April 2025
Marathon, not a sprint
Apologies for a very delayed April update, we were away running marathons, reminding us that good things always take a long time, much like our lovely house! And it still counts as finishing if we do things at different paces. I plodded round in 5 hours 50, Bex smashed a London qualifying time of 3 hours 30, and Jonny landed somewhere in the middle. When Jonny is not running, he fits underfloor heating and screed, which he expertly did for us this month. The ground floor is now fully screeded and ready for the heating to be installed, which will hopefully be early in June if everything lines up.
Running Crew.
Getting plastered
We have officially reached the point in Grand Designs where they have run out of money and need to finish everything off themselves. So I went on a course to learn how to plaster, which was pretty much a success. It’s not going to be as good a finish as the seasoned pro’s, but with a bit more practice and improved technique, plus some extra sanding at the end, it should be good enough. Will give it a try! At the course, everyone got a bay they used as a practice area, which included obstacles like windows. Here was mine after the 3rd day. One of the lads did ask if I’d done it before, so will take that as a win.
Practice wall.
Septic Tank
The other significant step forward was the installation of a new sewage treatment plant, an unglamorous but crucial addition. The old, two-chamber brick septic tank was no longer draining and was not functional. The new system, which includes an electric air pump to aid the breakdown of the waste, is now fully functional, and the caravan is hooked up. The new system has allowed us to dispose of more types of wastewater water so we now have the dishwasher and washing machine in use. The hope is to reuse the old septic tank for rainwater collection to use in the garden, when the drainage water from the house is piped in.
New tank.
Tank in the ground.
Old, drained two-chamber septic tank.
Vistors
Farmer in training, my nephew George, came to visit and helped out with the chores, like egg collecting. He’s a determined worker, maybe he can do some plastering as well??
Lots happening this month, we might even have a front door by the end of it!
Thanks for reading, love from Hillside Farm x
Looking for eggs.
PS Avvy is chipping in with the last push, offering her services as first plumbing assistant (the role was swiftly rescinded when she chewed the pipe, leaving it useless).
This bit next.
