No. 20 and things are happenin'!!

Where do we start.  The last couple of days have seen a bit more activity around the place - and a lot less peace in my quarters...  The digger had a day to spare so came and dug up the roundabout.  Stuart had to steel his thunder by lifting up the concrete once he'd moved all my roses and got rid of the topsoil ...  Was it really 1995 when we put all this concrete kerbing in?!!  Just 17 years ago.

There should be plenty of parking here now...  the roundabout was filled with all the asphalt around it before placing fill.  Mark, the builder decided to replace some more weetbix flooring between the back porch and kitchen.

And then today the Joiner boys were here all day until 6pm to install the remainder of the kitchen, glue the two benches today and fit handles and timber top and mantel.  I was able to come home at 6pm and put my bag on the table!

You will notice of course the new rimu overlay flooring in the kitchen.  Yet to do the dining/living area, and once it's oiled will look pretty special.  The joiner made the toe kicks from recycled rimu we supplied.  Some of the closer up details...

The bevelled glass arrived today too - not a great photo - no lights available except flash.

 The truss I had to get made with some curves!  Mission accomplished.

Some of the finer details around all the joinery exterior - facing & sill boards, corner facings and lots of scribers to cut.... hours and hours of work :)
So that's us today... and we have a dinner party here tomorrow with no cooker..  roll out the slow cooker and frypan, and put a pot on the fireplace again.

Auckland & Reno #19..

Was good to catch up with the kids in Auckland.  Stayed in a house in Remuera, it was all steps and stairs.. and parking on the road.  Both the vehicles are now minus their wing mirrors!  Tea with Ev & Katie Friday night - Stuart borrowed Evs wee light to read the menu!

Then we walked along the waterfront to the Gelato place and back again.  Just after we crossed the bridge, the horn sounded, gates closed and the middle rose to allow a boat to pass through.

The girls went home and the rest of us went to the Observatory to lay back in the armchairs and hear stories of the first spacecraft and missions including the moon landings and buggies... very well done and interesting - except when things were moving you felt like you were too!  But, managed to not fall out of my chair.

Amy & Matts house is looking good.  Coming along slowly, the scaffolding should be gone now, and gib-stopping this week.  Somewhat larger than their previous wee house..

We had a lovely meal out at Euro Sunday.  The waitress decided to test the skills of the barman by ordering five different non-alcoholic cocktails... and blondes and I shared a small leg of lamb between us!!

Matt & Stuart shared a dozen oysters - one third of the price of the dozen's that Grandad & he had at Anchor Bar and Grill for Grandads birthday!!  He was impressed with the price.  Amy went for the special rotisserie chicken.

Now for the real news ...  we have a Kitchen starting to happen !!  Dad was able to read the newspaper while eating tea over his coffee bench!  He thinks maybe I've done an okay job with the design.  Lots of finishing off yet, and cabinetry/mantle around the cooker along with central table to come.  Won't get finished until the end of the month.

Reno #18

We lost the back doors during the last week, and the ply from where we used to go through into the old Dining Room, so opened us right up to the guys in the new part - and the mess and cold!  Thankfully it's all starting to feel a little warmer, but the fire is getting a good workout.  Pics as it was, then removal of doors and ply.

Looking at the gap from the kitchen side..

Then the linings.

We got all the other side tidied up, pushed the fridge and cabinet back into the space on the other side to make it more homely for us..

Dad spent most of the weekend denailing leftover framing, taking loads of rubbish out, sweeping and vacuuming.  Had it all neat and tidy, and set up some planks so he could use as a table to spread plans out on.  Some tenders coming up.

So, lovely and tidy as we left early for work this morning...   nek minute this is what we walk into tonight when its all dark and cold again ..grrrr!

Anyway, the Gib-Stopper has first coated the kitchen, and the kitchen man is waiting to put the joinery in - next Tuesday, and bench tops on Wednesday.  And the Painter is speeding up and starting to put some color on the outside.  So, making some progress.

Now its time to get rid of a pile of bills beside me.  We go to Auckland Thursday morning until Sunday night, so will be good to see the kids and what they're up to.

Grandad 84th Birthday...

Gary flew down to Blenheim, and he and Ross came over and met us at the Anchor Bar & Grill for Grandads birthday.  It was good to see the boys.  Grandad couldn't remember this place...!   He shook hands with his sons, not really showing any enthusiasm, except for the cupcake on the table representing his birthday cake after reading the sandwich board outside saying 'fresh bluff oysters' - so he managed to order and devour a dozen of those for lunch. A bowl of chips and salad with that too.

 Finally he could get into the chocolate cupcake.  After scraping most of the icing off and leaving it on the side of his plate, when we weren't looking he'd scrape it all back on again.  So, finally had to remove the last little bit somewhere out of reach.

Afterwards we managed to get Dad outside for a photograph before Gary & Ross took him home again.  Not a bad photo of them all.  Even Ross was smiling!

 Today, Dad was happy to stay for lunch with us and take 'pot luck'.

By the time coffee time came around, he was asleep.  Somebody :) had given him a huge box of rocky road for his birthday... so to limit the intake we've brought it home, and he'll have a piece with coffee maybe once a week...  otherwise they'll find it hard to keep the sugar levels on the level.  The nurse found him chomping on a few bits!

Reno # 17 + Isaac

Slowly does it with the linings, and the fire has been a constant each night and all weekends.  Dad is bringing heaps of wood home each night, and last night a whole trailer load came home behind the 'cruiser.

Yesterday the new cedar doors got fitted between the Smoke / Dining Room and Lounge... just awaiting the bevelled glass to go in them.

Last week I went to view the progress on the Leadlight window.  It should be all finished now, and will go in this next week.  Hard to tell from these photos, but Pauline is using some fancy floral and other glass with double cut crystals in the corners which look stunning against the light..

My roofing man (with gloves on) got some of the copper gutters up yesterday and more today.  Looking good for the magpies :)  They're a length and couple of brackets short, so next week before they're finished.  Some of the downpipes will wait until the old part is re-clad with weatherboard, as they have to solder all the joins.  Very precise and slow work.

Now just have to find some kiwi ingenuity to work out how to hang the very front 'downpipes' using these glass insulators on a chain of some sort.  Always thought downpipes need to be something to look at or not seen at all!

Isaac visited me at work one afternoon and did a bit of multi-tasking, reading about the cookie monster while being one.. and then talking on the phone at the same time as eating and reading.  Think he's related to Aunty Blondie ?

This new place of Grandad and Nans is a very interesting maze for Isaac to run around and get all dusty.  Peeking through framing not yet gibbed .. running along planks and skipping off the end.. bouncing his ball around, and he knows how to 'knock knock' on the door if its closed and somebody on the other side!  Mum & Dad were getting ready for a spa.