Nearly there...

So the guys from Bestcrete have been and done their thing, poured, stamped, coloured and sealed the 3 phase creation of drive, patio and garden path is now complete and all that remains is the bit that I will term 'landscaping'. Basically a flower garden to the right of the path and building up the level of the soil on the left and then either seeding it with grass seed or the laying of turf. So this last weekend we got started on it and this is the current state of play...

Path poured, pattern imprinted, coloured and sealed...

The new path blends almost seamlessly into the patio just as we wished....

View from patio to back door and the start of the path...

Flowerbed on the right planted out with an initial selection of flora.

Environmental maste management system in place, away from the back door.


View from the side access.

Next stage in the process

The guys from Bestcrete were back again this morning to do the final preparations before the concrete pour, and this is how it looks now....

Shuttering in place for the final lay, colouring and pattern imprinting...

The hard stuff goes down on Saturday, weather permitting.

Shed - the final phase commences

The old shed base has gone along with all evidence it ever existed. The power supply to the new shed is now in place and laid, protected, in the hardcore to be peranently covered by the concrete top coat while in the shed it goes into a proper distribution box with RCD protection.

Anyway, here is a picture of the current view from our guests bedroom...

Hardcore down awaiting the final lay, colouring and pattern imprinting...

Unemployed - 3 weeks in...

Time for an update on my search for a new job, so what have I been up to in my first 3 weeks unemployed?

Well so far I have applied for 33 advertised job vacancies. This has resulted in 2 duplicate applications, 6 rejections after first interview, 2 jobs where I was advised there would be no interview as I didn't have the skills they were looking for (but were not in the job advert), 1 vacancy already filled, 1 no contact and 2 put on hold (no budget approved for post).

So I am now waiting to hear if I will be getting a 2nd interview on 2 roles where I have done a 1st interview, one of which is doubtful and the other is hopeful. The remaining 17 roles are WIP (work in progress) whichbasically means I have applied and I am waiting to hear. Why don't I chase them up? Simply because there are no contact details supplied during the application process so no way for me to follow-up.

Yesterday was my 3rd JSA sign-on. Last Thursday I had to additionally attend a National Careers Service "course" - really a group session aimed at advising job seekers how to write a CV and covering letter. Sothat was 2 hours of my time wasted attending and another hour in travel time but, if I don't jump through these loops they stop the JSA payments of £73.10 a week and they put you straight onto daily sign-on. No, the Gestapo didn't disband after the end of WW2.

Oh, and I forgot to mention, my ex-employer managed to screw up my final payment so I am over £2k down on what was agreed. I've been promised that the adjustment to correct this will be in my account before the weekend, but as they had 20 days to get it right the first time around I don't hold out much hope of them getting it right in 3 days.