Cast iron stove mystery July 28 & 29 2012

Came up by myself again this weekend - as the kids had sport and other plans and J was busy with work

Now, rather than first describe what I did - I have a question

What is this??

It might be a bit hard to make out - but the above photo is a close up of the backboard of the wood fired stove in the kitchen.  And what I want to know is - what is the purpose of  the handle and plate like piece of metal that can be drawn out of the back cast iron wall??

Above are 2 x photos of the plate taken out of the back wall

There appear to be 2 of these - one either side of the range

What's behind this cast iron wall?  Does it connect to the chimney?  Is it something to do with the flue?  If anyone knows please advise - as it is a complete mystery to me

Justin's Architecture Professor uncle had said that he thought that the stove was probably not the original one for there - and that perhaps it had heated water before hand - as there appear to be panels in the cast iron range.  But I couldn't get anything else to move.
 ~ ~ ~ ~
Anyway, I drove there in Mum's car - as mine had unfortunately been side-swiped by a semi trailer on the Monash a few days prior.

Given that it's Winter I wanted to prune the large rose in the "south lawn".   I also had to rid of it that dratted bridal creeper weed

Job done!

Job #2 was to empty out the cellar - as quite a bit more water had seeped back in ( from a couple of weeks ago when the hot water service burst - and we lost 10s of 1000s of litres of water)

not quite covering my boots

It took quite a few trips up and down the stairs - 2 full buckets at a time to empty it out

At least it didn't smell!


After all this, I didn't feel like going out tonight - and Grant was always raving about James' steaks - so I decided to buy myself a steak for dinner.  A t-bone was recommended.  I also picked some spinach and mushrooms from the garden - and cooked them all up on the wood fired stove (with jacket potatoes in the ashes).

I must say that it took quite a while  - but it was worth it

Also made a nice fire in my room - on the new grate - which worked a treat

I had also brought up another grate, some fire irons and fire dogs for the dining room

A hearty breakfast of bacon and eggs on Sunday meant that I didn't need much lunch - and prepared me for a day of digging up 100s of jonquil bulbs, and then re-planting them else where

Took ages - but I had learned my lesson - and was wearing gardening gloves - after the huge blister I got on my palm last year when I lifted and replanted the iris bulbs

I also had to empty out the cellar a little more -as more had seeped in over night.  It really is sodden outside , Gordon had said that we'd got 60 or 70 points of rain during the week. It certainly made it easier to dig up the bulbs though

Anyway, despite the cold weather - Spring is on the way. A few almond trees were in bloom

Some jonquils were also flowering

And I found some snow drops

Lastly, I went and had a coffee at Bubbletoes and had a good chat with Kerry & Tanya  - who told me that there were plans to possibly have a jazz, wine and cheese festival weekend at Inglewood to draw in the tourists.  I'd be in on that!

Flooded Christmas in July :- July 13-15 2012

We have a 130 year old house, and so expect problems.  However, we don't expect things to wrong with newly renovated items...

We had a new hot water service put in November last year, and unfortunately a widget (for want of a better word) failed.  It was basically a plastic washer type thing fitting inside a metal pipe  - and it broke/wore out?  It could also have been the frost - as there had been some very severe frosts earlier in the week.

This meant that the hot water pipe came away from the wall, and that water was rushing out at a rather fast rate.  Luckily the neighbours - Grant & Francine noticed, and they called Gordon who contacted us.  However it may have been going for days - and the gas cylinder was empty (we'd forgotten to turn off the gas for the hot water)

Gordon got a mate in to put it right - and he used a metal thingy instead of a plastic one.  He also saw that there was a lot of water on the ground, but when he had come back, it had disappeared - into the ground he thought.

Not so - path of least resistance was into the cellar (again)

We arrived to an indoor swmming pool:-

water above the shelf - more than waist deep  

drowned wines

drowned pumpkins

J called up the original plumber to come and pump it out - but he couldn't come until Monday, and was not even apologetic, saying that it was the 2nd plastic thing to go.  Not very impressed by that!

Anyway, J went to the IGA on Saturday morning and bought a pump, and some hosing.  Hooked it up - and directed it into the bath - as we didn't want to put it outside as it would probably just seep back in.

hooked up to run in the bath

rushing water

Justin was very impressed by the pump, and declared it the device of the decade!  The cellar was emptied out in approx 1.5 hours, and we estimated 10s of 1000s of litres had literally gone down the drain.  And, it could have been double that - with the water that didn't come into the cellar ie just soaked down into the ground.  After pumping, a bit more water seeped back, which Justin kept removing.  Should be alright

However, apart from the flood, we were also there with our good friends Karen, Mark & Zoe to celebrate Christmas in July - which we did in grand style on Saturday night.

Karen and I were the chefs :-

peeling local potatoes

cauliflower cheese

outside - putting the vegies etc in the BBQ

cooking up the salt and pepper prawns

And the kids did the decorations (also the Christmas tree - but forgot to take a photo of that)

ho ho ho Merrry Christmas

- after much prodding (to get them off their laptops)

Kids getting ready to trim the tree

Pre dinner festivities commenced with a swig of Mark's famous My Sharona beer (which he'd brewed himself

tasted pretty good

We had also brought Basil (our cat) to Nimmitabel for the 1st time, and Karen had bought him a Christmas treat also (turkey cat food)

Fraser making a silly face

Basil enjoying Christmas dinner

And of course we had a roaring fire

Candles on the table, and a feast was had

Entrees were provided by Karen - 2 dozen oysters natural, and salt and pepper prawns

Entree:- Prawns & oysters 

Fraser admiring the table

Main course was James' famous pork loin - which was truly delicious, mixed roast veg, roast potato, cauliflower cheese, peas, brussel sprouts & bacon - and delicious wines including a very special French red  that was Karen's favourite

Zoe at table

Karen at table

Main course

Karen had also introdcued us to an old Yorkshire? tradition of table gifts which she had generously purchased.  I scored some daffodil bulbs which I was very happy about

We had also organised a Kris Kringle which was also quite popular.  I received a couple of candles and candles sticks, and Karen similarly received candles (and soap), while Justin & Mark both received well targetted 2nd hand books.  Glad to see that we know each other so well

Karen & her pressies

Mad examining her KK gift :-a mug and mobile phone covers

Zoe and her stash

Now, given that the kids and I had arrived home to Melbourne late afternoon on Friday from Queensland and we left for Inglwood within the hour, we didn't think too much about what we would wear for this Christmas extravaganza.

 However some (or one) of us did dress most beautifully

Beau Brummel

Once Karen had seen the dapper Justin she had asked if we were supposed to "dress" and I said of course not, otherwise I would have said

However, it appears that a precedent has been set for next year....

Below are some miscellaneous photos taken during the evening

mother and daughter

just the daughter

Papparazzo

Basil in the guitar case

at table #1

at table #2

 

After main course we squeezed in some Christmas pudding and brandy butter,  and then Karen's home made shortbread & mince pies.  By this stage we were well and truly full and then worked if off with various exuberant dance offs - which the kids lead off with

M&Z

F,Z&M #1

F,Z & M #2

F, Z & M #3

Fraser & Karen

and Karen and I finished up with the nutbush.  Lucikily no photos of that (on my phone at least) I was truly terrible getting most of the moves wrong.  In my defence it has been decades....

So the night was a huge success, and the table ended up looking like this

end of the night

We had a rather quiet Sunday - late start (even me)