Not every day requires a ride in the cherry picker! In this laid-back episode, Dan the Cherrypicker Man swaps high-level work for ground-level graft—helping a mate pour a concrete patio, solving a leaky chimney with some clever lead work, and juggling handmade wedding garden games for a local delivery. A slower-paced day that still delivers laughs, lessons, and a good bit of graft.
Not every day calls for harnesses, chimneys, and high-access roofing work. In this episode, I swap the cherry picker for the Hilux, help a mate with some patio concreting, tackle a leaky roof in Mansfield, and get stuck into a van-load of wedding game logistics for the weekend.
It’s a reminder that when work slows down, there’s always something productive to be done and often, it’s the off-duty days that tell the best stories.
A Slow Start and Some Quality Dad Time
With a run of hot, sunny weather, roofing jobs were a bit thin on the ground. I took the opportunity to enjoy a slow morning, feeding my daughter breakfast and getting her ready for school complete with discussions about polar bears, moon bears, and naked bear behaviour! 😂
It’s a perk of being self-employed: when the schedule allows, you make time for the moments that matter.
Helping a Mate: Concrete Pour for a Patio
By 8am, I was around the corner at a friend’s house in the village, ready to help him barrow in a load of concrete for his patio. The mix was scheduled to arrive at 9am, but (as often happens), it was delayed by an hour and a half.
Still, with the sun shining and no urgent jobs waiting, we made the most of it.
- The concrete finally arrived just before 10:30.
- I barrowed and spread it while my mate tamped and finished.
- Bonus highlight: A cheeky look inside the concrete mixer for anyone curious!
Job done—sweaty but satisfying.
On to Mansfield: Investigating a Chimney Leak
Next, I dashed over to Mansfield to check out a small leak near a chimney stack, above a recently fitted bathroom. The leak had already caused a damp patch, but with the new shower in place, internal inspection wasn’t an option.
Up on the roof, I found:
- Silicone smeared over some soakers (always suspicious)
- Water running behind the gutter, bypassing the felt
- No eaves tray in place to stop it
The nearest Jewsons didn’t have any eaves tray in stock, so I made a DIY solution using lead and slate. It wasn’t textbook, but it worked:
- Lead lapped neatly into the gutter
- Tiles reinstated over the top
- No more water sneaking behind the leadwork
Sometimes, the fix is about using what you’ve got and knowing what works.
Van Load Shuffle – Wedding Games Reloaded
With the leak sorted, I headed back to base to deal with another kind of job: Unloading my van from a weekend festival and reloading it with two full sets of handmade wedding games for upcoming bookings with Shindigs of Sherwood.
Each set includes:
- Giant Jenga
- Skittles
- Quoits
- Mega Connect 4
- And a few other handcrafted beauties
All games are personally built by me, and the business offers packages for weddings and events throughout Nottinghamshire and beyond.
Work-Life Reflections (And a Bit of Juggling)
Throughout the video, I share some thoughts for anyone self-employed or running a small business:
- Don’t panic when work slows down—it’s seasonal
- Take time to help friends and family—it matters
- Start your pension early (I didn’t until 40!)
- Enjoy the little moments—like breakfast with your kids or juggling practice in the garden
Speaking of juggling, I end the video attempting to master four-ball juggling. It’s still a work in progress... but I’ll get there.
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