Our paving material was due to be delivered after 9.30 a.m. this morning so that Martin could be on site to take delivery and direct the driver to the Back Drive which is where we wanted it.
Fortunately, having arisen at 6.55, I was sitting in my dressing gown carrying out my normal WordPress responses when the front doorbell alerted me at 7.45 that a Dorset Stone truck was occupying one side of Christchurch Road, on the assumption that the material was to fill our front drive.
The friendly and helpful driver warned me that I need to be careful, because the ground was very slippery, as I stepped out to check the width of his vehicle. I thanked him and responded that he had no idea just how careful I needed to be. Needless to say he had not been informed of the expected delivery time.
Having directed him to where he should unload, I grabbed a coat and slid through the garden to assist if necessary.
I was mightily impressed with the skill of the man who reversed his long, wide, truck along the Back Drive, with only an inch or two either side.; and relieved that the vehicle was well equipped to unload the heavy slabs electronically. The larch branch extended over the path was the only casualty when hit by the overhead crane.
Martin’s first task then, was to remove and cut up the broken arboreal limb.
He then continued his preparation of the patio levels. He, unfortunately, will, later in the week, need to ferry the stone across the garden by wheelbarrow.
This evening Jackie produced flavoursome vegetable rice to accompany Tesco’s finest chicken Kiev (Yellow ticket) with which I drank Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon 2021.
Hurray. Jackie is better. The goods were delivered and except for the branch, nothing or no one was hurt!
Thank you very much, Pat
Hooray, all has ended well for now, except the branch, and Jackie seems to have recovered😘
Thank you very much, Luisa
🙏❣️🙏
The skill of some of those drivers negotiating long tight spaces is incredible! Glad all went well with the unloading, and it is good to hear Jackie is feeling much better. Best to you both.
Thank you very much from each of us, Lavinia
It’s good to hear that Jackie is feeling even better!
Thanks very much, Liz
You’re welcome, Derrick.
Looks like a busy day at your house.
Yes. Thanks very much, Andy
You’re welcome.
YAY, Jackie is chef-ing again! 🙂
Lots of hard work and good work being done by those helpers…especially Martin!
As kids, we liked riding in wheelbarrows. Ha. 🙂
(((HUGS))) 🙂 ❤️🌞❤️
Thanks very much, Carolyn X
By the time Martin’s done ferrying, he may feel as though he’s crossed the Mersey — not the worst thing in the world!
As soon as I saw the link I knew what I was going to get. Thank you so much, Linda
Dorset stone sounds just wonderful. With Martin on the job, you will be getting a fantastic patio.
Indeed. Thanks very much, John
I could never drive a big truck like that. I’d be hitting every car and tree in my path. I’m happy Jackie is over the bug in time for Christmas preparations. That’s great news!
Thank you so much, Jill
I have lost count of the times deliveries have arrived here before the agreed allocated time slot and well before the 7:30 start of our workmen!
Just be careful out there on the ice, I came a cropper this morning… and that was before I’d even left the house!
I hope you are not too bruised, Sue. Thanks very much
Thank you, just a knee.
Hope it’s not too much trouble
Thank you Derrick.
There seems to be a developing resemblance between Martin and Sisyphus
Definitely, Tootlepedal. Thanks very much
Can’t wait to see the final result. How’s Jackie?
Improving well, Chrissy. Thank you very much
Regards to Jackie Derrick. Refurbishing the garden?
Thanks very much, Arlene. Just one small section
I imagine the truck driver is used to tight spots–but that unloading mechanism and the bags the stone was in were amazing.
Thanks very much, Lisa
So glad for you that the delivery was an experienced operator of the rig. Martin will have the pavers under control soon. Nice photos Derrick.
Thank you very much, Maj
Yay, Jackie is back to cooking. Phew what a job! So looking forward to seeing the end result.
Thanks very much, Laurie
You were a good sport about the earlier than planned delivery. It would have been a lot of work for me to be cordial and pleasant.
Thanks very much, JoAnna
Hi Derrick – I’ve also seen delivery truck drivers perform amazing maneuvers in tight spaces. I’m pretty good at parallel parking but that’s the limit of my maneuvering talents.
🙂 Thanks a lot, Barbara
It is interesting for me to read this feature about the delivery of paving stones. As you can imagine, any device that actually saves labour is generally frowned upon here, where unemployment is rife. The skill of such drivers is unparallelled – we have them here too – but the pavers would have been unloaded by hand. Laborious, yes, yet skilled in their own way: it can be fascinating to watch as they would be tossed – yes, tossed – by someone at the top of the pile and thrown from the catcher to another to another until they reached the point where they needed to be piled up ready for use 🙂
That is equally fascinating, Anne. Thanks very much
The man’s face is a study in concentration.
Yes. Thanks a lot, Andrew
I’m glad everything worked out well–including your photos. Dorset Soils and Aggregates should like the free advertising. 🙂
I’m glad Jackie is feeling better.
Thanks very much, Merril. They should indeed.,
Lucky you’re an early riser
Indeed. Thanks very much, Sheree
Everything fell into place, eh?
Literally 🙂 Thanks very much, GP
Ah, progress! Jackie feels better and the paving material arrived.
Translate yellow ticket to billet jaune (if memory of school French lessons is correct) and it’s like cordon bleu, but just more economical. Good tom hear Jackie is on the mend. Please give her my best wishes.
Jackie says thank you, too, Quercus. 🙂 Nice wordplay
Thank you. 🙂
There is no surprise in main offices failing to notify employees of correct delivery times, but I am glad you were able to take delivery and to do so safely.
Thank you very much, Dolly
OK. If I can’t work out how to be notified of your new posts, I’ll just have to search your site each time I’m on line.
Try logging on to https://derrickjknight.com just once should do it. Thanks very much, Chrissy
I got a Welcome to derrickknight so lets hope it means I’ll receive an email when you post next.
I hope you get e-mails back soon