Today

Today's task was to shift an enormous pile of rock seaward, from left to right in this shot. The burn is just this side of the digger. Are you bored yet? We're not.

The neighbours came out in numbers when they saw me clicking away. Discussion focussed on whether the seaward pile would be their final location. If so the development far exceeds the area shown on the plans. And that, given particular tide and wind conditions, this would funnel the sea straight into our homes! Consequences I had not even considered.

I found myself the voice of moderation, thinking that the biggest rocks were being moved to make way for smaller hardcore and would then be moved back inland as a breakwater and more in line with the plans.

I'm quite enjoying the neighbourly gossip, we don't usually have a focus for meeting. Perhaps the promised waterside cafe will become a sort of community hub?

In the foreground, life goes on, ducks continuing to do what ducks do. Possibly gossiping amongst themselves, certainly singing as only they can.

Work ceased at 5.30pm whilst I was typing this. The silence is divine. I might have to pop out and see if he got the whole pile shifted before he knocked off.

Edit 6.30pm: still a ways to go with the shifting, about a quarter of the pile left. The site is deserted so I took the chance to climb up to look through the fence, too dangerous in daytime with all that plant whizzing around. It is a sea of mud and drainage systems, a pit thirty feet by twenty and twenty feet deep, not three feet from the burn. Wonder what going in there? Water treatment or at least tank? Whatever it is it drains straight into the burn.