Another tour and a big RA team 13 & 14 March 2021

Got there lunch time on Saturday - had forgotten that Irene and co (from Kingower Music night) were dropping in for a squiz - was all ok - we arrived at 11.30

Showed them around - (12 people) - they enjoyed it, and so did I

Meanwhile Justin worked in the rotunda

And at the end, Neil and Irene gave us a nice bottle of Tasmanian bubbles for my trouble -which was very nice

So I guess I took about an hour, and we had lunch afterwards - sandwiches in the rotunda - weather quite miserable  - bit rainy and grey (looks like Alex's plugging up of the hole in the gutter has worked though - so that's got to be a good thing )

After lunch a bit/lot of sweeping....for Restoration Australia, wanted it reasonably neat and tidy

We also had a re-visit from the Bendigo Tour people - one of them dropped in another bottle of wine for me, and he told that that he was mates with the owner of Villa Fortuna in Bendigo - and had said we could contact him - and go and have a look... 

And another lady told me that she and her husband had Bishops Court in Bendigo, and also invited us to come and visit - I'd love to see both. Would be fab, and I'm sure we could get lots of ideas/advice also. 

G&T in the rotunda around 5pm - but then it got a bit cold, so went up to the veranda - J playing guitar

I had also texted Mark from RA to see if he and the others wanted to come by around 5.30 to scope out the house and garden (so that maybe they wouldn't need such an early start in the morning) 

And, yes  a couple of them did  -Mark and Wayne (Macca) came to scope out the house/garden for shots.  Macca noticed immediately that the front door had changed ie Justin had painted it a white undercoat colour

Gave them a beer each, and they wandered around  for about 1/2 hour, and then onto to the pub for a 7pm dinner booking with the others.

And yes, given that they had had a good look around, and planned shots etc, they said they would come around 8.30 tomorrow, as opposed to 7.30 - yay!

Justin and I had dinner at home -slow cooked pork in rum and pineapple sauce  (from Coles) for us - was ok, my slow cooked pork is better

Watched Yesterday on Netflix after dinner - lot of fun

Got up around 7.45 - had a quick breakfast, and then waited for the RA crew

I spied them out the front form the top veranda - doing some establishing shots before they came to us 

We were also very lucky with the weather, as yesterday had been so dreary - today was bright and blue and sunny for the whole day

 Anyway they ended up coming over after 9am - as dawn was a lot later now, and they wanted some further establishing shots before they came to us.  

They were - Mark and Macca who had come last night, Shiny the sound guy,  Craig the other camera man, and Anthony the host.  Another guy came later - Mike the series producer from Sydney

I thought it was a lot of fun, Justin a bit less so....

First up was the introduction with Anthony the host - we needed to have the front door open as he approached as it was now painted white 

Then we had to "re- take" scenes because loud trucks were going by, I stopped talking when a car went by, and they told me that I should have kept on going - they'll worry about the noise interference

I already knew that I wasn't supposed to say "like I said last time" etc as "last time" might not make it into the show, however new bad habits emerged - ie I would I tap my chest sometimes when denoting myself, and that was no good for the microphone, we also had to remember which hand we pointed with etc if it had to be re-done

And then there would be the off camera chats that we'd have which we were then told to replicate for the camera - of course with spontaneity.

Anyway, Anthony strode up the front path and met Justin and myself standing by the open front door.  He said some flattering things about the house, and then we went into the front hall, just moving through - on our way to the dining room

I'd left some wall paper on the wall by the doorway, so we were filmed there.  Justin was told to stand close, but not too close to me....

After the dining room it was the kitchen where Anthony suggested that we have the sink at the back window - elevated above some cabinetry

He wasn't a fan of extending the kitchen ie knocking out the walls either side of the hearth.

I had also asked him to suggest where a good spot for another downstairs toilet could be - and he agreed with me (yay) that the back hall would be best.  However, now Justin not only wants another downstairs toilet (if we make the downstairs bathroom our ensuite) - but another downstairs bathroom ie toilet and shower - and there definitely isn't room for both in the back hall

With this new information he suggested making a feature of it - ie a Japanese bath house type building away from the house - with a path leading to it.  This was more in line with Chris E's original idea.  And this appealed to me too - as I would love to have an outdoor bath/shower 

Anyway, we still haven't made up our minds

After the kitchen we went back into the hallway and discussed our plans for that - ie the mural with local plants and animals. Anthony was either surprised or feigned surprise that I would go up the scaffolding to strip the wallpaper/fix the plaster

J

Justin was also asked to look "more engaged" while I was talking - he has heard my stories before and was bored by them.... Had a bit of a laugh

I think we broke for lunch  after this - the crew went to the bakery, and Justin and I had sandwiches out the front

After lunch it was the Garden room  - I think they were interested in this room because of the ghost stories, and we also plan to do the plastering work ourselves  

And that was basically it for the house - they want to concentrate on 4 rooms/areas - ie the dining room, the kitchen, the garden room, and the hallway/stairway - and by default they're not interested in the big  music room or the bathroom

It was outside after this - where we did our wrap up sitting on the back veranda boards 

The roosters kept interrupting

 We were asked our budget, and time frame etc 

 

And lastly, Anthony went off to the new electric car charging station to do his wrap up. I asked if we could come and watch too, but was was asked not to come - as we might make Anthony self conscious - so we didn't

Anyway, we finished up around 4pm - which was great, as Justin wanted to go home via Maryborough, as he needed to pick up a usb stick for work

All in all, a fun and interesting day, Justin said he didn't really like it, but I'm sure he found it interesting, what with making the best of the light, getting interesting shots, continuity etc  

Kingower Music Night and more Thur 4 March - Wed 10 March 2021

Right, a stay of almost a week this time 

Alex came and picked me up Thursday late afternoon and we stopped in Kyneton for dinner.  He had wanted to go to Source Dining (where we'd been before), but they were completely booked out

So we went pot luck...

And stumbled onto a fabulous new restaurant - only 7 weeks old, Miss M's Lounge -  a wine/cocktail/ tapas bar in a Victorian building

We had a lovely dinner, and I had a fab stemmed fishbowl size G&T

The room that we were in had a bold decor - white walls and black trim (the opposite of what we would normally do).  But it looked great.  When I commented about it to the owner, he said that the ceiling in there was in a bad state of repair, and so the black hid a multitude of sins (the below photo was from the internet

And here's one of me that Alex took - with a glass of Spanish red (he was driving)

On settling the bill, I complimented the owner on the dried orange segments, and asked if he did them himself, he did, and appeared pleased/surprised that I had eaten mine from my G&T 

He said I deserved a prize - and so poured me a complimentary finger of a mysterious liqueur which I thought tasted of caramel and vanilla.  He told me to keep going, as there were actually 43 separate constituents to it.  And in fact, its called "43", and it was delicious 

And onwards to Inglewood, no kangaroos, unpacked, and then to bed

On Friday morning, our original engineer who came to assess the roof and cracks etc all those years ago came back, as I had wanted a second opinion on the south west external wall and under the stairs 

He had a good look around - and  said that in his opinion we didn't need to underpin that south west wall. Yes there had been movement, but it looks like it has basically stopped.  He did recommend some strapping? of the south kitchen/garden room wall with a "S" tightener on the outside, and a rod at floor/skirting level in the garden room.

On going under the stairs - he thought that yes it needs work (obviously) - but that a competent brickie could do it. Replacing any damaged/salt effected bricks. But we would need to remove more of the plaster to see how extensive the damage is 

And then finally out the front he noticed that the veranda had sunk a little and measured it with some string along the base of the columns

He said it should be propped up and more concrete put below it

But luckily I don't have to remember all of this - I asked him to do us another report - so we have it in writing for future reference

I  also did some weeding in the orchard 

- and reckoned there was a leak at the little fig tree, as the ground was very damp around there - with lots of healthy weeds.  And there was still a leak at the end kiwi fruit (cutting) plant - Troy had said he'd fixed it

He came again while I was at terry's cooking, but it still leaked afterwards...

And some bloody caterpillars are chomping on my grape vines - I had my revenge on them though - ie whacking stick on brick

Justin arrived around 7.15, but had left hours earlier.  It was a was a long weekend (Labour Day) - and the traffic was atrocious. He had close to a 4 hour trip.......

I had cooked up a quick Thai noodle and chicken dish for us for dinner

However, as soon as Justin arrived - we went straight up to Kingower for a sound check - Terry, David, Arlene, Mark, Dermott etc were there

They offered us a drink, but we declined, and also wondered why we didn't have jackets - was a lovely evening, but it was getting cooler - basically we didn't want to stay long, as Justin wanted to get back to the house, have dinner and relax after his arduous drive

So did the sound check - was very good, and off we went

Alex had waited for us - so we all ate together - and I was pleasantly surprised by how good the noodles were - reminded me of our dinners in Thailand last year

Saturday - and a reasonably early start, as I was expected at Terry's for cooking duties at 9am

Welcoming coffee on arrival, and then we got stuck into it 

A vast array of finger food - Terry did the fiddly rice paper rolls, (and had already done lamb dolmades, and sausage rolls) and the rest of us did smoked salmon dolmades (which were actually smoked cod), chicken balls, watermelon and fetta canapes, bruschetta, arancini balls etc.

The smoked fish dolmades didn't quite work, and the chicken balls were a bit dry, but everything else was great

Finished up around 3 or so, - and went back to Inglewood.  Penny and Nick were there by then, and the Danes arrived around 4.30.  I just wanted to relax and sit down for an hour or so, as Terry wanted me back around 5.30 to help set up etc 

Justin (and Alex) did a bit of music practice while I was at Terry's

So, Penny, Alex, Nick and I went off in the first wave.  (Justin, Chris and Jo came later) I had offered to be a designated driver, but while I was resting/being unsocial, others had stepped up ie Alex and Jo (we needed 2 x drivers, as we were 7 people)

Anyway, it was a lovely evening blue, balmy sunny, and not to cold once the sun went down

Had a lot more acts this time, so our guys only got one x set.  However there was an "Elderly Brothers" opening set that both Justin and Chris played in a bit.   I particularly Justin and Chris singing That'll be the Day - lovely harmonies

Met some nice new people - Neil and Irene (friends of Anne L) and they're coming back up to Inglewood next weekend - and they'd love to see the house....so invited them to do so

So, was yet another great night - we all had fun.  Penny, Alex and Nick left around midnight, while Justin, Chris, Jo and I left around 1am.  We sat up for a little while in the kitchen - and then bed by around 1.45am

Justin had suggested that we all meet up at 9am for breakfast on Sunday.  We heard some movements around 9.15am  - so Justin went to investigate.   

Alex and Chris were up - I suggested that the boys could organise breakfast for us - and sent a quick text to Penny and Jo advising them to stay in bed til summoned.  Worked well, and the boys provided us with bacon, eggs, fried onions, toast and coffee  in the rotunda - didn't feel guilty at all - had worked hard yesterday!

Jo had another design idea - and that was to knock out the walls either side of the hearth, and then extend the kitchen outwards towards Kingower.  That way we could have a functional original kitchen with an island bench (better for food preparation than a kitchen table), and then a nice kitchen eating area on the other side, - with maybe French windows onto the extended veranda. 

Alex had an idea also for the proposed new bathroom now (not just a toilet).  And that was to have it accessed from where the little window in the back hall is - and then run parallel to the south dining room wall.  Justin was concerned that it would block the dining room window, but said that there could be a glass box to preserve the light.  I wasn't sold on that idea - thought it a bit bitsy

So, then I combined the 2 ideas - ie if we went out with the kitchen then we could have a bathroom on the other side - but accessed via the scullery only.  That way - only one build (and its on the non heritage overlay side of the house)

But would it be brick or would it be weatherboard?

I was pretty pleased with that idea - but Justin didn't really like it, and to be honest, I wondered if it was a bit too self indulgent ie we already had an eat in kitchen (but a bit tight) and a large dining room.  Did we really need a separate type eat in kitchen also? And of course - there would be the added expense.  I would just be happy with another toilet in the back hall..... (and that's for our guests....)

But back to the present....Penny and Nick had a walk around town after breakfast, and then left, and Chris & Jo left before lunchtime

Justin, Alex and I had a lazy day, as we were still pretty tired from the night before

Monday - and it was Labour Day, and a public holiday.  Stuart the plasterer said he was coming today (Alex bet me $10 that he wouldn't)  But I believed in him, and got up early, as they had previously arrived around 7am

And so they did again - Stuart and his offsider Micka - they were very efficient - put up some cornice, reset the vent, fixed up some of the broken cornice, and laid down the mortar over the exposed bricks (Stuart said they looked very clean - I had used the salt vacuum on them some months ago)

They stayed about 6 hours

Justin and I also measured up the back hallway - for the proposed mural - took a bit of calculating (by Justin)

And Justin and Alex put up  the curtain rod (I'd found the supports) and then put up the curtains - the gold floral ones (like we have in Melbourne) - in the little yellow room

And I fixed up the curtain hooks for the curtains in our room (I'd hooked them on wrong originally)

Justin left after all of this - while Alex and I remained til Wednesday afternoon

More gardening for me, and Alex did some great odd jobs which had really been bugging me for ages 

ie he upgraded the vegie garden tap.  Justin and Mark had originally put the tap in and attached it to a solid piece of wood and surrounded it by stones.  - all those years ago.  But then T had put in a new crappy tap just attached to a crappy star picket.  Alex rejigged the 2 to make it a lot better

He also plugged up (no more gaps) the small hole in the veranda gutter which then leaked onto the veranda every time it rained

And identified a hole in a join in the top gutter (need a cherry picker for that)

And he  cut down the dead branches from the mulberrry trees (also stopping more twigs etc getting into the gutter)

And back to my gardening -I was pleased to see that the watermelon was flowering. It's probably too late in the season to get a ripe watermelon, but you never know

I trimmed the wormwood at the front - which was getting very overgrown

 

And trimmed the roses which were going crazy

Discovered some plants (like cannas?) near the old stump, and transported them to the front garden bed

I pruned the plum tree

And trimmed the irises in the mulberry beds and also the front beds. Had absolutely filled Gordon's trailer, so left the piles of trimmings around the garden

In the evenings, after a welcome shower, G&Ts and dips and biscuits in the rotunda, and then dinner we went psatirs after dinner and watched shows on Alex's ipad - saw a British series - Behind her eyes, which was ok, but didn't absoluley grab us'

Would have a welcome shower after all this gardening, then a welcome G&T and dips in the rotunda, a modest dinner and then upstairs to watch shows on Alex's ipad

The first night we saw a couple of episodes of a British series - Behind her eyes - which was ok, but it didn't absolutely grab us

So the next night we watched a movie - I Care a lot with Rosamund Pike - which was excellent

We left on Wednesday around 12, and stopped in Kyneton again - this time for lunch

Went to a different cafe Little Swallow cafe - and had a lovely lunch - and then home to my family

And, the reason that Alex had come up, was that he had finished up at Australia Post,  loves coming up to Inglewood, gets on well with me, and wanted a break from Melbourne