We're In

We are finally back in!  It has been an epic adventure which some days didn't ever look like ending, but now looking back it also went by in the blink of an eye.  I realised how long it had been when the kids were less than thrilled to get back home.  At the ages of 8 and 10 a year is a long time and the prospect of leaving the lovely clean, neat house in Port Melbourne to move back in to a dusty, partially completed house that is full of packing boxes was not greeted which much enthusiasm. 
I can't really blame them although their forced cheer did little to alleviate the sheer drudgery of moving.  

I finally completed the cleaning of the Port Melbourne house on the weekend so can now concerntrate fully on our place - although how the hell we fitted soooo much stuff in a home half the size is completely beyond me.  Especailly considering a lot of culling was done when we moved and is still going on as we open box upon box of stuff we really could do without.

So far I have managed to partially set up the kids rooms (although Gidget did most of hers - and Moondoggie did nothing!) and the kitchen is functioning nicely.  I figure if I can keep a couple of areas in some semblance of order than I will not go completely mental.  

Yesterday we even managed to hang a couple of pictures which has made it seem much more like home.  The Ladies have found a new home in the kitchen, very pleased to be out of the hallway and where the action is.

There is still a shelf to go up under the Ladies which should happen in the next couple of days but essentially the kitchen is completed. 

 

Every so often Surfer Boy and I look at each other and grin like loons  - finally we are back home where we belong.

Spy Headquarters

 

The renovation has been going on for so long in the short lives of my children that the novelty of visiting has completely worn off.  The standard refrain at out place is 'Ooooh we don't have to go to the house do we?'

On Sunday we got the same reaction but this time instead of wandering around asking when we were leaving they DISCOVERED A CUBBY!!!

 

I was called from inside and told to find them, I followed the giggles and was most surprised to hear their chuckles coming from the ceiling of the shed.  It turns our Surfer Boy has built himself a mezzanine for storage and there I found my kids.  

When I went back later they were sitting there swinging their legs and discussing their new HQ.

  

By the end of our visit they had rigged up a rope system to get up there and had decorated with various objects from the first load of boxes we'd brought over.
Unfortunately by that time I was too tired to contemplate getting up there to take photos so you'll just have to use your imaginations.  The whole house is like a magical cubby for me so I was so glad they had found their own - looks like S.B. will have to find another storage spot until the novelty has worn off.

She's Free

The first thing I noticed today was the lack of a builders fence around the property. It's amazing how naked the house looks, but she now almost looks like her old self - minus a few plants and grass and with the addition of much mud. Only a matter of days now.. fingers crossed.

Look What we've Got...

STAIRS!!


One guy turned up this morning and by lunchtime we had stairs.  I was beginning to wonder if we were going to have to use a ladder until the end of time - which may not have been so bad as I'd be able to pull it up behind me and keep everyone out of my studio - but now we have our stairs in and suddenly the studio is waaay more accessible.  

7.00am

 12.00am

House Update

 

Tiles!

As of today I now have a favourite tradesman! Our tiler. This morning he and his posse arrived and by the time I arrived after work it was pretty much all done.  They swarmed in and just got on with it which believe me is rather rare in the world of renovating. 

When I say all done - it is yet to be grouted but the kitchen, bathroom, laundry and WC have all been laid- wall and floor tiles.

 

 

 

Doesn't my tap look pretty against the tiles?  The grout will be white so I'm assuming it will look quite different once that's been done.

While all this was going on Poor SB (as I now like to call him) was spending hours with a roller above his head undercoating the ceilings.  I think he may also have finished the walls too.  Me thinks I'm beginning to see light at the end of the tunnel again.

 

This Week's Happenings

There are many reasons why I dislike Winter but I now have a new one - by the time I close the shop in the evening and get to the house it is too dark to see what has been done that day let alone take photos.  It's very frustrating.  I finally made it down there on Saturday in the daylight and here are some of the changes this week...

The kitchen is taking shape.

Not only the cabinets are in but my beautiful bench top has made it's way out of Gidget's bedroom to where it belongs.

 

 

They have begun to lay the flooring.

And my darling husband who hates painting has been furiously undercoating the ceilings so the electricians can install the downlights.

We had a visit from some of the cousins and they gave it a hearty thumbs up - mainly because the boys thought all the mud was 'cool'.

Bits & Pieces

My friend Lesley came over to tour the house yesterday.  She intends to spend many an evening dining on our deck and thought she should come and check on the progress and make sure she was happy with everything.
Since my last post Surfer Boy has finished the ceiling in the studio, all the lath and plaster in the bathroom has been removed, and the shed now has insulation and is partially plastered.  Lesley gave us the thumbs up thank god and even offered her entire family to help paint when the time comes!  Silly girl.

Reno Update

 

We are inching slowly towards a home we can actually live in.  The plasterers  have now finished upstairs and Surfer Boy has begun work on the ceiling.  We decided to scrap the plaster and have opted for lining boards.  This is a more cost effective option and is one we prefer so it's a win/win.

Reno Update

Our plasterers have been hard at it for the past few days and when I dropped in today I was thrilled to see such a big change.  They're working on the room upstairs and hopefully next week we'll be able to start painting.We figured it would be a lot easier to paint before the skirting boards and architraves go on.  It seems smaller with the plaster on but it is a lot lighter and will be even more so once it is painted.

 

  

  

Our House Is Puffy!

Our House

The day we bought it - 2000

Before the renovation - 2010

  During the renovation - 2011

Last weekend, nearly there - 2012

Hardwired!

 

WE have a friend, Michael, who practically begged us to let him come over and run cable through our walls.  Apparently this means we are hardwired to the internet in every cranny of our house and can connect to anything and everything in the future with no effort.  We didn't understand half of his explanation but it sounded good and he was so enthusiastic that we gladly gave him free rein.  He came over last weekend and spent the day running lots of blue cable through every wall - we even have a cabled doorbell now and cable leading to the deck for our outdoor sound system (who knew we were having one of those?) Surfer Boy even has cable out to the shed, just in case. 

 

And he did it all for coffee and a doughnut!

 

He has promised me that he will come over after the house is finished and help set up everything although he didn't seem that keen on hooking up my Video player - apparently times have changed.   

Thank you Michael - that's a lot of dinners we now owe you.