We have guests with us for a few nights. James, Kate and Connor are here from Picton on holiday. Kate is pregnant so we weren’t sure if she could handle our glamping amenities. Kate lasted two nights. On the third night they booked a hotel haha. It has been extremely cold. Negative 6 degrees was the coldest. We have had hoarfrost, and frost so thick that it hasn’t disappeared through the day. We have got ourselves a new fireplace for the house truck, that was good to hang out in. We will be selling the truck later and we are making sure we make it comfortable for us now and more sellable.

The irony is the third night was rather mild with no frost. Typical! We managed to get all three of them in the bath on Tuesday night. Connor played this the rubber ducky and really enjoyed it.

It was great to see them. It was a rather busy week but we managed to be available Monday and Tuesday for them. We showed them around the place and went out for lunch in Moeraki.

Wednesday/Thursday the services are going in. It doesn’t take long at all to do all of the council side of things. It is complete except the dirt needs to be raked out nicely from the trench.

Rowan had a follow up for his finger on Thursday afternoon. It is healing really well and now he only needs a splint when working to protect the tenderness. It is not considered a wound anymore and doesn’t need to stay dry. The physio was really impressed by his movement and said he didn’t need to come back. Rowan has been regularly making his finger bend and exercising it. Well before he was asked to and it has gone in his favour.

I spent the time at Bunnings getting supplies while he went to his appointments. When we got back to Palmerston the boys had gone for the day.

Matariki, we planned to get down to Palmerston for the last coat of paint in the bathrooms. But I was too tired and Rowan has come down with a cold. Instead we sat around the fire until we were due at Waihaorunga farm to meet Jim for lunch. Gratefully he has let us but our GIB waste at his farm and has given us some black polythene pipe for our drainage. Not a bad swap for lunch!

Saturday/Sunday was a bit of a write off with Rowan being unwell. I did get a few jobs achieved like putting floor gaps into Bedford Bette to stop draughts. There is still a lot more to do to the doors and luton to really make it better. We just don’t have the time so it is far down on the list. Thankfully we have great feather blankets and sleeping bags to keep us toasty.

Back on site with Graham and Vaughan. The boys get most of the trim and skirting in. When we turn our attention to the kitchen we realise we have a few problems. One whole panel is missing and the corner cupboard has been made the wrong way around. The pantry broke in transit to Placemakers so that was already being replaced but now we have these issues too. Very annoying as we can’t put it together unit we have these two issues sorted. I am not dwelling on it as there is no point.

We had our council inspection at lunchtime and Skevingtons came back to fill in the trenches. I am missing my downpipe from the roof supplier and the next job is to get the stormwater done then it is just the internal plumbing with the hot water cylinder being external.