May 5th We had visitors this morning, the tilers were back. First though a lunchtime photo of another visitor, he survived being held by the zookeeper extraordinaire.
Our tiling team, a husband and wife, work very well together. I’m not so sure Huan and I could do as well as they do. Lots of photographs were taken so collages were a must.
And this is the completed kitchen floor at lunch time, although it is not quite ‘finished’ yet.
No naps for us today, we weren’t sure what time the workers would return. They returned just after quarter past two and work commenced on the bathroom floor.
When Mrs ‘Tiler’ was not involved with the bathroom she was still busy in the kitchen. This is what it looked like when they left, Huan was given instructions for the morning.
This was the ‘end of play’ photo for the bathroom for today. The walls still need to be done and then the ‘finishing’. Initially the tilers said they would not be back tomorrow and that they would be waiting until the balcony windows were installed. Don’t ask me why, my poor little brain can not comprehend the reasoning. Anyway, chatting with Huan they eventually agreed to return tomorrow. I have no idea what she said but suffice to say I am very happy.
When the lovely couple had left the rain was bucketing down and time was fast moving on so I got Huan to order in. Huan chose tofu and celery, which according to me is a severe lack of protein. I have no idea what I ordered but it wasn’t up to much either. Still, we got fed.
May 6th This morning it was the turn of our local worker, Huan herself, to put into action what she was told yesterday. The results look good enough for me!
It was time for me to go out and do a bit of shopping, not for us but for the workers. They had enjoyed iced coffee and other soft drinks last time they were here so fridge replenishment was needed. There was also a delivery at the gate for Huan.
While I was away the workers arrived and got right down to it. Just like yesterday they worked very well together, it’s amazing to watch. There is not a single bit of irritability to be seen or heard, no snarky remarks; they just get on with it.
This is the result at the end of play this afternoon. They will finish everything off when they come back to tile the balconies. Hopefully that will not be too long.
In fact Window Man sent Huan a message this afternoon to say that he would be here to start work tomorrow afternoon. I’m still not 100% convinced but my hopes are high!
For some reason I was too tired to want to go out for dinner but needs must so I forced myself. On the way we passed this little chap. I usually call him, today I tried to sneak past but he saw me all the way from the back door. He’s a handsome boy don’t you think?
Huan was rather disappointed at the lack of birds, squirrels, lizards or any other kind of life this afternoon so I took just a few scenery photos.
The evening rain showed up so we cut our walk short and went up the main street to do a little shopping in Baijiahui. On the way we popped into the old Baijiahui to see what was going on. Walls were being built inside, we’ll have to wait and see what it will be. I did unearth a wheel of fortune though and had a quick play. Unfortunately, I am still no richer.
I popped in to say hello to the other old man, the one you have seen a few times before. He wasn’t so bad today, his tail was going and he was smiling. The reason for the photo though is the other photographer; I heard her telling her Dad she was taking pictures of the foreigner.
And then it was time for dinner, Huan was hungry, I wasn’t. I did have dumplings though while Huan had a big bowl of noodles.
May 7th With window delivery expected this afternoon we headed out for a walk this morning, a #2 bus to the kindergarten route. Getting off the bus Huan did her usual.
She even found a bird for me as we walked along the riverside.
Speaking of the riverside, we saw a few stretches of this the last time we walked the other side too. Does anyone know what these bent pieces of rebar will be used for?
So we had decided to go the kindergarten route but we soon realised
that we were going to be passing the ‘
The ‘street’ is not completed yet but what is there is not bad with the added advantage of being completely sheltered from the sun.
I then had to have a play, but both xylophones were out of tune. As for the second photo, 儿童滑梯, 成人勿用, Értóng huátī chéngrén wù yòng it refers to a children’s slide which is not for adults. I have no idea where the slide was, I was pointing to the tiger!
Soon we were on our way again and bypassing the
And then it was back to beasties again, all on this small road. First was a grasshopper, followed by a lizard hiding behind a road sign, then a real live cicada making a noise and finally another grasshopper. Huan found the grasshoppers; I found the lizard and the cicada. That was a surprise because we often hear them but we can never see them.
We spotted a road that appears to be fairly new, at least since we walked that way, so we thought we’d five it a try. We failed and had to retrace our steps.
The local farmers appear to be using new nets to keep the birds off. Here is a field with the nets and a field without, not a great deal of difference methinks.
On the subject of birds we stopped to chat to these little ones. Huan wanted me to put one on my finger. He was having none of it! However, when I sat next to the cage he decided he might like to sit on my leg for a while.
At one stage a puppy joined in.
I was then allowed a closer look and a chat.
Putting him back down was not so easy, he decided he was quite happy to stay with me. When I did eventually get him onto the cage I had to get up off the chair very quickly indeed!
And that was almost the end of our walk. We got the #5 bus back to town; someone else was waiting at the bus stop too. I hope he didn’t follow us home!
Arriving home my fears about Window Man were assuaged by finding our windows in the process of delivery, ready for work to start after lunch.
Lunch for me was just cola, I was exhausted. Naps were needed, early ones at that.
When we woke up work commenced, Huan was the photographer; I got on with this morning’s pile of piccies, well over two hundred of them! True to form the director also took far too many photos of the work too so once again collages are called for. First the two bathrooms, they were left with no glass for today to make sure that our small bedroom window could be done. That way we would not be bothered by mosquitoes during the night!
And this was the small window work.
When work was done for the day it was time to head out for dinner. Window Man had told us that there were a hundred packages or more for our windows, big and small of course. We didn’t believe him until we went out this evening! This was the scene in our foyer and still there were some parts outside and upstairs by our lift.
Today’s day had a happy ending, we were both happy.
We were also both too tired to go and have a celebratory dinner so we stayed local again.
May 8th Window Man and his workers arrived just before eight, mumbling about our balcony windows being too big to go in the lift. This is something they have known about for quite some time so what they expect us to do I don’t know. Anyway, they started with the small bedroom window again and the two bathrooms. For some reason the second bathroom has opaque panes of glass whilst our bathroom has clear panes. We have no idea why.
The small bedroom window had handles fitted but is still not finished yet.
The big job for the morning was the second bedroom window. First the old window had to be removed followed by the security screen and tin roof. The first part was quick, the second part took a while because they initially wanted to lower the screen down to the ground whole but finally had to cut it and remove it through the apartment.
The new window was brought in and tried for size, it didn’t fit correctly.
Adjustments were made, the sounds of grinding and drilling filled my ears again. The window was then put into place and made firm so that a lunch break could be taken.
The last job before lunch was not for the window workers but for the ISP telephone engineer. When our line was installed it went through the security screen of our office. It needed to be rerouted before they start destroying things tomorrow which meant it had to be cut and respliced. The engineer agreed to a private visit. Ah memories of long gone days indeed!
After lunch the workers, in their infinite wisdom, said that they would start with the office next.
A few minutes later someone changed their mind, I know not who, and they decided that the living room window should be the next job. Destruction was quick.
Putting the new window in was a different kettle of fish entirely. First the lift stopped working; it seems the engineers were going to fit card readers so that only residents can use the lifts. Not a bad idea, but why today? The window workers decided to use ropes to lift the frames but then nature decided they shouldn’t do that. The rains came!
I asked them to at least put the window panes in the second bedroom frames, this they did, with some difficulty. Huan then tasked herself with the job of trying to dry everything!
We told them that we didn’t mind if they stopped and came back in the morning. They decided that, as the lift was working, they would move a lot of stuff upstairs. They also tried to use the ropes again to raise the living room window frame again, (it won’t fit in the lift), but it is too heavy for them. They need mechanical assistance. One of the workers decided he should stay and try to put the anchoring bolts in the second bedroom window. He tried, but he will need to take one of the panes out again in the morning to gain the required access.
Half my day has been spent trying to keep the Prime Minister safe, she keeps trying to climb things when I am not looking and I don’t think she realises how unsafe she is being. At one stage I really yelled at her for standing on the second bedroom windowsill before any of the panes had been fitted. Health and Safety is out of the window and I was afraid she would be too! So, how did we feel at the end of the second day of window work? I think Huan was tired from cleaning up water everywhere. I was worrying about the standard of the work with already one badly fitting window, a few broken tiles and other odds and sods. At least the rain stopped for us to go out for dinner, another spicy place. Huan’s has the seaweed, mine has the bamboo shoot.
May 9th The workers arrived quite early, it’s almost a routine now. The first thing that Huan did was to buttonhole Window Man and ask for three new balcony stone tops. I guess she’s right but it wasn’t actually in the budget!
The first job, for one of the workers, was to fit the anchor bolts for the second bedroom window and add some sealant to keep us dry. More work still needed though.
The other workers meanwhile tried using mechanical help to get some frames up to our level but failed miserably. They ended up using the stairs. These windows are bigger and heavier, much bigger and much heavier than Window Man and his staff are used to. They did it though!
With all the rain yesterday and more forecast for this afternoon everyone agreed that only one window would be worked on today and that would be the one that was open to the elements all last night. There were no arguments from me! Here they are preparing the ground as it were.
I have to say that the team worked hard and worked well today. First they assembled and anchored the frames before then adding the glass. We’ll be dry tonight!
With that it was time for lunch for us and home for the gang. Wisely they decided not to start another window today. We were too late for naps today although my eyes were struggling to stay open. Later on, before going out for dinner, I removed the mounting plates for the old blinds in the office, one less job for them in the morning.
On our way out we mentally apologised to our neighbours!
Dinner was very nearby again because it was raining again when we went out.
It stopped on the way home allowing us to take this lovely photo.
May 10th We were all ready with the office windowsill cleared awaiting the removal of the old window and the installation of the new one this morning. The workers however had changed their plans since they left yesterday and planned to start with the kitchen balcony. Their idea was to make some space in front of ours and the neighbours’ doors, can’t fault them for that.
If you check the last frame in the last collage you may well spot a set of step-ladders all alone on the balcony. The workers had left early, called away to a government job that had more urgency than ours. At least if the rains come they won’t get as far as our house from there, Huan asked them not to take away the existing doors until the balcony windows are fitted.
The workmen returned and woke us from our naps. First they wanted to remove the old bedroom balcony railing; at least the weather forecast has changed for the better.
Meanwhile one guy was left on the kitchen balcony aligning the components and anchoring them.
I heard voices from the stairwell and went to find Huan to see what was going on. It seems that the maintenance company had been to visit and told Huan that she had to move things inside the apartment because the ‘area management team’ were coming to visit and all areas had to be clear. Why on earth no one can be convinced to ask the area management to come and visit now so that they can be aware of what is going on and to see that progress is being made. Soon we will have no room to move inside at all, already we are walking sideways in some places.
On the plus side the rain was still not here and the workers started moving more stuff from outside to inside, this time to the bedroom balcony. By end of play today the frames for this balcony were all in place, much respect to the workers!
We were late going out for dinner so we tried a little street photography.
Because we were late, and because we had eaten too many cheap buffets this week we went for burgers again. Huan had the double beef burger and I had the chicken leg meat burger. The chicken strips were mine and the chips were to share, made a nice change.
May 11th Aaaarrrrgh, the noise! Nearly all morning there was the sound of grinding or drilling from one of the two balconies or the other. It seems to be far more difficult to get the window frames there to be on a level plane. I had to stay away from the action and not ask too many questions. Huan went berserk with her camera finger again; lots of photos went straight to the bin. Here is what the bedroom balcony looked like come lunch time.
And this was the kitchen balcony at the same time.
After lunch and naps we were woken up by the workers returning again. Even though it was gone half past two when they started they told us that they would not be completing the two balconies but instead they would be removing the old office windows today. Sometimes I despair! I did ask for an assurance that the office would not be exposed to the elements all night, especially as the rain will definitely be making another appearance.
Anyway, here is the removal of the old window followed by the removal of the security bars. PS I just had a short break to cover my keyboard with a piece of plastic because I could feel the dust ingress increasing as I worked.
Huan took some photos of the new frame installation but very few of the new glass installation.
If you check the last frame in the last collage you may just see that someone is using a sealant on a window pane. That is because the correct window pane is missing, still on the way from Foshan! Had we known that I would not have allowed work to start today. To be fair, I don’t think the workmen knew either and at least they gave us protection from the elements for tonight.
After a quick sweep and mop of the floors it was time to go out for dinner. I just blindly followed Huan this evening, I was truly exhausted. I did enjoy the ice cream though!
Let’s finish our week with a glimpse of the new walkway around the little island. When we have time we’ll go and take a look and some photos for you.
And there you have it, progress has been made, stay tuned for the final photos of our new windows, could be next week, could be later. Remember to click to enlarge, to copy, to comment, to ask questions, to subscribe etc. See you next time!
No comments:
Post a Comment