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. Beni 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.

Bo 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. Al 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.