Progress.   Deep Blue pools arrived early on Saturday morning and worked their chemical magic on the pool.    The pH was spot on, chlorine high and algae quite bad.   Treatment was 'shocking, floccing and vaccing'.

First, a heavy dose of hydrochloric acid (no kidding) to kill the bugs followed by floccing with Aluminium sulphate which combines with the dead algae and drags them to the bottom where they can, after settling out, be vaccuumed away to waste.

The results were pretty dramatic as by Sunday eve I could vac the pool and remove all the dead leaves from the bottom of the deep end as well as most of the sediment.

By now it should have improved further and be ready for the weekend.... here's hoping for more of that glorious weather.

Finally, we've ordered a new solar cover - the old one was completely stuffed - which should be delivered in a couple of weeks.   Can't wait for the first dip.

 

As we continue to tackle the myriad of tasks to repair, reclaim, renovate our house, it is sometimes beneficial to reflect on a little success.

One of the urgent tasks we faced was to construct a new chicken run.   Ideally we wanted it down at the bottom of one of the fields away from the house.   But we are a long way from creating a decent access to that field and I felt we needed it nearer.   Shivs wanted a vegetable garden and an overgrown area behind the workshops needed sorting.

A mound of nettles had at one time probably been a compost heap, but it was mixed with old builders sacks and general rubbish.   The ground was a bit soft, but we set to and cleared it.   An incoming power line runs to the pole on the left and then down to the workshop and the area in the foreground was lawned to the left and grassed over gravel path on the right.   The gravel courtyard had originally lead round the back of the garden to the menage, but years of neglect had seen it grow over... clearing it was not easy.

We needed to create a raised vegetable garden and, after a false start of making it too big, we formed a U shape.   All the old grass and weeds were removed, soil dug over and broken up.   Compost was mixed in and we were ready for planting.

A few years ago when the then Financial Secretary, Donald Tsang was presenting his budget, I recall he announced two things that would save Hong Kong’s economy which, at the time, was in dire straits. One was the sale of land at the proposed Cyberport for development not, via the ...   more »

Things are finally coming together and yesterday we moved into our new home. It does look a little spartan with only the furniture from Willow House, but it's a start.

I drove down from London and surprised the girls and we had an exhausting day unpacking and exploring, but by evening we were mostly sorted sitting in the lounge with a glass of Pinot and some nibblies watching Bill Oddies birdwatching show on the telly. How english! And I don't even like birdwatching.

After dinner Ash and I had an explore and met our new neighbours - see pic. Rather different from swatting mossies in Hong Kong or looking for wild boar on Ma On Shan, but a new experience all the same - and best of all both kids are very excited about the farmhouse.

Much to do this weekend when I head back... but looking forward to it now.

Our new home will be at Lower Upham Farmhouse which is located on the east side of the A346 between J15 of the M4 and Marlborough.

Our house is at the end of the lane about two thirds of a mile from the main road.