Day Two Hundred and Twenty Four

For the first time in over 3 years I wanted to be in London yesterday - wearing a silly hat, waving the Jack flag and sipping warm India Pale Ale (why is every beer in America mouth numbingly ice cold?).
I'm not sure why everyone assumes I'm an anti-royalist, but I'm not, never have been; I'm a staunch royalist, especially when the glorious pomp and pageantry is in full flow - how can anyone not be moved by the entire congregation of Westminster Abbey singing Jerusalem?
Emily is not a believer in monarchy. But then she was born and raised in the land of the free and thinks they're an anachronism. That's a fair opinion, but me, I like being a loyal subject of the Queen - even if I'm stretching the loyalty bit by living in Delaware, the first state; Liz won't mind - we'll take it back inch by inch your majesty.

They're not very exciting are they? The wedding interrupted serious photography.

This thing was on the grass yesterday afternoon. Emily and I stared at it for a while but failed to work out what it is.

And this is a wheelbarrow of stones. Truly dreadful James.

Day Two Hundred and Twenty Two

More feet and wood.

First tentative thinking on the dimensions of the parking area...

Bits and pieces.

Food and drink.

A rainy, windy day in Wilmington.

Day Two Hundred and Twenty One

Feet and wood.

Wood.

Smith.

Kit. I love kit.

Tax Parcel: 46-3-51.

Spring is pretty.

Day Two Hundred and Twenty

This poorly reproduced chart (the only one that Blogger would allow me to download) is the Janka Wood Hardness Scale.

This is what Wikipedia has to say about the matter... The Janka hardness test measures the hardness of wood. It measures the force required to embed an 11.28 mm (0.444 in) steel ball into wood to half the ball's diameter. This method leaves an indentation. It is a good measurement technique to determine the ability of a type of wood withstand denting and wear. It is also a good indicator of how resistant it is to sawing and nailing.

The hardness of wood varies with the direction of the wood grain. Testing on the surface of a plank, perpendicular to the grain, is said to be of "side hardness." Testing the cut surface of a stump is called a test of "end hardness."

Wikipedia also says there are two woods harder than Brazilian Ebony; Patagonian Rosewood, and toughest of all Lignum Vitae.

As acquiring a sufficient quantity of any of those three woods would take more planning and be more expensive than the Royal wedding, we settled on Brazilian Walnut/Ipe. Given that only about 10 people a day will be walking on the stuff, I think Ipe should last a few years.

Day Two Hundred and Seventeen

First part of the week.

Second part of the week.

Decking and Ipe wood is all very well and good but my hunger pangs for a decent serving of fish and chips has almost over ridden my ability to make any decisions on this project for the last three days - without Emily's arrival on Monday we would now probably have a herb garden and sheep pen rather than the makings of a martini deck.