Arrived around 4pm on Tuesday afternoon after stopping a few times to catnap by the side of the road - for some reason I was very tired
Was looking forward to seeing what Dave the professional painter had done ie kitchen door and windows, ensuite door and window, Music room ceiling, door and windows
First peek was at our bedroom - and they look like they're very careful - covering up the bed etc in drop cloths. They must be doing quite a bit of sanding back - obviously didn't sleep there on Tuesday night
They left the push plate and door knob on (had asked if we wanted them painted) - I did try and take them off to strip the paint, but the screws were tight, so I've left them for now
Loved the kitchen also - have finally got rid of that awful orange - at least on the inside
And then up to the Music room
And what a shocker - I HATED the pink.
We had originally painted the wall Sage green, and I had painted the skirting Dulux China White - and we thought that looked very smart. Justin had quite liked the original browny pink colour of the windows - so wanted to try and replicate it - however David the painter had said he would start on Monday (yesterday) - so we needed to come up with a window colour.
Justin looked at a colour wheel online to see which colours went well with the sage green - and decided on Potters Pink (I agreed too, but obviously preferred China White). There was another darker/browner colour too - but he decided against it. Anyway this was all done online - which is a very dangerous thing to do
Anyway, they weren't supposed to paint the skirting - just the windows and door - I wasn't happy....
I called Justin and also texted him the photos - he thought they were ok, said I could get used to it....
Anyway, after this went outside to look in the garden
The grapevines are a glorious red (not potters pink!)
And I also planted out some plants that I'd brought from Melbourne - ie another loquat, some parsley and some seaside daisies
So, I slept in the red room tonight, and made sure I was up and dressed at 6.30am - as the painters were coming at 7am on Wednesday - and yes they did... David and his assistant Sid
I took some more photos of the pink to see if it looked better in the day - it didn't. I also admitted that I didn't like it (hated it), and that they weren't supposed to paint the skirtings. Dave said he knew, but that it looked strange with just the windows pink, so they did the skirt. He said they could easily repaint it China white. I rang Justin immediately to discuss - his opinion was to have it either all pink, or all white, not what we had planned originally - ie white skirts/pink windows. But in the end he said I could decide. And I did - very quickly - it was all going back to China White - so they downed tools on the pink. They also admitted that it wouldn't have been their choice - but we were the clients - and so be it
I also asked David if he could have a look at the front of the house - as the top actually looks a bit scrappy - and we're also thinking of getting the cast iron powder coated. But David said what we really needed to do was get some scaffolding up there - and replace the damaged timber etc - do it properly....I hadn't really looked at it properly before, and yep, unfortunately he's right - we will have to replace some timber (and also some missing bits) - so it's not worth painting substandard wood. I think we'll wait a little while to do this though. Let's just get the final filming for Restoration Australia done - and we can do it afterwards
Shane the gardener also came by to remove more of the dirt,
and I did some gardening -cut back some overhanging branches
Took out some canna lilies and planted them elsewhere
Planted this mystery orange flower, the hydrangea, and some of the XXX (can't think of their name) from Barry @ Fusspots
Then cut back dead chive flower heads etc
I was also surprised to see new apples on the heritage apple tree - they probably won't get ripe
And was gladdened by some sunny gazanias
Leesa C also came to visit during the day - and has recommended a Daylesford builder who might be able to help out with the rangehood problem
Had some sort of leftovers for dinner - and then thought I'd treat myself to a Terry's chocolate orange (blast from the past) while I watched TV upstairs
Thursday - and it was Anzac Day - so I went to the commemoration at the Cenotaph - a bit crowd there
And then afterwards had lunch with Denise at the RSL - met Selma there (she was the older lady who Michael T had brought around a while back to see the house), and also met the lady - Deb who had bought the done up white timber Victorian down the road from us
I had also asked Terry if he could come and help put up the picture rails. Well, he came Thursday afternoon- and kyboshed the lot....
The solid brass finials that I'd bought were too big for the brass rods. So either I needed new different sized finials - and I don't think they have any, or I need to buy bigger rods - argghh.
Given this set back, I asked if he could help me with the wooden curtain rod that Alex had sourced a number of years ago. It was in 2 parts and needed to be joined in order to fit our bedroom window. Well, the two parts had slightly differing girths - yep - they didn't match, one was thicker than the other, although they were sold as a set. NOT HAPPY!
Lastly I asked Terry if he could assist in prying the old light switch block off our bedroom door frame - this we were able to do. Will now need to fill and paint it...
So, I was somewhat dejected by all this - but Terry had a brilliant idea - he suggested that we get some irrigation hose and cut off small pieces and insert into the finials to make them smaller inside, and therefore fit better onto the brass rods. We drove up to his place to experiment. And yes it worked - Terry will come back tomorrow with 26? pieces to insert
Friday morning - and I thought that I would organise the kitchen a bit more - ie there were some Aga pieces ie shelves etc that had not been inserted - so I did this before Terry came
Terry came a little later, and after a coffee we got down to work - inserting the hose bits in the finials, and then tightening the little screws to make sure they wouldn't fall out
Once that was done - it was upstairs to the bee room - as the ladder was upstairs already
I also had to go back to the IGA to buy some wooden dowel to fit the brass rods together when we needed a longer section for a longer wall
And I discovered that someone had written Inglewood in the mantlepiece dust....hmm not very good at housework are we?
Ta da - the rods look good. I also contacted Nicole at CWA to reconnect re making up picture frames with the original wallpaper scraps that I had collected when stripping the walls in the various rooms. Hopefully we can have this done before the restoration Australia Reveal...
We called it a day once we'd done the bee room
Terry went home and I went in the garden - it was a lovely day and I planted some of the other plants I'd brought up - ie a box hedge cutting that I'd grown
Also admired some early jonquils
And re-admired the grape vines in the late afternoon sun
And the starlings? gathered on the tip of the Hoop pine
Saturday, and Terry came back late afternoon to do the rods in our room - but now we were experts
Had to move furniture all around (and back)
The end result
Once we were done it was G&T time on the veranda, and then some dinner from the Inglewood Bakery - was going to eat it there - but they weren't really set up for it, so we brought it back to the house. A very good pizza and a chicken cacciatora
Sunday, and I bought some Spode dishes from Denise - just lovely - the photos don't do them justice
I also swept down the walls in the stairway (plaster/floorwood dust etc),and swept the stairs etc - in preparation for the new carpet runner
Rod the carpet layer and his wife arrived around 1pm on Sunday, and after showing them around - he got straight to it
Meanwhile I was out in the orchard battling with the couch grass
Also bagging up some rotten apples
and taking photos of the house from a slightly different viewpoint
For dinner I rewarded myself with an eye fillet steak, fried mushrooms (both on the BBQ), mashed potatoes and a glass of wine - great!
Monday, and I thought I'd hang my portrait that Justin had given me a few years ago
First I had to get the finial end off - in order to put the hanging circle on (should have really done it when Terry and I were putting up the rods, but no matter)
However, once I'd re-hung the rod, I thought it might be a bit tricky for me to work out the right length for the picture wire (Justin is very fussy) - so I left it for next time...
Then I squeezed some limes and froze the juice in ice cube trays - in readiness for more G&Ts
Next was to go back to the IGA and buy a new curtain rod .....one that was long enough and wouldn't need to be joined. Got one that was Tasmanian Ash, so had to buy some stain also
Nothing is ever simple - had to sand it first
Then stain
then let dry, and wash hands....
In the meantime -- Rod had returned (around 8am)- and got back to the installing the carpet. He'd put underlay on as well, and at one stage I walked up the stairs in my socks (had taken off my dirty work boots) and it just felt so soft and luxurious
We are thrilled with how it looks
he had to take a while to consider how to configure the carpet on the landing - and then up the smaller set of stairs. I think he's done a great job
In the afternoon I went over to Anne L's with a bottle of rose - as she'd broken her foot, and wasn't able to come on the 80s cruise anymore. She also lent me some fab 80s costumes and accessories, and she gave me a bottle of their wine - Huntsmans Handshake
Tuesday - and David and Sid came back to re paint the pink, put a top coat on the bee room window, and to also have a look at the front hallway, and smarten it up - as there was scrapes and scratches now - from moving furniture in and out
David also took some photos of the kitchen chimney cavity to show to one of his builder mates - to see if he could help ( builder is too busy, so not interested)
And today I thought I would do more in the kitchen/scullery - taking more glasses/bowls/silver etc out of the scullery washing them all, and then re-arranging the kitchen cupboards / changing the shelf heights etc. Was pleased with what I accomplished
Also watered all the new plants and cuttings that I had put in (actually did this every day)
And so - I left for Bendigo around 2pm on Tuesday - after extending my stay multiple times (ie I was initially coming back last Thursday, as Justin and I were going to come up for the weekend together, but then he changed his mind, and didn't come, so I stayed for Rod the Carpet guy, and then stayed for David the painters return etc)
Going through Bridgewater I was gobsmacked by the multitude of corellas decorating/decimating the riverside gums. It was hard to take a photo, as the sun was so bright
Into Bendigo then - and to the juniper tree spot where I "borrowed" a few little cuttings to try and strike one myself
And then to an art gallery to look at a photo that we're interested in for the kitchen - it was lovely - but too sharp and realistic in real life - I guess I wanted something more subtle - so we're back to the drawing board
