summer time

30.1.2012

BUILDING NEWS

Yet another Monday and we are all back at house construction. Richard rendered a wall in the small bedroom and Josh put the first covering of paint on the bare half of the kitchen ceiling. I had grouted the rest of the hall floor over the week end and Edd had made door frames but today we had to go off and collect the geo-fabric needed to cover the scoria when it goes on the roof.

This involved driving to Dandenong so we did all the other jobs on the way. We have collected almost all the lights needed for the outside of the building from various Bunning’s and brought tools to make doors and architraves. The next problem is to select wood for the doors and the vanity tops. I hope to have all that is needed here before the plumbers and electricians arrive to complete their work.

The weekend was very hot but with most doors closed the new house stayed rock steady at a temperature of 22 degrees. In contrast the donga hit 40 most evenings about teatime. I now wonder what will be our base line temperature in winter. Nothing is going to stop me living in there when winter arrives this year.

Josh has organised his twelve-volt emergency lighting system and has the wires out of their respective ceilings ready to light up. We tried it out in the storeroom and it was amazing how much light one of his tiny LED globes gave. Tom has still not returned with the cupboard doors but worse, we hear that the stone top people are un-contactable because they have taken a month off over Chinese New Year and do not start again until the February 6.

OTHER NEWS

We did get to the sea and it was glorious. Last Friday we milked the goats really early and had a whole day off. We even had enough time to visit Bob and Gil at Loch and see all the work they have done on their home and garden. The sea was great with some huge surf waves that knocked us off our feet several times. We got thoroughly salinated and sand blasted and felt much better afterwards.

Alvyn and his three kids came over on Sunday and found a bucket full of blackberries to take home. We are now getting more tomatoes than we can eat and there are zucchinis and cucumbers to add to our diet. I have had to spend the evenings watering to keep plants alive and this has given me time to do some much needed weeding. The real delight is the peaches. Who can resist a ripe juicy peach straight off the tree? This is the first proper summer we have had since the fires and if you don’t mind the heat the living is easy.

hot weather at last

24.1.2012

BUILDING NEWS

Richard has now done the walls in the snug and smoothed render around the fireplace. Today he started on the final two bedrooms. Edd has now put up two doorframes and is getting more confident about making them. I am still working on the floors, so no exciting news there.

What is exciting is seeing how well the house controls its own temperature. Today was the sort of scorching day that kills plants in large numbers but even with doors open the house stayed at 25 degrees. Our donga thermometer measured 40 degrees this evening so Edd and I ate out at Beth’s restaurant!

Edd has been on the phone trying to get the build moving again. He has contacted the scoria people and they are now grinding the stuff again. It might arrive tomorrow! He has also talked to Charlie about connecting the power and the Telstra people about the phone. The next trade we need on the ready is the plumber.

It is an odd sort of build because by the time we get to lock up stage almost everything will be done. We have extended the building insurance for four months, which we hope is the maximum time we could take. Famous last words?

OTHER NEWS

I had to drive to town today because we were out of milk bottles. I usually have to wait ages for my order but today I was the only customer and I was in and out in a flash. My next stop was Ikea. Alvyn has taken time out of his holiday and sprayed the weeds we needed treating in NSW so I wanted to get him something as a thank you. Wayne helped us get the equipment he needed and together these two have managed to take a lot of stress off us. In NSW you get harassed and fined for having weeds and rabbits.

I picked our first cucumber tonight. I was very late getting them in but they have grown well. The tomatoes are also doing well this year and now we can add blackberries to the morning straw berry meal. I have started work on the next beds but I need to find the staple gun. It is somewhere in Edd’s shed but so far remains hidden.

The old pool is such a blessing. It is battered, burnt and patched but still wonderful for cooling off. Beth and her three kids have been over almost every day for a swim. Edd is not into swimming but I am trying to get him to have a day off this week and go to the sea. He does dip in the sea.

slow but steady

18.1.2012

BUILDING NEWS
Work continues slowly on the house. Richard is now rendering the snug and I am grouting the floor in the guest bedroom. Edd has brought himself special tools and is preparing the hardwood planks he brought so that they have the right profile to be made into doorframes. I just want to move in.

About 32 years ago I moved into our old house. We had been living in the shed but it had no walls and only dirt floor so that once the roof was on the I decided winter would be easier in a half a house. Moving in was relatively simple. I had two heavy things to move, the gas fridge and the potbelly stove. We relocated the stove in the ingle nook and it could then be used for cooking and warmth. I had a huge old cast iron pan that I could use to heat water.

We still had to walk to the tank beside the shed to fetch the water. There was also no electricity on the property in those days but we did have the phone and we just dug holes for toilets. When they got smelly we planted a tree in the hole and moved to the next one. Life was pretty simple in those days.

I am, of course trying to work out exactly how soon I could shift into the new house. We would need the phone down there and a fire. The fire is in but the chimney needs sorting out. A toilet and running water would be bliss. I cannot see any reason why the drains and reed bed could not be put in now but I suppose it would be better when the earth works are complete and the last of the piles of soil moved. Then we can work with the final contours of the land.

OTHER NEWS

Edd has gone to choir tonight for the first time for months. Josh has gone out and I have had the donga to myself for a few hours. This has been great because I have managed to clean up a bit and sort things out. Everything got a bit out of control around Xmas but I am fighting my way back to the top of the problem pile.

some positive things

16.1.2012

It was great. We were able to relax with our friends and enjoy a party in the new house. Everyone helped carry food down there and as our friends have many interests in common there was lots to talk about. I am so pleased with how Alvyn has managed to design the house to make this sort of event possible. The house really works for temperature control and now we find it is perfect for entertaining too.

Edd agreed to buy the bedroom furniture and with in a few hours of putting in the order we had an e-mail from friends wanting to come and stay! I knew we really needed it, but I did not expect instant proof. Today Edd went off to buy wood to make the doorframes so that we can render the guest and small bedroom.

Richard spent the day in the toilet. It looks much better now he has rendered the walls in there. I hope he will start on the snug room tomorrow whilst Edd is building the doorframes for the bedrooms. My task was to pay all the bills but in the afternoon Beth came over with two of her friends who were visiting her.

They both lived in our old house when we were in the NT and Beth was looking after the place. Anne joked that we should go back to the NT so she could move into the new house. Donna is a photographic artist and enjoyed how we had incorporated features from the old house. It is sad that we lost the lovely framed photos she gave us in the fires but one of our friends gave us another artwork on Friday that we all agree will be perfect for the new place.

We are still waiting for the scoria we need for the roof to be crushed. When this is delivered we can get the soil covering put on. I think that we have done enough earthworks now to put in the power and water so the roof covering is mainly cosmetic. The house seems to be very well insulated even without the covering. My job is still to do the floor grouting. I have two bedrooms and a small amount of passage to go so I am definitely winning.

Josh has been making clips for the fly screen windows. Josh heard Edd complain that he could not find good ones to buy, so he made a plaster mould and melted down some pewter scraps we salvaged from the fires and cast new clips. They are really very good and a most unusual recycling approach that rather appeals to us. His course in WA starts again soon but he has only to complete a small amount and write it up so we are not sure what the time frame is. It would be good if he could just flyover for a few weeks and fly back.

I must be crazy

12.1.2012

I must be crazy. Somehow I have organised the first dinner party I have given for years on Friday the13th! There are layers of difficulty to over come anyway. Firstly there is no power, water or cooking facility in the new house yet. Secondly Richard is going to finish rendering the dining hall tomorrow where we intend to eat, and also the kitchen cabinets are due to be completed during the day as well. Some how I have to get everything cleaned up and food prepared whilst the workers do their things.

Our friends are our age and have food issues. One is a vegetarian who does not eat dairy products, one is glucose intolerant, and at least two have cholesterol issues. I expect the rest have needs too but they are less obvious. My coping plan is to have mostly salads and cold food and have various different dishes that people can choose from. I am cooking the meat tonight so that the oven will be free for the rest tomorrow.

Despite these factors I am determined to try and do this. My friends have all been so supportive over these last three years when we have not had a house and I would love to take a turn at putting the effort in. Bernie goes back to the territory soon so I want her to come over before she goes off. She tells us that she loves working with the Aboriginal kids and has signed on for another year teaching in her community. Listening to her brings back all our happy memories of our time up North, especially this week when we have suddenly been plunged back to winter conditions.

Yes, we have had hail, really low temperatures and rain for several days now. Thank goodness our building work is now indoors. Edd put in the last of the air vents today. They are not difficult to put in but he has found it hard to locate the pipes now that the ceiling has hidden them. The walls were marked but they got rendered over so he has had to rely on measurements. These pipes go from the ceilings right out underground and out into the paddock away from the house. The idea is to get airflow through the house but to cool or warm the air by using the ground temperature.

I am still grouting floors. I have almost completed the smallest bedroom but I still have the larger two bedrooms and the hall passage to go. I am also organising their furniture as a way of inspiring myself to keep going. Today a small bedside rug I had ordered for Edd arrived and I also tried to get Edd interested in buying a bedroom suite for the guest room. Edd has never brought any furniture in his life so I cannot imagine why I thought he might start now. You have to keep trying, people do change, sometimes.

Beth and Simon went into the hospital in town for a consultation. It is all pretty scary. They want Simon to start the next stage of treatment fairly soon. Alvyn has phoned from NSW and says he has treated our week infestation at Cooma. This is a great relief as we were being hounded about the issue. Josh is waiting to get his exam results in writing so that he can register himself as an audiologist but mean while he is being very helpful with things round here. Yesterday we repotted some of our houseplants and split a banana plant into two. I am filling our hall with colourful plants as a form of decoration.

Harvest time

5. 1. 12

It has cooled down after a scorching week. Edd and I got in two ute and trailer loads of hay by moonlight one night and Beth and Josh helped get the rest in at an early hour next morning. Yesterday Edd returned borrowed trailers to their owners and stacked the last few bales neatly. Josh and I took Beth’s kids off to garden world for the day whilst Beth worked. This was the first time we have taken Sylvie on a long trip and she was very good.

Today Edd went off and brought a ton of oats and I went shopping for human food and needs. There were sales on and I found a wool rug at half price in spotlight that was the right colour for our guest bedroom. Our friends are already making noises about coming to stay when we move into the new house and I need to be ready for them. What a joy it will be to have somewhere to host friends again.

Nothing got done on the house during the very hot weather. It was well over 40 degrees in the donga every evening so mostly we ate out at Beth’s restaurant. She looks after us well. In fact it is almost impossible to do anything anywhere when it is that hot. It is going to take a huge effort to get our selves motivated and back into building every day.

The fox attacked again and dug into the chook pen. This time we lost the remaining faverolle, which was sad. I have left the chooks shut in their houses today but we will have to think of a new plan when it heats up again or they will cook. The pens were damaged in the fires but we have managed to keep them in action up until now.

2.1.2011

Happy New Year to all our friends and family. Basically 2011 was not very inspiring but lets us all make an effort to have a better time in 2011. As predicted it is really hot today. Wayne, Josh and Edd started work early and have already brought in one load of hay. I stayed home and did the milking and farm work and am now boiling eggs for lunch. It is already 30 degrees in here but that feels relatively cool.

It was up to 40 and beyond in here last night. We stayed out in our new house as long as possible and then came back in to sleep. I woke in the night feeling much too hot but it was a clear starry night and easy to walk down to the new house. It had stayed really cool in there all day so I was surprised that I still felt hot down there. It was actually just me starting to cook. After about half an hour I cooled down and actually needed covers to keep warm!

Hot days are not a problem now that the pool is in action again. We can live here very comfortably if we use all the facilities. I even managed to grout another metre of floor before lunch. Today is a day of high fire danger and I plan to move some of my treasured stuff down to the new house. It would be tragic to loose the little we managed to save if the donga burnt. The boxes are rather heavy so I am waiting for some help to lift them. How did I ever manage to carry them to the fire cellar three years ago?

Year's end

31.12.2011

It is now the last day of the year. My main feeling is that it has gone very quickly. It is a pity it has ended on such a difficult note but let us hope things are better in 2012. Our hay has been cut at Judy’s property down the road. I suspect that it will be baled and ready for carting on new years day. We are expecting stinking hot weather then and possibly a change afterwards.

Why does hay always happen at the worst possible time? Really this is a totally stupid time to have Xmas if you live in Australia. I guess we are stuck with New Year but my Xmas is gradually shifting to mid winter when I have time to deal with it. This might be the year I just go whole hog and accept the inevitable.

It actually feels a bit odd not building all day. Yesterday I went back to work and began to teach myself to bag walls. I have started in the laundry because I need to set up the sink in there so the plumbing can be done. I also measured up the wood needed for the vanity tops where we have basins. Edd repaired the mower, which was tangled up with wire again and did some slashing with the tractor. I found a huge snake on the lawn in the morning so we want to make sure we can see it coming.

The first of our tomatoes are going red but our biggest crop is from the runner beans. I have already blanched and frozen two bags, as there are more than we can eat. The straw berries are doing well too, but we are able to eat all that grow. The garden is also a riot of flowers despite total neglect. The red-hot pokers are on fire this year and the agapanthus makes a good contrast. The arum lilies have died back and now the Canna lilies are having their turn.

The jacaranda trees are beautiful as always and our little crepe myrtle looks all ready to bloom. Peaches, plums and apples are ripening and we even have limes on the new trees this year. There are lots of pomegranates and figs and the grape fruit are huge. We have also started eating the cheese we made from Donna, the cow’s, milk. I covered it with yellow wax and it has stayed lovely and creamy. I am really pleased with how it turned out.

The chooks are gradually recovering from the fox attack. The chook in isolation is eating and drinking well but still a bit unsteady on her feet. I have weaned Dot’s kids onto bottles and the other five kids have grown huge. Last years goatlings have filled out on the abundant grass and are fat and glossy. We still have not shorn the sheep but hay seems first on the agenda.