Fri 18- Sun 20 November 2011 :- Up in the roof

Rain! Although it stopped pretty much after the Great Dividing Range

Arrived up there on Friday night after Mum kindly agreed to look after the kids for the weekend

Stopped in at the Fish & Chip shop/Bakery - and immediately saw a couple of familiar faces :- Jamie Nevins, and James the butcher.  Both told us what a good job the roofers are doing what hard workers they are etc.  In fact various other people also told us the same thing over the weekend, so when Gordon called a few days later, I told him of the good reports I had received.  Jokingly told him I had spies everywhere providing me with unprompted reports.

So got a couple of burgers for dinner and on to the house.  It was still light so had a bit of a look around.  New slate tiles on the front of the roof.  Various plants that I had carefully planted no where to be seen.  Either died or trampled etc. I was a bit put out that the special protea that I had bought from the plant show with Carolyn appeared to have been squashed by a scaffolding bottom piece.  The totem tennis which I had by the back door was also gone

But the biggest difference was all of the digging... Daniel had put in a new pipe for hot /cold water so had connected it up to the water meter, and had to dig through Justin's new path, under the central concrete path (had to up lift a panel) across to the other un-made path and then around to the south side of the house to hook up with the bathroom and the soon to be installed new hot water service. He had also pulled up all of the unsightly above ground metal water pipes and installed a brand spanking new tap at the meter in the front

Justin's slightly runined front path

water pipe under the removed concrete panel



digging for the pipes



And then there was  a massive hole at the back where he had been looking for the sewerage connection.  He'd called me earlier in the week to say that despite the Coliban Water plan there was no actual connection there. And he dug and dug and kept looking.  In the end Coliban Water agreed that there was no connection - and said they would pay for his wasted hours.  It was certainly a huge mess around there - not helped by all of the rain and mud

massive hole in the search for a sewerage connection

lots of clay

Our shoes became absolutely caked in sticky mud/clay which was rather difficult to get off.  This weekend we certainly segregated our shoes into inside and outside shoes.

We had hoped that the hot/cold water and toilet would be finished, as that had been the plan. However Daniel managed my expectations by sending me a text earlier in the week, saying it wasn't finished - due to the mucking around looking for the sewerage connection.  Oh well another weekend of public conveniences.  There was still I suppose the tank tap (or maybe it's from the well) which worked outside the kitchen, and also the new tap in the front - so we weren't completely dry.  I had also brought a large 10L? bottle of water from home which turned out to be a good thing.

where the old toilet was - and inprpeparion for the new toilet

The insurance people had also cleared away the old laundry debris, picked up all of the flooring bricks, and marked out the square for construction.  We wondered about that, and I called them later in the week asking their plans for the floor - we didn't want a dirt floor.  anyway, yes they'll replace the bricks as per the orginal.


laid out for the new laundry


And Bruce had started on the back verandah poles.  I thought he hadn't quite finished because the bottom of the poles were a good 30cm above the ground with an unsightly metal sleeve holding it up. However this wasn't an interim measure, this was it, and I wasn't happy with it. Didn't really bother Justin.  I ended up speaking to Bruce about it, and he explained that he had to cut the bottom of the poles so high because the rest was rotten.  And he said what good poles they were, we wouldn't get anything like these again etc.  However I didn't like the look of them so high, thought they looked ugly,  He said he had bought replacement poles for them anyway, so he'll put them in for us, as to me a pole is a pole, especially once it's painted.  I felt better after that as it would have niggled at me if I hadn't said anything, and been left unsatisfied

rather high sleeves for verandah poles

Had a relatively easy Saturday, as it rained on and off so doing anything outside was not a good idea. Read the papers, tidied up inside a bit.  Justin also bought some of that expander foam  to fill in the cracks in the brick work to stop the bees from coming back.  So he was scampering around the scaffolding - being relatively careful...

Super fly!

Justin hiding up near the chimney

very cool up there (actually this photo was taken on Sunday - better weather)

nice day - Sunday

Also went up into the roof  to have a look

I don't like ladders.  Or rather I've discovered that I don't really like climbing up relatively high ladders, and then having to hoist myself up through a man hole another metre or so above me...



man hole in the ceiling cavity - with orginal insulation (dirt)





Justin descending the man hole

 Well, I didn't really have to to do it, but rather thought it was something that I should do, or would like to do.  Justin was going up into the roof space and I decided to join him.  He went up first, and he didn't have a problem, and certainly didn't make a fuss, then it was my turn.  Had got our longest ladder, and had to stand on the very top and hope that the ladder wouldn't topple backwards (it didn't).  The man hole is off the hall way, between the going to be bathroom and the other small room.  So I figured even if the ladder swung backwards, it would only go back a metre or two against the linen press and still be upright.  Taking my feet off the ladder and suspending myself up 3m high, with Justin also helping me was a bit hairy.... So, got into the roof space and looked around, unfortunately no hidden or obvious) treasures.  There was a thick coating of dirt on the floor - which were floorboards.  We wondered if it was just dirt built up  over time, but Gordon the roofing guy advised that it would have been the old original insulation which would have been a mixture of clay, straw and perhaps even dung.  Looked in vain for any overlooked treasures, oh well will just have to look harder....


arch way up in the ceiling cavity





a few spider webs in the ceiling cavity - no treasure though


We also wondered about some wires and junction type boxes that we found.  Figured that they were for the servant bells as they went all around the ceiling.  Gordon reckons that they would still be good, and that we could reconnect them within the house.  Thought it could be a funny way to call the children, they didn't really see the humour in it!

junctions for servant bells



Junctions for servant bells #2

 We also saw these pipes which we figured were for the gas lights in some of the rooms.  Funny, the gas we get now is via large tanks - I wonder how these lights where the gas would have come from for these lights?


pipe for gas lighting

 Anyway, to the pub for dinner as per the norm, and we ran into Jamie and his wife,  and James and his wife again - after having seen them in the takeaway shop the night before.  We assured them all that we weren't stalking them. 

Sunday, and although it was a bit overcast to start with, the morning developed into a lovely blue sky day as per some of the previous photos of Justin on the scaffolding.  Once Justin got around to the jacaranda side he saw that the bee hive was still there (most of the bees gone though).  Thought it prudent to knock down the hive - so did so.  Pity that it's been poisoned, would have been lovely to have our own honey!

honey comb which Justin knocked down from the roof

Given that the weather improved, I went back out into the garden, more weeding out the front, and watered some of the drier looking plants.  Also harvested my 6 cherries - delicious!!

And, I found my special protea, it had been pulled out of the ground and was near one of the lemon trees, I assume that the scaffolders had pulled it out and had maybe thought about re-planting it elsewhere, but then forgot.  Anyway, proteas are supposed to be tough, and there was still some green, so I replanted it, watered it, and hoped for the best.

Decided to leave after lunch , and was departing the "comfort station" when a lady behind me asked if I'd just come from the "mansion" Somewhat embarrassed, I assented, after all why would someone with a "mansion" have to go to public toilets?  Anyway, this lady was here with her Mum who had lived in Inglewood 20+ years ago - in the Charles Napier Hotel now an antique/2nd hand shop .  She told me how the "old lady" who had lived there was quite interesting.  - as one day the Mum was walking her dog off a leash out the front of Nimmitabel, and the old lady came out with a shot gun and threatened to shoot it - because it was off the leash.  Luckily she didn't.. And this isn't the 1st shotgun dog story we've heard about her either.

So, for our next visit we will be living in the lap of luxury with a flushing toilet, town water - HOT and cold.  A non leaky roof, and perhaps even the replaced mid level windows which Ken was working on. I'm going up there this Saturday for the day with my friend Susan - so will see all then

On the basis of this I've also organised an Inglewood Christmas for us up there.  Us 4, Mum, Helen & her kids, Sarah and her kids, Becky & Elise, and Brian & Clare -  I'm really looking forward to it.  Turkey on the BBQ, decorations around the lower levels of the cypress tree etc

12 November 2011 Scaffolding and a toilet

Once again another lightning day trip visit -this time with my Mum - as Justin was rather busy and Mum said that she'd enjoy the day trip.

The purpose of the quick trip was rather exciting  to us at least - as I drove the ute up  (no,that's not the exciting bit) with a new toilet, laundry sink and mixer tap.

Toliet and cistern just waiting for installation

Un-used by us - chemical toilet in our bathroom



Ladie's toilet from across the road -
maybe the last time we'll go here?



Ladie's hand basin from across the road
as per above - maybe the last time we'll go here?

laundry sink waiting for installation
in the scullery/laundry


Yes, that's right - we're getting proper inside plumbing - I've organised with Daniel the plumber to come up next week and hook everything up - including HOT WATER!!! with a new hot water service.  We may then be able to give Clancy back his camping hot water machine

Anyway, there was a little glitch - I had thought that Justin had forgotten to pack the laundry mixer tap, but he had put it in the ute cabin under some packing sheets.  We unfortunately didn't realise this until 1/2 hour outside Melbourne on the way back.  I spoke to Daniel the next day and he said that was fine, he'd come back anyway to do the laundry bit ...I must admit that I was inwardly berating Justin for forgetting the tap - and was going to call and tell him off.  But then I  reasoned that that would be pointless, so why bother and cause a fight.  Then, when Mum found it I got mad all over again - that he had hidden it under the sheets - and as if we'd look there - why didn't he tell us.  But once again I didn't call. - because what was the point?  So, by the time we got back to Glen Iris - I was pretty much laughing about it...

But wait, there were THREE more causes for excitement :-

1) Three cherries on my cherry tree look almost ripe - yes it's pathetic I'm counting the cherries - let's see if they're still there for our next visit - so that I can eat them

Ripe cherries - and I still haven't managed to focus
on close ups with my mobile phone camera 

2) Excitement #2 was that the fallen down fence has finally been replaced by dark green colourbond

Bit hard to see that the colourbond is dark green - but it is!


l

 And for the final #3 excitement.... The scaffoldng is all up around the house in preparation for the roofers.  The big hive was gone, and I didn't see any bees around the walls either.  However I did get a call from the roofer later in the week saying that the bees were there and he couldn't get onto to the pest guy...

scaffolding looks pretty impressive

from the verandah

south side

Back - and you can also see that Ken has taken
the broken windows from the mezzanine room
 - so they should be fixed up soon too

North side

south side again with ladders for access

north side again with scaffolding going
through crappy old wood shed

Anyway, Justin & I will be up again this weekend (19 & 20 November) and should hopefully see lots more changes. The installed toilet, a new hot water service, hot water to the kitchen and bathroom, plumbed waste pipes (at the moment the ktchen sink empties straight outside the house, as does the bathroom shower and basin!)

We should also see some of the roofing done - ie new tiles put down or a tarp covering what they have done.  Maybe Ken will have replaced the mezzanine windows.  And I spoke to Daniel today who told me that the Bay Building group people were there today rebuilding the old laundry shed - so it's all go go go ....

Halloween & Melbourne Cup Oct/Nov 2011

Well, it's been a busy 4 days....

First to Tullamarine to pick up Carolyn who had flown down from Sydney, and then onto Inglewood for Shareena's wedding in our garden at 2pm

Got to Inglewood around 11.30 and gave C a tour of the house - many many bees.  In fact there were a vast number on the floor of the upstairs large room (some still alive). It smelled sweet in the room - from the honey.  Reminding me of the mallaleuca honey smell in Port Douglas

dead bees

And a swarm had also taken up residence under the eaves near the jacaranda.  Will  we ever get rid of them?

dark round blot under the eaves is the swarm

Well the answer has to be yes, as the scaffolders won't start until the bees are removed.  The slate people can't fix up the roof until the scaffolding is up, and we continue to be nervous while the roof  still leaks when it rains.

Had a walk around town, and then bought some provisions for lunch - settled down under the portico in the front, - smoked salmon with cream cheese & capers, some brie and some crusty bread, washed down by some white wine. Very civilised.

A van pulled up after 1pm, I thought it was a photographer to video the wedding - but no - it was Sam the electrician - as I'd called him up late on Thursday or Friday to see if he could install a powerpoint for the soon to be installed hot water system.  I was very surprised and rather pleased when he said that he could do it then and there! And he doubled our powerpoint quotient - from 3 to 6! So we now have 2 outside and 2 in the kitchen (as well as the original 2 in the dining room and the front room) J contends that it was really only doubling, as doubles just really count as singles,  - but I'll stick with my doubling claim

new kitchen powerpoint

new outside powerpoint in preparation for new hot water service

Wedding guests started arriving around 1.45 or so, and I suggested that they might like to come into the garden, as they were milling around outside.  I had also set up some our folding chairs - even though Shareena said that they didn't need them.

It was getting onto 2pm - and no one had come to lay out the red carpet for the bride to "walk down the aisle" on.  Being a little bossy, I took it on myself to go and find someone to do so.  Some other people came and "demanded" my table for the signing of the registry book.  I was a little miffed, as they weren't so much asking as taking - and Justin had only just brought up the set a couple of days ago - so they couldn't have been counting on it.  In fact what would they have done if it wasn't there?

Shareena arrived via the back gate - and the wedding began.  Carolyn and I rubber-necked from the back - and luckily the weather was fine and sunny.  It had been raining back in Melbourne - and in fact had been a reasonably miserable 4 days of weather in Melbourne - while it was fine and sunny here every day - bit windy on Saturday though.

there goes the bride

the vows

after the deed

So, the wedding went without a hitch (ha ha no pun intended), followed by the wedding party having some photos inside the house - and left around 4 or so.  Carolyn and I then jumped in the car and had a look and walk around the Inglewood Botanic Gardens, and then up to the look out point a little beyond there.  They had removed the viewing structure which had previously been cordoned off - we assume because it was unsafe.  Scrambled up the mound anyway, and looked at all the surrounding bush -with just the flag and town hall clock tower as the only visible attractions in town.

Then back to Melbourne for our school reunion....

Sunday evening and I'm back in Inglewood - after 2 x cancelled cricket activities for Fraser during the day.  J had come up earlier with Mad in the ute - with yet another bed - this time a mahogany queen sleigh bed - yes of course from ebay (forgot to take a photo of it - and I can't seem to copy the photo from ebay - oh well)

Dinner at the pub with the family and also Alex and April - not too cold - so didn't have a fire when we got home - just sat in the dining room reading the papers etc - I had a relatively early night as I was tired from my reunion the night before 

Monday - and yet more gardening /weeding etc.  Gordon had filled the vegie boxes with more horse manure & straw, and J had gone into Bridgewater and ordered some top soil for the vegie boxes; and some sand and white pebbles for the path that we outlined with bricks months ago. 

pebbles and sand (top soil dumped at the vegie boxes)

J also started the outline of a path on the other side of the central path (forgot to take photos of this)  

And he finished off painting the front door frame - 2nd coat? - and filled the right hand path outline with sand and pebbles

painting man

There was also some excitement in the morning as another work van had arrived with 3 guys ready to put our posts up for the replacement fence on the North side.  On Saturday the fence was still up (with the exception of the blown down section) - however when we came up on Sunday it was all down.  

Anyway these guys started digging post holes and unfortunately nicked a water pipe.  This pipe was only a small black plastic? tube that came into our property from under Storm Lane, and then looped along the top of the front fence before disappearing again underground at the water meter approx 10m away from the fence.  We couldn't quite figure out how it all worked - as we're still not sure what water comes out of which taps ie town water, tank #1, or tank #2 - and there is a network of surface metal pipes all over the garden.  Anyway they fixed up the nick and then cheekily suggested that we put a tap in - near the lane ie before our water meter - and then we wouldn't have to pay for any water... We declined.  And speaking of water - hoorah - the water is "miraculously" back on in the kitchen.  Whether it had rained more and the tank had filled (unlikely?) - or a rat had dislodged in the tank/pipe - Justin & Alex's unpalatable suggestion - who knows - it's back on - and we're happy!

So - to what I did during the day - well, I planted some more plants that I'd brought from Melbourne - a couple of small angel's trumpets, a small loquat tree, an unusual protea, some marigolds, some small lavenders, some hellebores and some other plants that I can't remember the names of

Also admired some of the new flowers that had emerged such as some poppies that were in flower (I'd raised from seeds

poppies in the front

roses - who knows what type?

new yellow iris

And  I also admired the new fruit in my orchard...

squint and you'll see some cherries and you can see the fence down and new posts up in the background

likewise a rather immature peach

J had also put the rope ladder up in the tree - as I had cleared away most of wire etc under there - was quite a hit with the kids - now all we need is a tree house...

up he goes

Nin and kids arrived in the late afternoon - after1st  having made a deal with Fraser.  It was Halloween - and April had said that it would have been great if Fraser had his gilly suit for trick or treating.  Obviously we weren't going to go back for it - but I said he could call up Nin and see if would agree to go to our place and pick it up.  Surprisingly the answer was yes, but for a price - and the price was that Fraser would wash and clean Nin's car when he arrived - I questioned whether Nin would or could  actually collect.  However collect he did - F vacuumed and washed like a navvy - as well as Nin and Alex and some of the other kids

While they were doing this, I was putting the top soil on my vegie boxes and then planting various seeds that Kate had given me ie pumpkin, watermelon, onions, parsley, corn, etc. Cesky was a little darling and asked if she could help - I'm so unused to unprompted offers of help from children - it was really lovely

Cesky helping in the vegie garden

Worked through til after 6 - and then the trick or treaters started coming by (unfortunately forgot to take photos of them also)  The 1st lot were going to walk straight past our gate - so I sort of called them in - were they shy/scared?  Well it didn't stop them accepting the hand fulls of lollies/chocolates that April was doling out from a large bowl.  Several lots of kids went by, and these subsequent ones didn't have to be urged in.  Surprisingly - our kids didn't go - Cesky, Rory and Charlie were all dressed up and had their faces painted, Mad and April had  made up some "bloody" bandages (tomato sauce mixed with chocolate sauce) and Alex had put the gilly suit on -and given some of our kids a fright

  

Meantime I was relaxing on the veranda with a well deserved G & T.  Back to the pub for dinner, I didn't feel like making dinner, and obviously no one else did either (Must admit I was hoping that a mythical "someone" would)   Kids were once again attracted to the "claw" machine by the lure of lollies/chocolates.  Enzo must have seen them playing on it and came across with a key - opened the large glass door and invited the girls to help themselves - 7th heaven! Although we told them they could only take one each.  Got Alex to take  a photo as proof - as the poor boys - Fraser, Rory and Charlie were in the bathroom - with F scrubbing paint off R's face.  Told them of our windfall on their return - and they were understandably incredulous - thus the digital proof was proffered... - and then the howls began - oh it's not fair, why weren't we here etc etc 

Back from the pub, and sat in the dining room with a well cut pumpkin which Nin had made grinning at us while J played the guitar

rather good isn't it

halloween guitar strumming

  

Tuesday morning - Melbourne Cup Day - Nin went and scouted us some coffees which was very nice, and then J made us all bacon and eggs for breakfast on the BBQ.  - good heart country breakfast

Bruce and a couple of mates also came by and removed our old outdoor toilet - as it was a bit of an eyesore, and hopefully the "laundry" will be rebuilt soon - given that they're starting on the fence now

pre removal

and off it goes

 

A little while later Nin introduced an older couple to us - who were on a Reilly car rally - they had admired the house - and wanted to have a chat.  They were very pleasant and had told us how they had seen a couple of lovely old Victorian wardrobes destroyed in a worker's cottage in Brighton because no one could be bothered to take them.  If he'd known he would have brought them up for us - as it was only a few weeks ago.  He said he'd keep his eyes open for any other old pieces - and took Alex's card as a contact point.  And while all of this was going on, I was told that there was a man at the door with flowers for me.  This naturally piqued my interest - so I went to investigate.  It was David at the back door with a lovely bunch of roses from his garden. He proceeded to tell me the names of the roses. The 1st was "seduction" and I advised that it probably wasn't a good idea to give me such a rose in front of my husband - and we all laughed.

He had also brought his dog with him - a large Italian sheep dog - maremma called Gretchen

Gretchen, Fraser & David

  

Put the roses in our blue and white vase in the hallway - looked very nice

still life

Back to the garden, and the kids also had some fun playing chasey around the garden, and then also in the pebbles as they buried Charlie

looking comfortable

job well done - and mind the spade

Nin and kids left before lunch, and Justin and our kids followed a bit later in the ute.  We had talked about all making a sweep for the Melbourne Cup - but the others had left well before the race, and we should have really all watched it together for the sweep to be most fun - so it didn't happen

A made us some sandwiches for lunch, and I also had a beer, as it was had got warm working out in the sun (with a hat of course) - and I felt it well deserved.

I had been thinking of doing something more constructive than weeding for a while - so attempted to continue the brick outline of the front path - was ok, but I'm sure that J will rip it up and do it again - as it isn't quite good enough

my slightly wonky path - and small
section of pebble filled path

and from a different perspective

A & A left after 3 or so, and I stayed on till 5 - watering in the new plants again - so until, next time....