Out of lockdown and Melbourne Cup unofficial long weekend Saturday 30 October - Thursday 4 October 2021

Well, Victoria became whole again as of 6pm on Friday 29th October - as the government had anticipated us getting to 80% double vaccination rates around this date.

We contemplated driving up on the Friday night, but thought there would be a lot of traffic, given that it was an unofficial long weekend - so we decided to go up on Saturday morning

Left around 9.45, with me driving

Took the ford ute for the first time, and found out the hard way that the air conditioner doesn't seem to work.  It wasn't a hot day, but the sun was out, and I was roasting, and we couldn't even seem to get cool air in from outside.

Anyway, got there fine, and Mark and Craig from RA were waiting out the front for us.  

Given that most of the wallpapering has been done - they wanted to film our reaction to seeing  it for the first time.

So, we did a few takes - had to clap first so that they could synchronise the sound on the 2 cameras.  I did it wrong by clapping twice (not twice as good).  Justin did it right

As anticipated, the hallway was absolutely chockers, and at first glance - inpenetrable.  But we could squeeze around the bedhead, and did make it into the middle part of the hall - which had the door to the dining room closed. (unfortunately didn't get a photo of how full the hallway was)

No peeking! 

And yes, we were impressed

We had seen the photos before - but it's obviously better in real life, and Ian had also done the quad around the skirting boards, so that the grit and dust wouldn't escape from the behind the walls onto the floor.

And yes, the floor was looking lovely also - the Fiddies oil was much better than the tung oil that we had used previously.

So, they filmed us chatting about our reactions to the dining room, and then we had some quick lunch (Alex had arrived by then).  And Justin went and had a long awaited haircut (I was going to also, but changed my appointment to Wednesday)

We set up for filming again - this time removing the slate pieces from the fireplace and taking them out of the dining room.

This took a few takes....Justin had taken some rubbish pieces of skirting - which they didn't want, and Chris had chosen the largest heaviest piece - which he had to unfortunately lug back and forth a number of times.  I wisely had chosen a couple of smaller pieces.

Waiting between takes...

Anyway, eventually got them outside onto a few trestles that Chris had set up 

And more filming of taking the pieces to the trestles, and then of cleaning the pieces - scraping off bits of plaster etc, then using rags dipped in methylated spirits to wash them, then filling them with car filler, but not too much, as this then had to be sanded back, and then filling again if necessary - whew took ages to just do a few pieces, and there were 21 to do!

A filled piece

And lastly the black spray epoxy that I had bought from Bunnings

The pieces looked marvellous - as shiny and glossy as a grand piano - but they will have to dry for a few days

Note, Chris taped off the "faux marble" painted bits

Next, they filmed Justin and I walking through the overgrown garden path 

They also filmed Chris just talking to the camera

And they asked me to do another chat to camera also 

While this was going on Justin and Alex cleaned out the dining room - vacuuming/washing windows etc - and then putting some (not all of the furniture back in)

They also had to shake out the rather large and rather heavy rugs

 

And the end result in the dining room was lovely - as the extension table was made smaller, so didn't encroach in the room as much, so the chairs and couch had a proper separate area

The boys set up our bedroom our bedroom also

Which meant that the hallway was now nice and clear again

Mark from RA also filmed Justin and I disagreeing in the kitchen - me wanting an island bench, and him wanting a central kitchen table. Justin also wanted wood benchtops, and I prefer stone, but I could possibly compromise with an inset bit of stone for my pastry making etc 

It was a long day, (but I had fun) and we had dinner at the pub, and the meals were brought out pleasingly quickly

Anyway, it was so lovely to have a functioning and beautiful dining room - which just needs a little bit more work....

And our bedroom has been transformed! as we can now almost use the bathroom as an ensuite.  And the bedroom is now beautiful, as opposed to having the ugly pink and blue cornices and patched walls which it had suffered through for years as per below 

 

Got back from the pub, and it was a bit cool now, so tried out the new split system in the dining room - with the heater on.  Warmed up surprisingly quickly and well, we were very impressed (although it wasn't off a very cold base) 

Sunday, and more work around the house

Chris put the refurbished locks on the door into the kitchen, and also put a new old lock and door knob on the front door - which he called "life changing"  - and it was!

He also installed the servant bell triangle thingy in the dining room 

 

I was busy outside - trimming back overgrown bushes and weeding, and therefore filling up Gordon's trailer 

I must say that the garden despite being overgrown is looking pretty good, as there has been a lot of rain

The roses are abundant - even the wild dog roses, and the irises are also lovely - with some yellow and white ones that I haven't seen before

  and some other lovely flowers too

There were also some self sown roses (probably the wild ones) in the path.  I mesant to transplant them - but didn't get around to it, maybe next time

And the grape vines were looking very vigorous, the kiwi fruit had all survived and were looking pretty good, and the mulberry cutting that I had planted also had a small leaf (near its base)

While having lunch in the rotunda, we noticed some of the blooduy birds going in through the new yet chewed out vent into the roof space.  we were not happy about this.  Alex took a photo of a parrot going in - actually through yet another hole

We had a bbq for dinner which the boys organised, and a relatively early night

Monday, and both Justin and Alex had to work

While Chris and I did more good deeds (more Chris actually)

The back veranda chairs had gotten a bit saggy - and they were very expensive to replace the rattan (we'd done one and it cost about $400) - so I bought 2 x sheets of marine ply from the IGA, and Chris made a template, and then cut out 4 new bases

He also fixed up the broken leg of our bedhead -screwed a piece of wood on it to strengthen it

The backdoor flyscreen had come off one of its hinges - so he fixed that (no photo), and he also fixed the upstairs shower screen which had been rubbing against the adjoining glass wall 

Chris really was amazing in what he could fix and how quickly and skillfully he could do so.  He is a very handy friend to have.

But, he had to get back to his partner Lesley - so we sadly saw him off

Tuesday - Melbourne Cup day, Justin, Alex and I went and bought a coffee from Charlie's and drank it in the little park adjacent to the town hall

Alex saw that Terry had parked his car and was going to go into our place, so we called him over.  He wanted to organise a Music night for later in the month

Justin and Alex left for Melbourne after lunch and I stayed and did more work in the garden, and also bought some sealer to try and seal the veranda roof, as there were gaps and water was coming through when it rained

And I cleaned up the dining room fire surround

On Wednesday I had a long due cut and colour with Michelle, and then Terry invited me to have lunch with him.  By this stage it was pouring with rain

Had a lovely chicken pie, and we then went to visit Damien and Nicole.  

Terry and Damo have built Nicole a home office - which looks like a little homestead, looks really great.  Because it was raining pretty heavily, I didn't take photos

Damo and Nicole told me about their renovation plans for the school house - sounds great.  If we thought it was raining steadily before, it really started to bucket down while we were there, some thunder and lightening also.

There was a lot of water over the road on the way back to Inglewood   - in fact, I counted 10 "'rivers" rushing across the road - and at times visibility was very poor, but got back ok

Storm Lane drain was also raging - I've never seen it like that before 

And of course I got soaked just getting out of the car, and into the house

So much for my beautiful blow dried hair from earlier today

Thursday and I wanted to clear out the downstairs green room- putting books etc back in dining room

I also rearranged our room a little bit - moving the brown chair back in, and putting the wire basket drawers in the corner behind the wardrobe

I also had a long awaited coffee with Denise at Charlie's again - and it was a lovely having a catchup

Steve then helped me move the organ and the red chair in the downstairs green room, so that they weren't in the way so much.