A quick check Wednesday 31 Jan - Fri 2 February 2024

Got up on Wednesday evening (wanted to make sure that the bin(s) went out - as it was Steve put it out)

Had a walk around the garden - those other peaches look ripe - but unfortunately infested with fruit fly - will have to bag them up in plastic - what a pity

Also found a pumpkin plant - probably too late in the season to fruit

Then had a look around the house - unfortunately no on/off light switch for the back outside light.  Below is where the switch should be (and was previously, a pull cord that is) 

I also wasn't really happy with the kitchen exhaust fan - it's pretty small, and not very powerful (and how would it be cleaned?) 

I put a pot of water on the aga - and the steam just circulated above it - wasn't really extracted

Also - the sconces in our ensuite are still asymmetrical.  Wrote Cam an email - asking that these three issues be fixed - hopefully will be 

The dimmer switches in the kitchen look good though, and I'm also very pleased to have the ensuite vanity drawers in place

I also see that he's attached bits of wood along the upper external walls - for the tie rod ends ("N" for Nimmitabel)

I had also brought a sample piece of stairway carpet - from the shop in Bentleigh?

Justin was concerned that it might be a bit wide (was wider than what was there - but we both agreed that it looks good.  The carpet shop guy had said that we could also go to a regular carpet shop and get them to cut down an eg plain red carpet to the width we want and then bind it - don't think we'll do that - no need 

I then called up the stairway carpet layer guy who had been recommended - he was away with his grandson -  phone reception not that brilliant - he asked me to take photos of the stairs - so that he can see what its like

He reckons he would get a long roll(s) from the shop and take what is needed, rather than come and measure up.  I told him there was no hurry, as we want to plaster the music room first - don't want all that mess traipsed down the stairs....

Thursday morning and Gordon C and his son in law dropped in - as they were coincidentally in town to fix up some slates at St Marys

They came and had a look to see if they could put a cap on the kitchen chimney to stop rain coming in and perhaps mucking up the electrics

Unfortunately he said it was too high - didn't have a ladder long enough - and that even if he did sometimes the chimney topples off when a further ladder and the climbers weight is leaned against it... Sounds horrendous.  Also - he didn't think much if any water would actually go down and reach the stove - had a look at the music room above, and didn't see any water staining on the chimney breast. So I now have two expert points of view - diametrically opposed

Anyway - not to be 

The weeds were also pretty long on that side of the house - Gordon had mowed, but thought there was too much rubbish there to whipper snip it - poisoned it instead

After all this - gave Terry a call, and went and had a coffee and chat with him

He also showed me the marvellous progress that he was making on the powder room door.  He has done such a good job fitting a new base board/making the bottom panels smaller etc.  will look so much better than it was 

He also gave me some delicious home grown cherry tomatoes

And then back home wanted to fill Gordon's trailer again with the yuccas - pretty hot and sweaty work

Terry dropped the completed door back later that afternoon- he's such a fast worker....We'll try and match the base board colour with the rest of the door, and scratch in the wiggly lines.  If it doesn't work - I guess we'll just have to paint it (and just a reminder - as to why this was done - we didn't like the way that the door had been cut down - to a few mms below the bottom panels - it just didn't look right - and although I looked for a replacement 2nd hand door, its size - 900mm is quite wide - so I couldn't find any

Given that it was after 4pm by this stage - I suggested G&Ts under the big tree - so we had a couple each - very nice  

Friday, and I continued on in the garden - me - looking hot and sweaty

But a job finished and well done - that area is clear now apart from a longish bunya pine trunk which was too heavy for me to lift

A new mystery tree which grew up among the bunya logs -  might even keep it  

I guess I was getting a bit hap hazard with the wood pile - will need a tidy up one of these days

Chris E was planning on coming up this Saturday - to reinstate the hearth surround

Maybe put back the mantle shelf - (on the proviso that it wouldn't interfere with cooking) - and we found the mantle brackets - but they hadn't been powder coated - so would need to paint them black

 

I also tried calling a couple of local plasterers for the music room - sure, Justin and I had planned to fix it up ourselves - but we're just getting sick of how long everything is taking - so thought we would get professionals in 

Couldn't get through to anyone, and no one called me back - but I thought I would take photos of each of the walls - so could email/text to interested tradies. Actually Cam/his guys did a bit last time they were there - so there's now not as much to do - yay

And a win.... I had gone up the street to say hello to Denise & Steve, and had seen Jerry there at the shops. Stopped in and said hello, and told him about the kitchen chimney needing a cap etc - he said he had a long ladder and could/would do it ....woo hoo

On the way back from coffee with Denise he called me back and showed me a spare chimney cap that he had amongst his stuff - it was perfect, and I put it on the old wood pile wooden "cabinet" - he said he'd come and put it up later next week 

 

Which he did - good on him - and the chimney didn't fall down - and neither did he ....