full speed ahead

24.11.11

BUILDING NEWS

Where on earth did this week go? I can’t believe that it is Friday tomorrow! We have had lots of workers this week. Gary arrived on Monday with a team of extra workers. I was happy to see that these included my friends younger son, Andrew, who I have know since he was a baby. He has done lots of work for us over the years but his main job is in landscape design so he is good with the stonework. The stone team also included Larry, who I have not met before and Andrews apprentice, Ayden.

Pat and helper came to work on the wiring and one of the plumbers worked with Edd yesterday trying to fix the solar panels, Trying being the operative word because the stands we were given in Dandenong last Saturday did not fit the panels. Even

Stevo came back to finish the wood framing he had put up and set places for the lights.
I carried on with my usual grouting but this was hard because all the workers brought their dogs to work with them. I am not happy about this but as I really like the work they are doing and want it done fast it is probably better not to make a fuss.

The stonework outside at the front is now complete and today everyone is up on the roof putting stone round the chimneys. They have also started a feature wall inside the solar buffer zone that looks fantastic. They decided to do the wall before paving the last floor section in case the stone messes up the pavers. I am now grouting a path from the to the kitchen back wall so that we can bring the stoves in.

Edd has now brought the air pipes and we need to get them up in the ceilings as soon as possible. The plasterers say they will be here Monday or possibly tomorrow and it needs to be done before they get here. The drainage cell to go outside also arrived yesterday so now all that is needed is a bit of waterproofing on the back of the wing walls and then we are ready to bury the house! Things really are moving fast now.

OTHER NEWS

Moira visited us again this week and interviewed me again as part of her fire trauma research project. I actually found it very hard this time. It is well over a year since we last did this and I have got used to the new shape of our life so that it is now our normal. I just do not have time to think about the past. As we get close to having a house again I do sometimes think of all the things we don’t have to put in it.

I miss silly things like a big smooth rock that lived by the door. It shattered in the fire to reveal that it was made of quartzite but we could not tell this before as it had been polished in the creek until it glistened. How sad also that all the artwork I had done over my lifetime is gone and of course I will miss the amazing antique furniture my family in the UK gave us.