Had to pick up our cat from the cattery on Monday as we were away over the weekend. The staff told me she had settled in very quickly. They retrieved her from 'apartment 57' and brought her to me in her basket. As soon as she smelt my fingers she miaowed loudly in recognition. She looked a bit ruffled but other than that quite clean and healthy. We might go all out next time and put her into a 'bungalow' that has access to the garden and direct sunlight. Why shouldn't she enjoy her holiday as well?

I was starting to think that the dog next door had disappeared. Hadn't seen hide nor hair of it for about a week. I was imagining that the landlady had dropped in to check on the tenants next door and given them the ultimatum. I was even fantasising that it had found a new home with high fences and someone to play with it and take it for walks so that it wouldn't have to resort to tearing up cushions and strewing them around the yard. I must say it was a welcome change to be able to walk around the backyard without being shadowed and barked at. However - S spotted the dog this morning on her way to the henhouse. Wishful thinking - eh...?!

On one of our jaunts through the Blue Mountains over the weekend I came across this sign which I just had to photograph as it echoes the name of this blog - 'no hay camino'. Not sure if I mentioned it before, but the name is a quote from a poem by Antonio Machado (Spanish) and the full quote is 'no hay camino - se hace el camino al andar' which translates roughly as 'there is no path, you make the path up as you go along'. The people I was walking with thought it was rather amusing that I had named my blog in this way as they thought it was referring to the lack of a driveway to our house. I must admit I hadn't thought of it in this light but could see the connection. I guess I had been attracted to the poem in the first place as it talks about the importance of the present moment and the experience of life as a journey, with all its surprises and sudden turns. The poem also has sentimental value as P and I used it in our commitment ceremony - my Mum read it in the original Spanish to musical accompaniment on the piano and flute in front of our family and friends.

Our place has been at the centre of a whirlwind of activity which almost swept me away and so I missed the blog last week. The new drainage pits have been created in situ (very thick concrete around a wooden box mould that is later removed and the drain fitted on top) and the driveway has been poured and is now walkable!!! Well, that is to say 90% of it has been poured... There is a gap of about 20 metres at the top to allow access for the plumbers who still have to connect up the water supply for the new house. Here are some pics of the colourful cement truck and the willing team of concrete layers (apparently alot of builder's cleavage was on view that day) all pulling together to make it happen.

We have had a couple of run-ins with the neighbours. The council sent us a letter to say they had received complaints of sediment. We assumed they meant the dirt was being tracked onto the roadway by the builders - but when we went to investigate we couldn't see any on the road. The mystery was solved when the inspector told us that our neighbour down the back was not happy about the huge mountain of dirt that she has to look at every morning as she eats her vegemite toast. As it is on our property and no way near the boundary, he told us we don't have to worry our heads about it.

On the day of the concrete-pouring some of the workers' utes were parked across our neighbour's driveway and when the lady of the house returned from work she couldn't get in. Sharp words were exchanged and P took a call from our outraged neighbour who had worked herself into a lather and was barely coherent. P apologised profusely and contacted the builder straight away to report the situation. We received a letter the other day which could only be described as a 'sorry, but...' letter in which our neighbour friend apologised and then proceeded to voice her outrage and justify her anger. P has decided to approach the situation with caution and diplomacy and will be sending a soothing missive with our apologies once again and assurances that the builders will not be parking there anymore. We have also decided to lavish boxes of chocolates on our long-suffering neighbours once the furore has died down and all traces of dirt and other rubbish have been cleared away.

Draped over the taps in the shower this morning was a red-belly black snake in the process of eating its own tail. Luckily it was only a rubber model. On my way to the showere I had already stepped over a dragon and removed two white pointers from the floor. The obstacle course that is our bathroom produces new species every day. We have had some real huntsman spiders scurrying across the ceiling to escape the steam from time to time - but haven't seen many of these lately. Perhaps the building work has driven them away - it must seem like earthquake city to them.

Had a chat to the two concretors yesterday as they were sitting down for yet another smoko session. They promised they would have the place cleaned up for us soon. I tried to sound enthusiastic but I'm afraid my tired scepticism shone through. They confided that they'd heard that the council had approved our driveway plans without actually looking at them - which is why they're changing them on us now. Apparently the guy just glanced at the name of the engineer who had prepared them, said 'he's good' and signed it off. They're now waiting for the new grates to arrive and will be pouring concrete by Friday. I would be interested to see how they actually create the new drains. I imagine it would be quite an art - pouring it in situ - they would have to use some sort of mould I figure.

I took the two babies on a hike yesterday to drop-off R. at the day-care centre. Wasn't confident about fitting another car seat in so instead I got out the baby backpack and the pram and walked the three of us down the very big steep hill to the centre. I felt very resourceful and pioneering. And back up of course - this time with only one baby in the pram. This hill is so steep that it is obligatory to stop a few times along the way for a rest. Am noticing a few aches and pains in new places today!