Long-time readers may remember that I have basically had to dig my entire house out of the mess that previous owners created by ruining the drainage. From allowing the kitchen sink to drain into a reed bed, to allowing rain water to run downhill against walls with nowhere to go once it reached the wall, to building walkways above the dampcoursing of the foundation, I have had to fix every wall around the house to get them dry and stop rain water flowing in at floor level in some rooms whenever it rained heavily. 2 years ago I dug out one whole side of the house, turning this
into this: a walkway built at the same level as the house foundation. We had to break a lot of rock to do this, the previous owners were too lazy for that and merely dumped soil against the side of the house and laid the walkway on top.
Last piece left was outside my front door. Here's an old photo of the house showing the paving built up to the level of the windowsill and the door. I thought it wasn't transmitting damp to the house walls but it was.
After lifting the paving, we came to a layer of concrete. Unsightly, and still high above the foundation layer. More digging and hauling soil required...
Finally, I am down to the base rock layer that the house was built on and there is no way that water can flow against the wall above the damp-proofing again
I've considered whether I want to build a similar walkway to the second picture but I decided that I will leave the higher rock layers exposed and place some large flat rocks like the ones on the right of the picture as paving stones wherever it needs levelling, fill the spaces with soil and plant groundcover. I like that idea and right now, I can't buy concrete mix any way due to lockdown. I'll show pictures once I'm finished.
While taking the paving up, I found this creature, who was fortunately unharmed. It's a Sphinx moth pupa. That weird-looking appendage is the pupating moth's proboscis. I don't know what species it is but it isn't a Death's Head Hawkmoth like the caterpillar I posted a few weeks ago but it belongs to the same family of moths.
The last time we were digging up the paving we unearthed a similar pupa but sadly the digging broke its proboscis and it died. I buried this one in the ground inside of one of my plant pots and hopefully it will make it through the winter.
So I have been far from bored during lockdown. We have had to manage without being able to buy many hardware supplies but it's been a good time to fix mess around the house.
You have done a great job with the house, and I see that there is still a lot of work ahead.
I wish you finish it soon and show us photos of the results!
My house will keep me busy until I die I think, because I don't have a lot of money to solve things immediately so we just work on things bit by bit
Understand...
I also need to make repairs in the apartment and I also can not yet ...
I wish you success in everything !!!!!
The moth pupa with the proboscis looks fantastic, never saw a pupa like that. Great work ... on the house and the post :)
Thank you! Yes, it's a first for me too
Wow, it's like you've pretty much had to excavate your entire house!
Fingers crossed for the moth. Hope it survives the winter. That proboscis certainly looks delicate and easy damaged, so kudos for getting this one to safety intact.
Every. Single. Wall.
Yes I really hope that this one makes it
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I like how that cobblestone looks on you. Very cool.
Thank you! I like it too
Cool pupa, its strange that it forms that little hook for hanging off a plant but ended up buried under the concrete.
Yes, these take all winter to pupate so they need to be somewhere warmish to remain alive. We get occasional frosts here but the ground never freezes so it makes sense for them to go underground in winter
Great job. Your site is transformed before our eyes. Pay more attention to the waterproofing of the walls in the basement of the house. I hope you succeed.
Thank you. There's no basement though, the house is built on rock so nothing below the ground
That was hell of a job!
Hope the moth makes tough the pupa looks like an alien! :D
Yes it looks like a deep sea diver
Good job solving a problem :-)
Thank you :)
With a lot a lot a work...
You have amazing energy and skills in doing your own repair work! It looks quite tough trying to solve the damp problem! I have to dig some waterways for rain water soon! But I can’t do much under lockdown!
Well if I could afford to pay people I would although I do enjoy doing it myself, it's just hard work. Good luck with your waterways
KrazzyKitz™ Ride Along Program.....
Otherwise known as....
K.R.A.P.
Watch the Sunrise on the other side of the planet...!!!
https://bittube.tv/post/398977be-875e-4c5c-98e0-834f8d9866f7
I can't get it to find the link?
Probably was offline by then.... I got a text from my father..... At like 5pm. 12 hrs later.
He was like Your not online. It is just a black box. Lol
I said..... "Am I supposed to drive 24/7...?"
Here is a screengrab from a livestream. What U missed.
Luv Ya Catlady, Hugs 4 Peanut..!!!
old but gold