And so my question is …… where does the time go? And why does it need to go so faaaaaaaasssssst. I’m sat here in  Fez and it’s a week in to October. OCTOBER!!! What the fuck happened there. Yesterday it had only just stopped raining. The sun was peeking out. I felt it, warm upon my face. And now?

Yes you’ve guessed it. It’s raining again.

What does that mean? Tbh, I’m not too sure. My fingers are crossed that it won’t be too bad. That transport won’t stop. That the donkeys will keep on …… keeping on.

Because just over there, can you see it, a distant speck on the horizon, perhaps a figment

of my fevered imagination.

But it seems so very real, so very tangible to me. And if I stretch just a little further, could it be within reach?

The finishing line. Completion. The end of building. That will be nice.

Fuck, I don’t know. But everything is double, triple, quadruply crossed. The end is within sight. But so are those rain clouds.

It’s been the shortest summer I can remember, though of course it’s been filled with so much more than The Farm. Finn’s court case finally came to completion and at last I can plan properly how we’ll see each other. At Dar Finn,

we’ve had a whole world of new interior designs to support the development of a new website and, almost unwittingly, I’ve redesigned my way back in the door. No more shivers and shakes. Just pride and plans for the future.

And added to that, was the completion of the first phase of work on a toolkit on community mobilisation re Water/sanitation for OXFAM back in PNG. I think it’s a really good piece of work, though as I sit here, listening to the tap, tap, tap of rainfall in to

the house in Fez, I’m now in the process of planning to go out there and put it all in to action.

Yes that’s right. Just as we move in to the final stages of the Farm. Arghhhhhhhhhhh.

More fingers crossed.

So where are we then? Well, Finn has been over and we hung out up in Talassemtane National Park, which included a couple of amazing river walks and a stay at Maikas’. Thank you Maika. Amongst a variety of mis/adventures, we came a cross Diana, well, renamed Deana now. Welcome. It was, of course, great fun. Thank you Mr Finley.

Here’s looking forward to the toilet test. In the context of this blog entry, that sends a shiver right through me 7. ……

Yasseen and his team have made great progress, certainly up to Eid. Since then, we’ve hit something of a hiatus and I honestly fear that too much early rain will bring the whole show to an abrupt halt. He’s

horribly expensive and is a great fan of cement. But he’s professional, dynamic and is getting the job done… or might do!

Of course I should be thinking that any time now will be the opening of the piste and I can finally send everything up by truck. Unfortunately I’ve already tried negotiating that and whether as a pre emptive strike or whether it’s a reality, so far there’s of “no passeran!” We’ll see, but I may not be there.

Oops there go those fingers again.

In the mean time, walls have been completed, and roofs lain. I’ve brought up a few guys from Fez whose work I know and respect.

Abdelrahim has completed the metal frames for the doors and Arab has as ever done a wonderful job on the plaster work.

Fortunately, last year, about this time, I managed to bring up several truck loads of zelig, bejmat and karmud. Most

of the karmud is already on the house. Yasseen will be laying the “beldi” 20×20 tiles and Mohammed zeligi is booked to put in the bejmat. Ohh, it’s all so close.

Anyway, I’ve found a Njr in Xaouen. Fuddle. Yes another one. He’s very old school and likes that I call him “Njr Beldi”. I brought him to Fez to buy our wood, thinking I’d save on quality and price. And then paid several door frames of a price, to have the wood sent to Xaouen.

Arhhhhhh. But if you can’t make a mistake, don’t start. That’s what I’d say.

He however has designed some beautiful yet simple doors for the main room and there are door frames for all rooms either in the walls or awaiting fitting. And then there are the main doors. How beautiful are they. We’ve doors for everywhere. I think I’m getting obsessed.

This next week, once I prize myself from Fez, I’m back up to complete as much as I can. That’s mostly purchasing toilet furniture and finding a tadlaker (more donkey deliveries of materials I fear).

But it’s also putting in the vermicompost system for the flush toilets.

Of course I’d planned to have all of this completed a few weeks ago but, one night, with the car filled and

waiting in the Bab el Guissa car park, along with 8 wooden doors, 50 glass bricks and a metal door that had unfortunately previously flown off the roof in transit to Xaouen (yes it’s true and thank God there wasn’t anyone anywhere near by.

What do you get for accidental decapitation in Morocco? All awaiting topping off with a couple of 1,000 litre water tanks, that self same God had a slight chuckle at my expense.

Yes, it was a Fassi taxi driver reversing at full pelt in to Habiby Stitu.

|)*^*%^$TT^Ww…ck

So, that little job, awaiting big jobs, hangs large on the horizon.

Fingers?

So there you are, you’re updated. We’re close. But close isn’t close enough. Plan A is to ensure that the house is closed before I leave. That no water can get in.

That doors and windows, roofs and walls are sealed shut. After that it’s finishing floors, and bathrooms and kitchens. I’d wanted to put in one of these before I left:

But that will have to wait till I get back. Looks fun though. Ohhh, there’s lots of fun awaiting.

If we can just keep the rain gods occupied and somehow manage to entice my intransigent neighbours to open up that track one last time.

Fingers?