Z bangs a Drum

A day at the high school, interviewing in the morning – we had a real difficulty in choosing between the top two candidates as they were so very, very good and our final deliberations took an extra half hour; not because we disagreed but because we all had the same level of difficulty and for the same reasons, so no one was trying to persuade the others. In the afternoon, I went to a music lesson and played the Djembe drums, which was jolly. I then had an end-of-year chat with the music teacher, which was useful and governor-appropriate, and ended in my offering to continue to go in weekly next year two, not because I feel obliged but because I enjoy it.

Nothing in the diary for tomorrow, which is just as well as I’ve things to catch up on.

There’s a bit of a quagmire on the field because there’s a leak in the water pipe where it connects to the house supply. It was only renewed last year – I’m not sure that it’s the new bit that’s leaking, but it’s in the same area. Nearby, there’s a tank which provides drinking water to cattle, with a ballcock so that it automatically fills up. The bogginess is all around that. Several weeks ago, a chappie from the water board came out, agreed it was their problem and it would go on the schedule for repair. After a reminder, they came, but by that time it was all so wet and muddy that they couldn’t be bothered to investigate properly and sent in a report that the problem was with the tank. Someone else came out today and fortunately the Sage happened to see him, and went out to lift the manhole cover and prove that it was their side of the supply. So he agreed that they have to do it. It’s not an awful leak, but there’s a real mess around there now and, even if it’s only 3 or 4 gallons an hour (let’s say, I’ve no real idea), that’s a lot over 6 weeks or more. Fortunately, the field being sandy soil on gravel, it will drain quite quickly once the pipe is mended.

16 comments on “Z bangs a Drum

  1. Z

    God, I suppose. Most of the field hasn’t been disturbed since Saxon times, although some gravel was extracted a couple of hundred years ago.

    You should be resting, shouldn’t you?

    Reply
  2. martina

    Maybe they will find some Saxon treasure while they fix the water problem. Okay,that is wishful thinking. At least you don’t have to worry about arranging and paying for the repairs.

    Reply
  3. Z

    Welcome home, Manic. If half a ton of cow gets stuck in the mud, may I call on you to help pull her out?

    I doubt it, Martina. I don’t want a Saxon hoard to be found on my doorstep – just think if Tony Robinson suddenly turned up to dig a hole. It would be most disconcerting.

    Reply
  4. Eddie 2-Sox

    Your blog gets more like the illegitimate offspring of The Archers and the (original) Emmerdale Farm every day. Very enjoyable.

    The author is much more becoming than Annie Sugden though.

    Reply
  5. Z

    Ancient grassland is treasure enough.

    I model myself on Walter Gabriel really Simon, my old pal, my old beauty.

    Reply
  6. Wink

    Just as well there’s nothing nasty in the woodshed!

    Thought for today:

    The secret of staying young is to live honestly, eat slowly and lie about your age!

    Reply
  7. Dave

    It was me old pal, me old beauty, wasn’t it? Not that I’m old enough to remember Walter myself, but my grandmother spoke of him.

    I enjoy doing a bit of amateur archaelogy. I shall be digging test pits in my garden, before turning them into vegetable/flower beds. The A140, nearby, is a Roman road, so you never know.

    Reply
  8. Z

    You bear more than a passing resemblance to Nelson, I’ve always thought, Dave. Not in any dodgy dealing sense I should add; that was a compliment.

    A friend who is a fiend (with time on her hands) with the metal detector has found some lovely little Roman items on her land – she lives by a Roman road too. The trouble with newish houses is that the developer takes off the topsoil and sells it and then puts poorer subsoil on top – it depends on how far down things are buried as to whether this destroys archaeological evidence or brings things to the surface, but it does mean you have to spend a while getting the soil in good condition again.

    Wink, I don’t think I have managed any of those. One of them, most of the time, but certainly not the others.

    Reply

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