Cam update 23 Feb 2024

Cam went  to finish up this week 

Put the handle in the powder room door

Attached the "N"s for Nimmatabel on the tie rods

Installed an automatic sump pump in the cellar - yay - and we should have done this years ago. Also rescued a frog down there

And measured the kitchen bench - for the cushions that we're having made up

Also - installed an off/off switch for the back veranda light,  moved the sconce in  our en suite to make the 2 of them symmetrical, and reinstated the 3rd powerpoint in the music room - no photos of these  

Martha and fridge moving 16-18 February 2024

Despite best intentions, I didn't get to Inglewood til late afternoon on Friday....

It was quite warm, and I had a quick look around the garden

More lovely canna flowers

And I also took a photo of the hedge that Alex had trimmed last weekend

And I texted Michael T to ask if he might help me move the 2 fridges tomorrow - the new one from the front hallway, and the old one from the middle hallway to his place....

He kindly said yes, and came over around 10am on Saturday morning

Easier said than done, he took one look at my 4 wheeled flat bed trolley, and asked if I had something else ....and also how were we going to transport the old fridge to his place?  I hadn't brought the ute.... Anyway, we (or rather I) thought we'd manage.  

I went and borrowed an upright trolley from Steve, and we loaded the new fridge - only thing was, the fridge was pretty heavy, and the tyres were somewhat flat, which made it harder to push/steer

We decided that the best way would be through the front door, around the garden, and then in the back door.  Michael was pushing/steering and I was making sure it stayed on the trolley

Anyway, by the time we got it to the back door, Michael had decided that he would go and get his trailer for the other fridge, and suggested that I take the packaging off this new one 

It should just fit through the door - without squashing too many fingers

Michael came back with his trailer, and also with another mate - yet another Steve, who helped him manoeuvre it inside - was quite tricky ( I found out afterwards that we could have taken the doors off)

They took it off the trolley inside and wheeled it across the floor. Unfortunately made track marks on my beautiful new floor - which Ian had just put the 2nd coat on...Oh well, its a soft wood floor - ie baltic pine, these things are bound to happen 

I also saw that the powerpoint for the fridge was loose ( not plastered in properly).  And it was up pretty high - ie behind the top cupboards, I wasn't sure if the fridge cord would reach, so got a extension cord just in case

 

Next they moved the old fridge out and loaded it into Michael's trailer - this was a much simpler/easier job

Next job was to put all the refrigerated food into the new fridge - 

Took a photo of the old kitchen/back screen doors - ugly orange - I suppose we could keep them for now - and just paint over them - I really hate the orange.  Not sure what to do about the painted bricke work either - years ago Charlie had started scraping the paint off - but it scratches the bricks - so do we re -paint it?  Take all the paint off - scratch it off? paint stripper? heat gun?

Once this was done, I thought I would try and tidy up a bit

Found a disgusting pile of olive pips in the corner of the middle hall - the fridge had hidden it.  I'm hoping it was only mice that had made this pile, not rats....

 And then I started clearing out the hall - put the qasair rangehood in the green room,  put the side table back where the new fridge box had been, re-hung the photo of Major Tivey, put the waiting chairs back, took the plastic sheeting away from the grandfather clock etc

  So it went from this  ....

To this - much better

Double checked the powder room - for the suitability of a wall mounted toilet roll holder and a towel ring - should be all good

Next was our room

Took out the boxes of wine etc - I still didn't want to put them in the cellar as it's still wet, and the cardboard disintegrates - so put them in the green room - which is becoming pretty junky

Also tried to fix up the metal basket drawers, as the top ones were sort of falling on top of each other

Realised that it was because the top of the frame was loose, and could come out (needs a rivet) - so the baskets wouldn't stay in the tracks.  Will need to fix it 

So, now our bedroom looks pretty good again.  

Tried my hand at a panorama shot

Also - while tidying up the bedroom, I came across a box with the brass balls that Justin had purchased from India for the grandfather clock.

Below is the original one - which is rather tarnished brass, and the new very shiny one

They are supposed to go either side at the top of the grandfather clock

So I got the step ladder and attached the new ones (will Justin notice if he doesn't read this blog entry?)

So now the our room and the hallway look pretty good.  I like having the double doors closed - to show them off 

 After this I stuck my head outside, and saw that there was movement at the Town Hall - in preparation for Martha tonight.  Went across to say hello, saw Rachel, and assisted with carrying some things inside for her, organised the balcony access etc 

Then back home to start cooking for tonight's casual dinner - I thought a warm chicken satay salad, and Thai fish cakes - we were going to be 8.  In the end I decided against the fishcakes, as I'd made double quantities of the chicken satay salad, and Arlene was bringing a salad, and Melissa was bringing a dessert.

Carolyn arrived around 5pm, and I asked her to set the table outside under the tree, while I had a quick shower.  I had sent around a text this morning saying that I planned to serve at 6pm, as the show started at 7.30, and I didn't want to rush my dinner 

Mel and Mal arrived first, closely followed by Rachel.  Terry and Arlene (minus David) a bit late - as there had been a fire in the vineyard, and they obviously had to attend to that.  It had started because David had hit a stone with the tractor - which acted as a flint, making a spark and setting some dry grass alight.  Luckily Arlene saw it

Anyway, very enjoyable dinner - Arlene brought a quinoa Mediterranean type salad, and Mel a pear cake with pear puree and cream. 

I was also a bit cheeky and asked Rachel if she might reserve us some seats close to the front

Well, she did - right in the front row - how about that!

The show was great - had a tv with sur titles - which was fine for us in the front row, but might have been a bit tricky to read from further back

Hans H generously provided sparkling wine at intermission - which went down a treat

And Suzy provided a light supper for audience members

We caught up with Rachel - in full Queen Victoria garb at intermission 

And there was also a lovely sunset - during intermission 

And given that I'm house proud, I snuck back across the road to turn the lights on - to make the house look more beautiful. 

I guess the show finished around 9.30/10pm and I invited Hans and his "German mafia" to come back to the house

Gave them the tour, and had some more drinks - Hans brought over 4 bottles of his bubbles.  Not sure how many people we had - 20? 30? A lot.  

Finally got to bed around 1am - I had also invited Rachel and Carolyn to stay the night 

But, I had to be up early on Sunday - as David P was coming between 8.30 and 9am to have a look at the plastering job in the music room....

Took some photos of some of last night's leftovers before he arrived 

David arrived with another bloke, and said they could do the job - probably take 2 days - starting on 27/2 - yay

Had a late breakfast with the gals in the kitchen

Rachel then volunteered to go and clean up the hall - I thought this somewhat unfair - as it really should have been the Lister Opera people....

I showed Carolyn around the garden - and we found a young pigeon fledging - sadly I don't think it survived

Carolyn left soon after - and I felt like a hamburger for lunch - so went to the takeway.  had a bit of a chat with the owner - he has some of his sister's novels for sale there - including one that is set in Inglewood - maybe I'll buy a copy

So, had my burger and a cold beer - it was pretty hot, and then did some further chores

David had wanted me to clear out the music room so that they can get started straight away

This is what I had to move

Basically put it in the hallway upstairs and the yellow rooms

And on moving the day bed - I found that the screws that we thought had been lost - were actuially safely screwed into the frame (what dummies we were, bit funny though)

All gone - and look how clean/shiny that patch of floor is - where Justin's Dad's old boxes used to be 

Also realised that Cam and his guys need to reinstate the 3rd powerpoint back in the music room.  The powerpoint carcass was there - but they has plastered over where it must have come from - when plastering up after inserting the tie rods

 Also had to take off that old door frame - which must have split the room in two decades ago

Had to be careful not to pull more plaster off...(should have removed it years ago)

Its coming away now - nice and easy

Done

And here's the other piece

Also removed a bit of wood on the other wall, must have been used to hang something

Thought I'd also take some photos of the old scribbles on the walls - before they are plastered over.  Some tradie's calculations by the looks of it 

A rubbed out poem? Love letter?

Some sort of drawing?

My last self imposed chore was to replace the BBQ gas canister

Drove up to the IGA to do it - too hot/heavy to walk

Put the full one in  the trolley to take it back to the car

When packing up the perishables - I checked the ice cube maker on the new fridge 

 All good - it works by filling up a canister in the fridge side - no need to plumb it in - will need to put more water in the canister though.  The fridge also provides chilled water