Reno #14

With all our lovely weather there has been some progress made!!  The stonework is up to soffit line, and Rex & Dave made the steel frame to go around the top so the stonemason can continue the stones above the roof line.

Dad has been oiling the cedar louvres for the Lounge windows under the intense heat of the diesel burner!!  They look really good when they are in.  Dad wanted his photo taken in the 'smoke room' with the heater...  getting ready for the fireplace - have to wait 2 weeks apparently.

So, now the front and back concrete is poured, and the wing walls in place.  They have poured the concrete to extend the front pillar about 800mm above the deck. Now the stonemason can finish those. The gingko tree is really gorgeous about now.  Then we got a wicked wind and some rain saturday night and sunday!!  Found a lonely bright poppy on a very grey saturday.  Last week I think Thursday morning there was an unusual light just after 7am, the whole sky glowed pink and it was really warm.  Took a couple of photos of the house in that light - eerie feeling, as mostly it is quite dark at that time.

The night after this pink morning, the large front lounge window went in, and when Stuart and I arrived home in the dark - we saw this lovely last bit of sunset through it.

And this is the view from the new Kitchen window.  Very pleased with the size of this window, and it opens out both ways from the centre.

Reckon I've made this long enough.  Are we ahead of you yet Thompsons?  We're still hanging on to our back door to try and keep some mess and noise from little sanity and cleanliness... It would be an awesome feature in the end of the kitchen perhaps?

Reno #13

Slowly does it.  Stonemason worked all day today, but very happy with the job.  Day four on the chimney :)  Looks stunning when the light hits it, and he's pointing it so they look like stacked rocks and it casts shadows as you walk or drive past.  Some concrete sealer at the finish will bring the colours out more.  He thinks by another seven working days he may have the chimney finished!  Once the front deck is poured this week he can continue the stones up above deck height, and he has a pillar to do outside Marks bedroom window, and we then decide whether there needs to be one on the drive corner of the house.

The boys managed to get some of the rear wall clad on Friday and prepare the back deck for concrete next week... not sure what else they did except get the two end kitchen windows in and sweep lots of piles of rubbish into corners so Stuart had something to clean up today.

Bugs, Birthday & Bits

We had visits from Nana & Grandad and Russell & Deborah. It was good to see them.

Grandad Flowerday decided to grab a few bugs and ended up in hospital.  Grandad asked if everyone was there for a funeral or something... Dianne & Kevin came down for three days to visit with him and we had mothers day dinner at Dave & Stacey's.  Isaac is as cute as ever and still showing off!

 

 And, another year bites the dust for me! One or two didn't mind sharing a chocolate cake at work, and I got some lovely flowers from Stuart - in the vase that Nana & Grandad gave me, and a gorgeous bunch of flowers from my sister Mabel!

So the place looks bright and cheery now, we've had a couple of sunny days, but there is lots of fresh snow down... may have to go find some sheepskin boots to get through the next couple of months before renovations are done...

Reno #12

Lots happening with cladding, electrical pre-wiring, stonemason has done the two pillars to deck height, and started on the chimney.  Ceiling in lounge framed down about a metre around the edges to 2.4m stud height with central area up at 2.7m, and the Dining / Casual Living space ceiling battened at 3.4 metres then sloping down to 2.4m at the fireplace end...  Dad & Roy spent saturday filling up the back and front decks.  Galvanised channel around the back door along kitchen wall so we can tile after concreting.  Same on the front deck.

Reno #11

Last couple of days have been quite damp and overcast, so the boys have moved their sawbench inside - which is quite stunning if you're talking on the phone or attempting quiet time!  Anyway, the soffits are mostly all up, and weatherboard going along the kitchen wall.

We've got some concrete foundation around the chimney and front pillars, been looking at different stones, and have a huge pile in our roundabout tonight, and our stonemason is starting.  Good old Appleby River stone.

Tuesday night we howled at the moon rising over the garage ;)  Nana & Grandad moon gazing at what will be the back entrance door into the Kitchen. And the electric window was fitted into the Kitchen last week.