Making a start on the patio!

Oh yes it is!!!!......you are doing a grand job there Ian. Clever idea for the garden umbrella; it will give you more room as well as giving Carol more space for her wheelchair.
By the way, you'r not fat....you are tall arn't you xx

Well done Ian, that must have been very hard work as those big slabs are mega heavy. Now Carole has somewhere to sit and give words of encouragement while you're slaving away in the rest of the garden! Don't forget what we all advised though.....a little at a time. :o))

The sifter have you patented it Ian? Dragons Den next for you!! lol
Patio looking good too

Loved the video! What a great invention your soil sifter is! Hope the patio's still coming on well.

Thanks all,

AA, I'm sure I didn't look that big the last time I was on video.............
On my wedding day! Lol

Hmmm, Lily, I hadn't thought of that. Not sure whether it's a good idea or not?

Thanks Dido xx

Thanks Beattie, little by little. My back says it's a day off today!

Listen to your back! Days off are allowed :-) You need recovery time. I've finished off some steps I was making and laid a tiny patio of just 9 slabs, (all smaller than yours, making an octogon) in the last couple of days. Today's a day for clearing brambles again.

Your "fitted umbrella" is a great idea!

I think I'm going to make a frame for the sifter today. The problem with the current design is I can't move the wall around the garden as I need to! Lol

Good plan!

Lol :~))

Ingenious sifter, Ian, the soil looks very good without the stones ! If I ever sift my soil it mostly gets stuck, that's clay for you. Will you be able to tilt your umbrella type thing, as you call it ? Can't have Carol getting half a tan in the Summer !

well done Ian your'e nearly there.: 0 ))

Hi Shirley, this umbrella type thing (I can't for the life of think what it's called) leans out over the patio and will cover the whole thing. I'll add a photo when I get it up! Lol
That was sand and gravel I was sifting on the video. It's about a foot deep there but full, as you saw, of larger stones that I couldn't lay the slabs on!

Hi Tulsa, I'm having a day off today. Didn't get much sleep last night and don't feel like doing anything at all today. :~((

Looking good - very good, in fact! :-))) Don't try to do too much at once, though - we all know you....

Yes, folks, he IS tall - I've met him, remember! I had to crane my neck, too. LOL.

I'm 6 foot 5 but I didn't realise I was that length around the waist as well! :~((

I've gone on a diet today!

its looking good Ian..... : O ))

Thanks Holly :~))

this is a smashing job Ian. you take care of your self mind. dont over do it [too much]

I'll try SBG Lol. ;~))

lol ian watching video hahah, well done you but plez dont over do things,, great idea for soil sifter to, brains as well as brawn hahah ;o)) x

Thanks San, I'm on prototype two now. I've built a frame for it but want to make a rotating one. A bit like a 45 gallon drum with holes in, on it's side with a motor to turn it!
Let's see how long that takes to create! Lol

lol ian, you never stop do you, save energy for garden and lots of breaks ;o)) good luck with your diet to, my brother lost almost 3 stones this year, looks and feels great

Ian - you're not overweight, you're underheight! :-)

Thanks San xx

Andrew at 6ft 5 I don't really want to be much taller but thanks anyway! Lol :-))

Good work Mr Digs ... I'm on a diet too ... a vodka & diet coke please!!xx

I like the see food diet..... i see food and eat it :o)

Lol Fluff, I'll have one of those as well please!

That's just my problem SBG, that's all I've done for the last twelve months!

The problem with dieting is you can't give up food ... you have to eat to live. You can give up ciggies & drink & you won't collapse in a heap (who am I kidding?!) but with food you still have to eat something & once you start .... !!

P.S. Your patio looks swell. :o)

I don't think you're kidding anyone Fluff but nice try! Lol

I don't think I'll keel over if I stop eating doughnuts at midnight or sticky toffee pudding for breakfast? It'll be hard going but I think I can manage without (for a short time anyway. It's like holding your breath, you can do it for so long but then you do have to start again! Lol)

:o))

Good on you boy!

I know how hard it is moving the slabs around here and laying 3 ton of gravel so far! Can't have been easy but your hard work is paying off....well done and it looks great:o))

Cheers ~Dan. :~))

Have you done any more since you showed us this, Ian?

Yes Spritz, I've finished laying the slabs and have dug out one side (so far) to make the beds. Check out my blog "back to the patio"
I was going to do another side today but it's been drizzling on and off for most of it so I guess it'll have to wait for another day.

OK. Sorry - missed that one. I'll go and look!

Not to worry Spritz. :~)))

I must update you....I'll PM you this evening.

Oooh, sounds interesting?

Funky music to that patio video, Ian - reminds me of my clubbing days, couldn't help having a bit of a bop, arthritis or not... great sifter - and as for the weight problem, well, I know what you mean, I think seeing yourself in videos or photos is a great way to diet - I thought I'd lost a fair bit of weight back in June - but when I saw a couple of photos of myself, I thought blimey, what a chubby old boiler that is, lol! Arms and shoulders like a Russian shot putter... me I mean, not you;-)))

Thanks Bamboo, I think I look HUGE since the last time I saw myself on video!

Mind you that was years ago at my wedding! Lol

Have just caught up with this Ian, and caught your link to youtube~absolutely wonderful, what an ingenious idea! Loved the captions on the video too! Great work!!! :~))

Thanks Floribunda, I'm having a great time playing with the effects on my videos!

And it shows too! You have given me a great evening, and lots of chuckles, what a gift you are to us here on GoY! :~))

Now you are making me blush Flori but I'm so pleased everyone likes them. :~)))))