boundary. We weren't counting strokes...

"So that's 169 for [Minor] and 3 for me" I say
"Nooo" he said "I got 49 and you got 200"
"I got 42" I reply
"I got 3, no I got 1... 1 plus zero"

Heh.

Onto the obstacle walk, he fell off and we all said he had to start again (no moaning about that he was having fun) he started catching up to some of the slower kids and getting a little pushy.

"Slow down" I say "I'll use my Jedi mind powers to stop you"
"You don't have any powers"
"I do so"
"Don't" he says as he steps from one point to another and misses his step landing on the ground
"See"
"You've got to start again" says his father
"No [Flip] made me fall off with his powers"

Heh, don't mock my powers :-D

Off to the sweet shop with many comments about how nice it was without any traffic and how they should do this every weekend. [Heh Jim's just said exactly the same thing]

Anyway decision time...

"I don't want any sweets I want an ice-cream"
"They do ice-creams too, do you want some sweets or an ice-cream"
"Both"
"I love this kid"

Time up they headed back to the car I headed home and caught up on the phone calls. Easier said then done as the mopeds et al were still making a racket. Long chat with Andrew, turned the corner and my signal died. Went to call again and found my credit at next to nothing... damn, sorry mate.


Sunday morning, check on the bridge. All down, well at least the sticky stuff, no road-markings and they'd parked all the big vehicles on the patch of grass between Areley Common and Dunley Road. That's going to leave gouges when they leave. So why not use the Riverside car-park temporarily? It is after all a tad closer..

Quick trip to the Co-op and I'm sure I've been in since the revamp, but hey the doors are wider you can get two trolleys through at a time, and they've filled in the gutter that ran along the edge of it. Still haven't put any benches in the inset on the side, but something is better then nothing.

Anyway the bridge reopened at about 5pm last night, and was still open this morning.

[Update: 10:22 lights back on the bridge, they've dug it up again]
[Update: 12:10 They've taken out a section next to the pavement]

Traffic light at the top of Sandy Lane out again though <sigh>

[Update: 12:10 Now working apparently]