Having helpers with us, is a two way thing, we must try to offer them something in return for their labours, both lads are learning new skills that while they are learning is helping us out, and hopefully will stand them in good stead in life when they leave us, if I ever let them go that is...
The latest of their new learning experiences was cement rendering... we have a brick built wall that although double skin and insulated, just let damp seep through. It needed rendering on the outside which during winter is the side of the house that bears the brunt of most of our bad weather and wind... as it faces right down the vally.
So we invested 10 euros in some cement and Rick and the lads rendered the wall. mixing and carrying buckets of cement from behind the house, down the yard , up the stairs onto the terrace, was a job for strong arms... they did an excellent job. Rick made a point of demonstrating the art of rendering and let both lads try it out. There is more to be done in the future so we hope that again by the time they leave us, a new skill will be added to their profile lists.
While the weather was good, we set to and got the orchard area strimmed , tidied and rick rototilled the whole area ready for winter.
Me and the lads then planted up the whole area with broad beans... thats a huge area ... we certainly wont be short of beans next spring... I had mistakenly asked Rick to pick me up some seed from the local man and he likes beans... so he bought two and a half kilos of seed....
well.. I couldnt waste it could I? The lads went down later and covered the whole area with the wood ash we've been saving from the kitchen range, beans seem to love it...
The newly renovated and landscaped garden around the house is starting to green up now, the walls the lads have built look very pretty...
