Bathroom Vanity and new veranda 18 & 19 November

A quick overnighter for me this weekend - as I wanted to get the bathroom vanity up to Inglewood, and also to have a look at the work that Ben and the boys had done.

Had also organised to have a haircut with Michelle

Saw Frank walking down Brooke Street, so asked him if he'd give me a hand getting the vanity off the ute, and taking it inside.  He told me to give him 10 minutes, and then he'd be over, and he was.

He also offered to take it upstairs, but I thought just in the hallway was fine

We'll have to get a new basin for it (as the one it is is cracked and siliconed back together), thought that would be easy, but it doesn't seem to be a standard size anymore - asked at Reece, and did a bit of internet research also.  No problem, Ben said he'd sort it out.

And of course I had a good look around to see what Ben and the crew had been up to in the last couple of weeks - quite a lot.

They have removed the wallpaper from our room, and started fixing up some of the cracks.  There aren't too many cracks there - so we'll fix it up and paint, or maybe even wallpaper with William Morris Wallaper if it isn't too prohibitively expensive.

Ben's photo

My photo

The dining room was back to normal, minus that pesky bounce near the book shelf.  They'd even re-laid the lino - very impressive

And here was how they had progressed

Dining room - getting rid of bounce

Dining room - getting rid of bounce

Dining room - getting rid of bounce

Dining room - getting rid of bounce

Dining room - getting rid of bounce - laying a concrete pad

Dining room - getting rid of bounce

Also got to the bottom of the mysterious "sail" that Ben had found under the dining room floorboards -just looked like a crappy old shower curtain - how it got under the dining room floorboards - who knows....

They had also found a cute little porcelain doll - armless

They had managed to get  the lino off in the kitchen - and what a rotten job that would have been...given that the backing paper was glued to the floorboards like in the bathroom

And they neatly stacked the dishes/foods in the back hall

Upstairs, and the veranda was looking fantastic

Not quite finished though, as they'd run out of boards and had to get some more

Justin was also pleased that they had swapped over the clunky roofing screws that were anchoring the ironwork

And here's how they got there

They had also made a start in the bathroom - cutting out part of the plaster in preparation for the pipework

Also had a look around the garden

Nice flower spike on the yucca variant

There were also a couple of new tentative asparagus spears, however the tomatoes, chillis and spinach that I'd planted 2 weeks ago were no where to be seen, - either eaten or shrivelled into nothing

Had some quick lunch - a Butter Chicken pie from Cousins Jacks - not bad, and then off for my haircut at 12.30.

Had to do a bit of work after my haircut (preparation for  some L'Oreal training) - which was a bit of a nuisance.  Therefore had a quiet night, no socialising.  Had a solitary G&T on the new veranda (lovely), and a dinner of Melbourne leftovers. And of course watched a couple of Monarch of the Glen episodes.

For some reason the veranda sash window door wouldn't close properly, and I noticed that the rope was frayed a bit on the left hand side.  Made me cross all over again at the shoddy job that had been done years ago.

Sunday, and I called up Enzo to advise that I'd emptied his fridge,and that I could drop it off to him.  He wouldn't hear of it, and came and got it himself.  Confessed up about the plums, but he wasn't fussed.

Pottered around a bit, did some more work work, and then left for Melbourne, as we had Jo's garden party at 2pm

I mentioned the veranda sash window not closing properly to Ben later in the week, and he had a look at it and advised that it was all tangled up inside (because it was fraying there too), and that he'd fix it
Would have been a disaster if it had fallen on someone.  So they fixed it up properly.  Previous shoddy tradesman had used the wrong type of rope, as he had for the sash windows that he's "fixed".  Most of those have broken now also - and will have to be re-done.

Inglewood Alive (and Justin's birthday) 4th & 5th November 2017

The plan had been to take up the bathroom vanity, however it had rained overnight, so Justin didn't want to load it onto the ute's wet tray.

Given that I wasn't taking the vanity, I decided to drive the passat, as it's more comfortable, but it also meant that I wouldn't be taking Helen's floorboards to her.

I left around 8.30, and got there around 10.30, was very interested to see the progress that Ben had made

He had been sending me update photos via text during the week.  He had also said that he would start last Monday, (23rd), and that he would keep the place nice and tidy and clean

Below are his photos

fixing up the loose tessellated tiles

fixing up the floorboards at the entrance to the green room

Green room - replacing bad floorboards

green room adding in new floor boards

replacing bad boards in dining room

cellar stairs

fixing up sunken and cracked hearth in our room

in preparation for the hearth stone

 He and his blokes (his son Charlie) and mate Andrew had done a great job, and it was nice and clean and tidy - I was very impressed (as was Justin)

They had also taken the awful yellow lino out of our room, plus the lino from the back hall.  The kitchen lino defeated them for the time being, it was the like the stuff in the bathroom - in effect glued to the floorboards and very difficult to get off.

Given that our room was empty (in preparation for stripping the wallapaper), he had re-set us up in the green room.  We ended up taking the red room, and Fraser had the green room, which is his normally anyway.

Anyway, true to his word, the house was nice and tidy and clean (where he'd been) - so I was very pleased.

green room set up for us

goodies that Helen left behind for us in the Sep school holidays

Dining room with the lino rolled up carefully, and some boards replaced

I should also add that the dining room boards were lovely and pristine, possibly never even walked upon. Ben had removed a central spine of boards in order to  get rid of the bounce in the floor.  And he had discovered that there was no central joist, so he is going to make one.  

dining room

reinstated hearthstone

bits of the mantle undercarriage (that fell on Andrew's head)

our room - with the lino taken up

Back hall with lino gone

I forgot to take a photo of the fixed cellar stairs, however they no longer pull away from the wall, and they now touch the ground.  They had also cleaned out the cellar ie removed the wooden venetian blinds, and also cleaned out the back hallway ie removed the shower screen, foldup table etc

I rang Justin and advised him how good it was all looking

Went up the street,  and saw a lot of yarn bombing on bollards, light poles trees etc .Nice and colourful



Bought a leg of lamb for dinner, and dropped in on the Op Shop ladies and Denise & Steven.  Denise showed me her magnificent red roses, and then brought me around a gorgeous bunch.

Did an inspection of the garden and saw that the central trunk of the plum tree near the vegie patch had snapped.



Also my single asparagus spear had disappeared - not sure if eaten or disintegrated (not happy about that) - as Justin had put in a new watering computer last time, so it should have been watered every 2nd day.

The pecan and persimmon don't seem to have survived either (had bought these in the tree drive)

And the cumquat and orange in the front - have shrivelled, and that was after them looking so good 2 weeks ago.  I'm assuming frost - as they're pretty in the open there.  I gave them a good watering.

Justin and Fraser arrived around  12.15, ( Fraser told me how they had been driving behind a motor cyclist, who had an open pannier - items were flying out it - gloves etc.  Justin flashed his lights to try and alert him.  Given that it was lunch time, and a little cool, we had hot pies under the tree   Fraser came as a favour to Justin, for Justin's birthday tomorrow.  Fraser was also revising for his VCE exams, as he has one this Monday, another on Wednesday, and the last on the 15th.

Justin went and had his haircut after lunch, Fraser went up to study, and I donned my coveralls (too cool for overalls) and weeded out the back.

Felt like a break around 2.30, so suggested we go to the Royal for a coffee.  Denise had told me that the lady had set up a pop up coffee shop for the weekend (still waiting on liquor licensing to come through, as the previous proprietor had let it lapse)

Introduced ourselves - Marg- ie (hard "g", and Sharon her bridesmaid from some time ago).  Both are very ncie and friendly.  So, had our coffee, and took a choclate milkshake back for Fraser who was studying upstairs.

Fraser enjoying his milkshake

Back to the weeding for me, and Gordon also dropped in to say hello

Fraser and I also did a bit of shopping at the IGA, dips, hash browns etc.  Saw Noi on the way who insisted on giving me some lovely curly lettuce, coriander, dill etc

Started cooking around 4.30 or so, went and peeled some potatoes, and put the them and the lamb in the oven.  Prepared a salad and a nibbles platter for the veranda - cheese, dips, pizza shapes, G&T etc

Got a little cool, so went inside to wait for dinner

The boys played some virtual "ice hockey"

Had dinner upstairs, as the dining room was dis-assembled.

Fraser then went on to study, and Justin and I watched 48 hours with Nick Nolte and Eddie Murphy, hadn't seen it in years, and quite enjoyed it.

Relatively early night - in the red room

Sunday, and Justin's birthday.  I made breakfast with a little help from Fraser (he cooked the eggs) :-bacon, eggs, hash browns, tomato, baked beans, coffee

Had it outside at our normal breakfast table

Justin taking a birthday call

We also moved our cars which were parked out the front, otherwise we would have been parked in by the bouncy castle people who were setting up literally out the front - for Inglewood Alive

I couldn't resist having a go at the archery - releasing my inner Katniss from Hunger Games.  I was pretty good if I do say so myself, came very close quite a few times, and at the end knocked one of the balls off also (that's what you're supposed to do)

view from the town hall

So, had a wander in the Town Hall, saw the art gallery, Justin quite liked one of the paintings. 

And then wandered down the street, saw Maile & David ( a few times) Bev, Gordon's wife, Jamie and family, etc.  Also went inside one of the shops on Brooke street that we hadn't been in before.  Had been an old garage

The Morris Minor club was there with lots of old cars on display, plus other old cars and motor bikes. Lots of people milling around, and just a perfect day weatherwise

this bike can apparently go 60kph

Our woodchopping event was on at 12.30.  Jan, her brother Ken and I as sponsors were invited into restricted areas.  Stupidly exciting for me. I was thrilled.

Took a photo of one of the boy's foot/calf to show the protection that they have under their cricket whites/volleys - just in case they slip with the very sharp axe

So, our junior event ran, and the winners and runners up came and got their cash prizes - and then had the official photos taken (the below photos are from Justin)

 

Met up with Ben after this (Justin hadn't met him before) and we went around the house talking about priorities.  Upstairs bathroom, veranda (Ben has ordered wood for the veranda), flywire screens  etc.  Justin also wants decking for the back veranda, I would prefer an under stair toilet.  Anyway, we'll see what Ben's plumber has to say.

Justin left for Warrnambool soon after this, and Fraser and I got a late lunch - from the smoke house brisket van. 

Planted some vegies, did a little bit of watering. 

Tidied up, did dishes etc, and left with Fraser around 4pm