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As seems traditional with any sort of building project progress has reduced to a glacial pace. The electrical side has been completed, so really all we’re waiting for is the garage doors to be installed (they’re in boxes in the garage – apparently there needs to be a bit more concrete ground out of the rebate or something before they can go in), and the drainage to be complete then we’re done except for the painting which we’ll be attempting ourselves. At least to start with. We’ll see how long that lasts!

But in other news, we seem to have managed to get a decent crop from one of our pear trees this year. In fact it’s the first pear crop we’ve really had of any description. Up until last week I wasn’t aware that you’re meant to harvest pears a little under ripe and ripen off the tree, so these might actually be a little too ripe, but we’ll take them!

It also seems that unnoticed by us the white peach tree has been quietly ripening its small, but very yummy white peaches. Again for the first crop from them. Bonus!

I suspect a lot of this is down to the extra water they’ve all received this year. Either that or they’ve finally matured just enough to deal with the conditions here. But it’s nice to finally get something back from them!

Over the last week there’s been a coating of Gibb applied to the remaining interior walls, and since this photo was taken there’s even been a bit of Gibb stopping action too. And the beginnings of a ramp built so we can actually drive into it.

Think we’re down to electrics and garage doors now. Although we still need to decide if we’re going to get all keen and paint it ourselves or just get someone who knows what they’re doing to paint it. And maybe add some skirting boards. They’re not there yet, and somehow I suspect they’ll claim they’re not in the spec.

Eleven nights into autumn and we get our first frost! Grrrrrrr! Weather report was for 6 degrees C overnight low in the city, but it was obviously a bit colder out here. White lawn, ice on the windscreen, and some damage to the more tender plants in the garden. Nothing that looks fatal yet, but a reminder that it can all change any night at this time of the year.

But at least the tunnel house is still cranking along. Masses of toms, eggplants, chillies and peppers still to work out what to do with. It’s gotten to be a bit tricky to walk from one end to the other now without pushing through all the tomato plants.