Before Fil and I got there, Craig and Son Kyle had done a load of preparation already.
Removing a corrugated roof, and a felt roof off the wooden roof structure.
Dismantled all the doors, cages and removed most of the wood panels inside of the structure.
These were already move and dry stored up on his land.
So he and Kyle both are skinny size, unlike me and to some extent Fil who are full size humans and they went up on the roof to start dismantling the roof panels.
It was wet and slippery when we started.
Crowbar cobras, there was so much nails, screws etc there.
Larry the farmer and digger/tractor driver had brought a trailer to help move the panels across the field to the next resting place.
One way to move a bloody heavy trailer…….
First panel down.
Once the first one was off, it got slightly easier as one had a hole in which to shove crowbars and reciprocal saws etc.
Not as much fun as it seems.
Looking from the other side.
And deceptive…..l
A wasp nest, one of many.
At this point we were called in for lunch, around 2.00pm
Fil the machine.
Roofing all off.
Next up was the walls.
Large
Heavy
Awkward
Dangerous.
Eventually Larry got home from his day job, potato farmer.
And drove the tractor to drag the trailer up to the top paddock.
We laid sheets and then moved Lil the Chevy back onto some boards.
First load unpacked on top of sleepers/ties.
After unloading we headed back in failing light and carried on with loading a second load of walls and panels, using phone torches etc.
And unloaded trailer no2 with Larry's help in the dark.
Calling it a day by 5.30 when the dark had completely taken over.
I was hurting like hell by then and found some pills in the car, taking a load.
Craigs wife, Lorraine had made us a South African Malay curry and rice and a traditional South African food called Vetkoek which is basically bread dough (or you can use diy pizza dough) fried in hot oil.
Then you slice it open, and load with the curried mince, or apricot jam/jelly and butter.
Absolutely mind blowing, if you know what it is.
I had not had any in 25 years or more.
Fil and I left by 7.45pm for his camper and my guest house respectively.
It had been a long, hard day.
I stayed awake till 11.00pm as I knew if I went to bed too early my aches would wake me by 4.00am.
It did, and I got up by 5.10am and made myself some tea.
Sunday was still ahead of us all to deal with the rest of the stables.