Working against the Clock

 Why is it when you have a deadline everything seems to conspire against you?

First the hinges gave way on the Security door - Easy fix. 

Then a week later the Lock broke OK THAT needed immediate attention.  

While we are at it we may as well replace them all and install the Emergency Key Lock box too!

NOW can we get back to work?

We need help - and even Stowaway Frog offered with his new Frog sized Ryobi Drill.

Fortunately DS#1 was available to help install the waterproof Wedi Boards and then DS#2 was also able to spare us the time to get the Domus Shower base installed.

It was very heavy and being semi recessed into the floor made it awkward to manage.

And with that we have run out of time.  

We had hoped to have the tiles on and be waiting for our Shower screen by now.  

Next week we need to be somewhere else!

December - Week One

And when you think you have all your Ducks neatly lined up...

Enter "Murphy's Law"

It started with my Mother needing a New Phone and Microwave Oven in the same week and the inevitable "I don't know how to use this modern thing" .

Christmas Decorations were - Once again kept to the Bare Minimum.

Distractions, Sidetracks and the Inaccessibility of the Tree and Decorations meant that This was it!

Oh well - There's always "Next Year"

The Bathroom Project saw the Plaster up 

(We were only replastering the bottom of the walls so I was pleased with the finish on the jointing.) 

And it all had to be Sealed and Painted before the Electrician arrived.

He was't able to do everything on our list so will be returning in the New Year.

And just when we were getting a run on the Reno it was Swap tools to deal with some Storm damage.

Our damage was insignificant compared to Others With only unblocking gutters and the Leucadendron needing an extreme Prune.

And speaking of Damage - Spare a  thought for this young man who was stuck blocking the road with a Broken Wheel Hub.

The local Bus was diverted and there he sat (for Hours) until a specialist Tow Truck arrived.

Distractions dealt with and underfloor Plumbing completed.

Finally we were able to get the flooring back down  so no more draughts!

 

November

Once again I am playing 'Catch Up' So - What happened in November?

The First Weekend in November is Demonstrating Simple Cake Decorations to the Children at the Whittlesea Show.  

Each year we hope we will get some new Members for our efforts.

At home, we Introduced DGD#2 

(Little Miss H) to Our Fairy Garden.

Looks Like Grandpa is a bit Big to play in here! 

She also Celebrated her 3rd Birthday with a Cat Themed Party.

Her Cake was made by Mum (DDIL#1) from the Iconic Australian Women's Weekly Birthday Cake Book.

The rest of the Month was taken up with Renovating the Bathroom. 

It's a Long process if you are to do it right.

Flooring had to be removed to prepare for the Shower Base to be Installed.

When we removed the Tiles from the Shower recess wall we found a Power point or in fact the back of one.

At some point in time a Plumber didn't think that THIS could be a Safety Issue.

Fortunately the Month ended with the arrival of the Electrician and moving the Power Point was added to the list!

Out of the Blue. .

Sunday Phone call..

"Hi Wendy, are you doing anything tomorrow night?"

You see I am sick and we have concert tickets and can't go

Would you like them?

And this is How DH and I ended up at the Sold Out 'Russell Morris in Concert with the Southern Cross Orchestra' at Melbourne's Hamer Hall.

It was an awesome night of Stories and Songs from an entertainer that I only knew by his Hit Song

 "The Real Thing".

My Neighbour is still trying to find out the cause of her illness but is slowly getting better.

And,  although we were told not to, 

knowing how Big a Fan He is - 

(The concert tickets were a Gift to her DH)

We brought them home an Autographed Program.  

It was the least we could do to say Thank you!

Happy Birthday Little One

Miss P.  GD#3
She arrived a Year Ago next Tuesday, 

But today is her 1st Birthday Party. 

She was a little overwhelmed by all the attention

and almost slept through "Cake Time".

I think DD did a wonderful job of the Cake

after a quick Phone call of

"Help Mum I need Mermaid Decorations!"

All I had to do was make the Mermaid Tails

which was very Simple once I located some Moulds at a Local Party Shop.

(I also dusted some Guerlain Seashell Chocolates which when carefully separated made excellent decorations too!)

  

No more Procrastinating

When I decided to clean the Shower Screen one day I did not expect to end up with an entire Bathroom Rebuild!

Long Story Short ..

Circa 2003 the new shower base wasn't reinforced properly. 

Over time the waste outlet began to crack, finally giving way leaving us without a shower.

Replacing the Base was not a simple thing* and we have spent almost 2 years trying to work out how to fix it. 

Once we decided that neither of us use the Bath anymore and that the room actually needed a modern update, the concept fell into place.  

We will 'future-proof' it!

DH is VERY good at demolishing things. 

And once that was started there was no turning back.

Just as well. Because, of course, 

we uncovered a whole heap of hidden "Urgh" that REALLY needed dealing with.

At this point the demolition is done, decisions made and now we wait for deliveries.

*Removing Base requires removing tiles which damages waterproof membrane which requires total rebuild of Shower recess AND they don't make that size Base or Tiles anymore. The list went on and on

Tree Update:

I left my post of the 15th September hoping that the Council would not come when Our Tree was in Full Bloom and covered with Bees.

They came today - 

The Tree is in Full Blossom but it is Raining and the Bees have more sense than to be out in it.  

So the Girls are safe and So are the workers.

We watched them - They REALLY did know what they were doing.  

Even checking the Bark before starting with the Pole saw.

Each Branch fed into the Wood Chipper to become mulch for a playground - 

Maybe even Ours?

I was curious to know how they were going to handle the trunk so started filming when it too was hauled into the back of the shredder.

When suddenly one of the workers dived in (he was perfectly safe)  and retrieved something from the tree.

He emerged cradling in his hands a small Marbled Gecko - relocating it to Our Garden.

This act of Kindness made my Heart Sing and my Eyes fill with Tears.

The tree that we saw planted and grow.  

That Shaded Cars, and People 

and Creatures Big and Small 

for almost 40 years is now not much more than a timber 'Puddle' in the Grass waiting for the Stump Grinder.

23rd October:

One last Goodbye.

It was the only Yellow Pink Tipped Callistemon in the Street - if not the Neighbourhood. 

Such a Pity that someone 40 years ago planted it in the wrong spot. 

(If that happens again - I will move it!)