Geez, I’m Knackered.

I have been busy catching up on many small chores at Kathryn's house and have made a start on repainting window cills.  On Saturday I took a break and Dot and I went up to our own house to swap some gear over in the lock up. I also wanted to find the remainder of my fishing equipment of which there is plenty.

A friendly Tui in our Flax bushes looking for nectar in the flowers.

While there Eagle eye’s Dot spotted a rotted barge board on the back corner of the garage. Later that day I sorted out a piece from the wood store left by Graeme. On Monday I went back to the house toolbox in hand to make a start. Taking the barge board down it was found that the weather board moulding was also passed it’s best so that was going to need replacing. Upon checking the remaining barge board it was also found to have some rot at the bottom so while I was at it I decided to replace the whole lot.

Derek preparing to replace the corner barge board.

We had to fit a wider board to cover some of the damage to the weather boards.

This meant a trip to Bunning's in Naenae for 3 lengths of timber and other bit’s and bob’s to complete the job. I managed to get all the boards up and a coat of undercoat on Monday. Today we went back with the intention of putting on a couple of top coats. This was completed and between coats I went down the bank at the rear of the house to cut down some Gorse bushes. Now as we all know that in the UK Gorse isn’t too much of a problem as cold weather keeps it under control. Here it’s a different story with very healthy growth’s of over 6 feet high and nearly as much circumference. Luckily it hasn’t started to flower yet.

Two boards up now comes the weatherboard moulding which has to be cut by hand.

I spent the best part of an hour cutting out half a dozen bushes and chopping it up small to slide beneath the healthy top growth of  native bush. Long may it rot. Once the painting was finished I cleaned one brush out in Turpentine and then poured this over the root stumps to hopefully kill off any further regrowth.

The offending Gorse in the centre of the picture.

Now you see it, now you don't. Farewell Gorse.