25/02/2002 - 01/03/2002 - The Back Fence Mission
You see, here's the thing… it sounded like a simple job to build a fence to contain the puppies Dennis & Helen and myself were planning to get - I mean, how much work is it to stick some posts in the ground, attach some rails and wack some pailings onto them… The fence cost just over $2700 in materials, 5 weekends and 3 days of a 'holiday', a broken finger (which I still have), a completely rational fear of nasty smelling compost (which Dennis still has) and an almost maniacal delight in using a circular saw (which we all hope Helen will overcome).

I took a week off work to 'unwind' and unwind I certainly did, I unwound the chicken mesh and No. 8 wire that had comfortably been growing through the hedge for the past decade or more - 3 days of hedge hacking to get stuff out of the way of where the fence was to go and then 4 trips to Placemakers to pickup the posts, builders mix and concrete (and unfortunately my birthday wheelbarrow died during the unloading of the trailer - a bit flimsy that thing...)

Anyway the posts went in and kinda stayed there until Easter Weekend when Dennis, Dad and myself attacked the fence building with a vengeance, Helen jumped on the circular saw for the Saturday and took over coke and food duties as a break to her studies to keep us lot going. We almost didn't get the lumber delivered in time as the bank in it's infinite wisdom decided to apply a $30,000 overdraft to my cheque account and was unable to release any funds until the loan papers went in, Carolyn (who I work with) saved the day with her credit card (and scored the airpoints).

A couple of weekends later Dennis and I took the Friday off and attacked the back fence (much to the delight of Charlene and Mike from next door) - the photos are below - and check this out - all that pile of lumber is RIMU! Yep - they made fences from Rimu in those days - loving that!!
All that remained was to tidy up, sort out the gates (the following weekend) and have a wee dinner party with some friends so they could bask in the glory that is the back fence...