2019 The Year in Review

As I began to look back for my "Year in Review" I came to realise there were a couple of things I hadn't had time to Document .

For my records - I will add them at the end.

JANUARY

DH has just retired and I start the year 

showing him the hidden parts of where we live

FEBRUARY

We planted up a Garden and watched and Hoped it would grow 

and be beautiful for DS#2's Engagement Party

MARCH

I said Goodbye to my Faithful Mitsubishi Magna

and HELLO to Bessie - A brand new Subaru Outback

APRIL

I got a long overdue update to my sewing room

Beautiful big work-space for my Quilts.

MAY

I must have been doing Other Things but took time out

To Celebrate National BEE DAY

JUNE

We got quite destructive - Multiple Projects all happening at once

Removing Trees, Fences and the Contents of the Garage...

I learnt 2 new words - Bifurcation and Efflorescence

Both needed to be dealt with!

JULY

The Fencing Contractor went MIA and the Garage Floor had Issues

 so we distracted ourselves by working on a new FRONT Garden.

AUGUST

More drama and setback with the Garage and the Fence

We were SO happy that we had signed up for a Top End Escape earlier in the Year.

SEPTEMBER

The Iconic Aussie Train Trip on board THE GHAN

What an Adventure!

OCTOBER

We Got our Fence back.

Which meant we could replace the Garden, Build a Shed and 

Re-purpose some Junk that was laying about the place.

NOVEMBER

Was Queen Bees and Pollinator Week

Wedding Cakes and The Whittlesea Show

DECEMBER

Our Garage Project is Finished.

Christmas with Family and Friends

and a Time to Reflect on the Year that was.

But wait - There's More

Other Distractions

JUNE

DS#1 & DIL (R&J)

They bought their Block of Land

March 2017 and waited.

Title was granted and Building began September 2018

We were constantly updated with WIP photos

and Finally on the 29th June 2019

They moved in to their "Forever Home"

JULY

DD& SIL (S&E)

Advised us via Text that there was 

an addition to the Family

Apollo

He is a Siberian Forest Cat

and very keen to grow into his luxurious whiskers.

Big Sister Artemis is NOT amused! 

AUGUST to NOVEMBER

My Mother's back Verandah was an accident waiting to happen.  

With a little persuasion and a few 'home truths' she conceded to replacing it with something more ...comfortable.

DS#2 & DILE (W&E)

AND all the while there is a Wedding being planned for next November.

Wedding Reception Venues to look at Gowns to find and Expos to attend and not to mention the Hunt for a Home.

It has been a VERY big year.

Garage Project - Evolution

Just for my records -
here are some BEFORE and AFTER photos of the Garage Project.

MAY 2018

Every Aussie Home needs a Lemon Tree in the Backyard

This one was planted Circa 1990 and was riddled with Gall Wasps.

SEPTEMBER 2018

Fascinating for the Visiting Entomologist - Not Good for the Tree
So it had to Go.

At the same time the Bungalow has the foundations replaced.

MARCH 2019

Everything gets a coat of paint.

The Lemon Tree is replaced with Potted Lemons, Limes and a Peach.
Pollinator Annuals flourish in the Early Autumn

JUNE 2019

The Garage was completely gutted.

Contents stored on the back verandah for what was supposed to be a week - six at the most while the concrete floor was sealed.

DECEMBER 2019
We did not set out to do this 18 months ago when we decided to pull out the Lemon Tree.

It just kind of EVOLVED

Just a few things left to do, but that is for DH to potter with.

I am delighted with the transformation

We have truly made a "Silk Purse from a Sow's Ear."

NOW can I get back to my Quilting?

Garage Project - The Next Step

...Putting Our Garage back together again and fitting everything into it!

It has been almost 7 months since we removed the old Plywood lining so the floor repair could have clear walls to work to.

It is now time to replace it.

After a fair amount of research we chose 6 mm MDF panels to do the job.

Time to get ALL the Toys out.

Honestly, our yard looked like an advertisement for Ryobi !

DS#2 was able to help now he is on holiday,  and the extra height was appreciated.

(He also was hoping to have it finished for Christmas - so we could empty the deck and maybe find the BBQ!)

Once everything was up (and to their satisfaction) it was my job to paint it!
And the colour?
Mix together 2 tins of Bunnings mis-tints, throw in some extra White that you have laying about and Voilá the perfect shade of Pot-Luck!

New Shelving, and the move back begins!

Time to stop procrastinating and start THROWING stuff out.

A lot of the clutter in our Garage was either there when we moved in or imposed on us by others.

But there is ONE thing that I just won't part with - My Grandmother's Airing Cupboard.

Every time I open it I am transported to her outdoor Laundry room watching my Grandfather tinkering with his mowers on the lawn outside.

I am delighted with the Result.

An unexpected bonus - No longer Cold and Damp, it is so comfortable in there we are considering other ways of using the space.

That is, when Bessie isn't needing it of course!

* * * * *

Just for my Records - Some "Before and After" Photos are in the next post.

Garage Floor - The Final Chapter

I have recently realised that I have not put in an update on out "Garage Floor Project". I left the story on July 13 stating that the Tradesmen "would be back on Monday"

Many Mondays came and went by without a trace of a Tradie. - When they did turn up, they sealed and sanded back once again and left a "sample section" where these White patches are -

And now we wait. . . . . . and wait. . . .

And the bubbles came back.

And when we got tired of waiting - we called in on them at their Office, walking in on a Colleague who suggested a different product.

"It's expensive - and it has to come from Queensland"

Their reply.... "I don't care - There is some 'Serious *bleep*' going on here - 

and We have to fix this!"

OK - so now we wait once more for Stuff to be sourced and sent down from Qld.

And here we are - AGAIN, having the concrete sanded back and undercoated.

I am sure the neighbours must be wondering what the (insert descriptive term here) is going on!

And Once again there was an issue - the original problem has resurfaced. This time it is not so difficult to rectify.

It looks like we MIGHT be winning the battle!

With the few issues in the undercoat "Spot treated" 

- it was now time to apply 

THE Product.

Honestly, These Guys have been doing some very serious Penance!

No painting on with a roller this time.

This time it had to be trowelled on!

Another week to cure. . .

And on one of the hottest days this year, with a mean North wind blowing right into the garage -

They sent someone to put the final coat on.

I tried to send him home but ended up plying him with glasses of ice water instead.

For Two Full weeks, we put this new Product through our 

'Ultimate Test'

when we pulled the Carpet back. . .

It was DRY

And there were NO bubbles.

Six months after we started - We called it DONE!

* * * * *

  

On a footnote to this whole saga. The company we dealt with had to fit us in around other jobs, but never gave up on us. The product they eventually tried was New to Them, so we became their Test Case and they are now using it on another Job in the new year.

When they said all those months ago that they had 'Never met a floor they couldn't fix' they can now say "no seriously - we had this garage floor and........"

Press 'Reset' and do it all again. . .

The thing with Christmas is you just can't be everywhere for everyone at the same time - so for many of us we have to juggle catching up with the Rellies over multiple meals or in our case Days.

For Us, Yesterday was "Just those who live at Our Place plus my Mother"...
And a new tradition, started a few years ago on an exceptionally Hot Christmas Day - I do High Tea instead of the Traditional "Too much food for one meal" affair.

Today, my DH's Family get together in an informal style where Good Food, Conversation, Catching up and Backyard Cricket hum along seamlessly while we await the appointed TREE TIME.

For the Little ones, this is a wonderful time where they get to be "Santa's Helpers" delivering gifts to Uncles, Aunts, Cousins etc etc they haven't seen for a whole year.




Three Generations all together, and this year - It was easier to count who was NOT there!
Nephews & Nieces, now adults bring their partners, new families are created..
Just how long this can continue - Who Knows? 

Tomorrow, we "Press Reset" - and do it all again 

for "First Christmas" at DS#1's new Home!

Christmas 2019

Seasons Greetings to all!

For Unto Us a Child is Born

Unto Us a Son is Given

and His Name shall be Called

Wonderful

Counsellor

The Mighty God

The Everlasting Father

The Prince of Peace

Reservoir Rail Removal

We are ahead of Schedule!

My Post of October 6th, 2018 saw us settling in for 2 years of mayhem and inconvenience while the State Government removed the Level Crossing that has divided the Suburb of Reservoir since services began in 1889.

The most disappointing part was when we lost the trees. But they were Gums and Gum Trees tend to drop their branches at the most inconvenient times creating loss and damage.
I was told that they were to have their next life as beautiful Park furniture and wildlife habitats.

In April the Old Station was Demolished.

They fenced things up and brought in huge Augers (Drilling Machines) for deep foundations to support the overhead train tracks and Station.

(There are rumours that they have made provision for the planned "Rail Loop Project" which will go through Reservoir should it ever get built.)

July saw the Beams installed.

Huge Cranes lifted massive pylons and the concrete Sky Bridge into place, while it was "Business as Usual" as motorists negotiated the Detours.

By August, the 6 Boom Gates which held traffic up for hours over the course of a day were removed.
Not everybody was happy. Traders grumbled when the intersection had to be closed.


Work continued Day and Night through Winter and into Summer's Heat - while keeping the Station operational. 

October, One Year since my first Post
- The Rail Bridge is finished.
Eventually reaching "The Point of No Return". 

Buses replacing trains as The Rails are finally removed and the tracks installed up and over the Intersection.

November, the Station Canopy is built and we begin to see what the designers saw.

I drove past the work-site on Saturday morning.

  Boards, Bollards and Fences were blocking the way through - 

Monday morning the radio informed all who were awake that the Reservoir Level Crossing was Open and Ahead of time!

7:45 am DD sent me a text -

"The new Station is working,  Music and free Cupcakes at Reservoir!"

I haven't been up onto the platform but the photos I have seen are looking pretty good.

It still needs Lifts installed and of course landscaping and paving underneath.

And Today - the futuristic building that was an 'Artists Impression'

...    is now a reality.

And the future for Reservoir looks Good.

My Thanks goes to DD who sent me the Works in Progress Photos as she negotiated Bus Replacements, Delays, Workers wearing Hi-Vis and Rail employees who apparently didn't live in the area and therefore didn't know anymore about anything than the rest of us!

And next year they move 'down the line' and do it all again on the next intersection!