The Garden

Hello All, well its been a long time between blogs but we have finally made time to put finger to keyboard and tell you what's been happening. We had a visit from PD in early October for the three month inspection they marked everything down for fixing and so far are yet to complete the work. The biggest item is to repaint the lunge room ceiling where you can see the marks from the places where they moved down lights. So overall nothing major but we have been busy trying to work out what to do with our garden or should I say weeds.

Because we had so many different ideas we got ourselves confused and opted for a garden designer (slack aren't we) to tell us what we need to do. Steve, from "Rivers" came long, took one look at our place, huffed and puffed and came back one week later with some plans that we both quite like. So here is what we are going to do with the place.

In the front we are going for a contemporary style look with some mass plantings (landscape speak for lots of little plants) along the front with a feature pot thing out the front of the master bedroom doors with peebles around it. I won't tell you the name of the plants because I can't even spell them so you have to wait until the plants are in to see the effect. We are also going with a screen in front of the master bedroom porch to give us some privacy when we sit there in our pajamas having a cup of coffee.

In the back, well this is where it gets interesting. We are putting in a 1.5 metre wide walkway that goes from the laundry door at the side of the house, goes across the back part of the house and around the other side to where the alfresco ends. A sleeper wall across the back part of this pathway about two sleepers high, steps up to the top part of the garden, a spa with thatched roof for "C" and two sleeper seats at either end of a little grassed area. We are planting palm trees (Cocos and Bangalow) plus lots of smaller plants (all drought tolerant) which again I won't spell.

This is a photo of the pot feature for the front garden. We might fill it with water and put a few water lillies in it, maybe even a gold fish. We do like the plans though we are looking at changing a few plants to others we like. We have also found a landscaper locally who is really good and his logo is that he treats our place like his place so time will tell. He starts in two weeks.

Other than waiting for PD to turn up and fix things we have been busy with a few other things namely creating storage space in the garage. One of our daughters friends is a chippie and one fine saturday he came around and knocked up the best storage shelf system at the back of the garage along with a work bench. It has cleared almost everything from the side wall of the garage and pretty soon, after the landscaping we are hoping of getting two cars and a bike in the garage.


Finally, one of the things that has driven us batty since we moved in is the ceiling fan (normal type) that we had fitted to the powder room. During hot days, its the hottest place in the house and on cold days you could use it as a freezer. Why?, because of the reverse down draft that comes through because of the flimsy pice of cardboard that is fitted with the fan. We have however found a solution at Bunning's which covers the hole in the roof where the fan is and has two little top flaps to stop and let air in. What a great idea.

Well folks that it until we get the garden going and PD turn up to fix the things they need to do. Till next time R&C

Where have we been

This is a very short note to followers of our blog to apologise for the long time between drinks, sorry blogs. We have been busy so much so the poor old blog has not got the justice it deserves. However, next Monday we have our three month, yes three month inspection so will update after that. R&C

One month on but what a month

Hello bloggers, well its been one month since our last update and not for want of trying here is our latest blog. To say the least it has been a very busy month and today believe it or not we finally moved the last of our things from the rental property we have resided in for the last four years, phew. But wait there's more! as we have been very busy at our new home making at home, the list is a follows;

1. Drive way complete
2. Letter box installed
3. Outside lights fitted
4. Fence and side gate built
5. Tiles laid inside and out
6. Carpet laid
7. Digital antenna installed
8. Block cleared and moving rubbish removed
9. Theatre room projector and screen installed
10. New furniture delivered
11, Old furniture transferred from rental
12. Garage filled up, it is never big enough
13. Animals moved into their new home
14. Oh, we moved in too
15. Finally, a small house warming dinner and drinks with friends

Boy oh boy, have we discovered a few new muscles and aches to go along, lol. So what does the place look like now, here some photo's to update you as to where we are at.

All ready to move in, land cleared, rubbish removed and "C" waiting to test our the drive way.

We chose a regal pattern for the driveway and a sandstone/bluestone shading, sorry can't remember the exact colour but it goes with the bricks. we also widened the driveway so we can fit two cars on it.

Another shot of the driveway and the new side fence. I promised to give the concrete guy a plug, "Express Concreting - Phone; 0433567726 - Adam. Great job guys.

A shot of the side fence, what an exercise that was. Used the fence factory, very good quote until they said they quote wrong. Our new neighbours then thought we'd pinched some land off them as the side of the garage is inset from the line of the land, however it was finally all sorted out and looks quite good.

A shot of the Alfresco and down the side of the house with the new fence. Feels a bit ringed in after having the luxury of a spare block of land next to us for the entire build.

A shot of the back fence looking towards the media room. We are so glad we shifted the house forward on the block, the 6.3 metres at the back is going to come in real handy.

Our new side gate to keep the dog in and kangaroos out,lol. we have laid a redwood sleeper under the gate so I doubt whether our little pooch will dig his way out of this one.

The inside tiles laid, holland see through blinds installed and some furniture moved in waiting for the new couches to arrive. "C" is really pleased with how the tiles have come out, though a dubious of "R"'s choice of grout colour, grey.

The outside tiles on the Alfresco all laid. They are dark brown with a slate styling to them. They look good after a good wash. I won't show you the photo of what the dog and cat did to them claiming it as theirs.

A shot of the house at night after we all finally moved in and had our first meal in our new home.

"R"'s study area and desk just waiting for some office things to turn up.

The new carpet and the very nice contemporary staircase, which the cat is now slowly getting used to climbing. and peering through,lol.

A shot of the lounge with its new carpet and temporary lounge chairs for our first meal together. We had fish and chips, lol.

Two weeks later after we had our new lounge suites and the rest of the furniture arrive. Now its looking rather homey.

Our other new lounge suites in the family room, love this space, it feels so relaxing.

Looking back towards the kitchen and dining room and lounge room. It really does feel like home now.

A shot of the theatre room lounge suite and projector installed. Now this is one seriously comfortable lounge suite, fallen asleep three times in it already.

A shot of our new big big screen. We won't need binoculars for this one, lol.

The upstairs rumpus for teh children though we are having a lot of difficulty tearing them away from the theatre room. This may end up being our TV area.

So there you have it, we have finally moved in and are beginning the slow and boring task of trying to make everything fit somewhere. I haven't shown you any bedrooms, not because of privacy reasons but because they are just so darn messy at the moment, so hope you like the shots for this blog in lieu.

R&C.

Post Handover Action - Busy, Busy, Busy

Hello Bloggers, well its all happening this week as we get to used to our new home and what needs to be done. In the last week the form work for the drive has been done, concreting for the Alfresco, TV aerial fitted, towel rails and toilet roll holders to the bathrooms fixed, door closers to the laundry and garage door, arranged the telephone, gas and electricity connections, alarm system fixed, gas heater, central heating and evaporative coolers commissioned, arranging for blinds and curtains, tilers beginning to lay the floor, putting the carpet layers on notice, and thinking about what else we need to do to move everything in over the next month. Phew.

Some things still need to be done to get everything working however overall its all moving forward. What needs doing, well the hot and cool ducts were incorrectly fitted, the deadbolts had to be connected correctly to work, the alarm was missing a part, and we are still waiting for our floodlights and front facade lights, and we found a chip out of the bath. Everything is set to be fixed by our SS so we can concentrate on the other things happening.

Whilst I don't have photos for everything, here are some happy snaps of some of the action and guests we had inspecting the house.

Concrete guys cutting out the shape for the drive. we are getting the entrance extended so that it is the width of the garage door so we can fit two cars in the drive. "C" has chosen the pattern for the drive and colour so "R" dosent get into trouble from picking the wrong colours. A womens work is never done, lol.

Scrapping our the Alfresco area. The pillars are just the right width to get the bobcat in between to prepare the ground. Also helps if you have a gung bob cat driver.

Cutting out the concrete pad area behind the garage where the trailer will go, perhaps a boat later on. "C" did you read that, lol.

The form work for the Alfresco done and the gravel bed laid.

The reo in place. The guys have set a gentle slope away from the house so once we lay tiles on top the water will run away from the house.

The form work for the drive all in place and ready for the reo and pouring when the weather is a little better, hopefully today.

The back of the house with the pad ready and Alfresco poured already. This will make it easier for the tilers when they start there work inside.

The concrete for the alfresco up close, looking rather good, nice work guys.

Hey mum, look what they've done to the place, can we go in an have a look, can we, can we. Oh alright, just a quick look. The door to the left is to the garage, we had one of the defunked laundry doors fitted, much better than a plain white door.

Hey this is a nice place, two swimming pools mum, can I have a go please

Oh boy, so thats were the rain comes from, funny looking cloud though.

Boy, look at all these pouches. I wonder how many joeys you could fit in here mum.

M'mm, now this is a really nice warm place to hang out in winter time. Almost as warm as your pouch mum.

Junior, please be careful on these contemporary stairs we don't want to mark them with our claws.

Hey mum, look at the lovely grain under the shiny stuff, really cool isn't it.

Hey what's this place mum some sort of lounging platform do you think?

JUNIOR, I don't think that is a pond, will you get out now please!.

Hey mum, dad this is a really good sized pond, can I go for a swim?

Wow, mum,dad look at the view of our place from up here, cool hey

Hey, this is a cool place, do you like the how I jumped up on this rail



JUNIOR, how may times have I told you should not to play with snakes.

Wow, multiple campfires in one place, how magical.

Now this is something really cool, an automatic junior washer. Junior where are you.

Now these are really cool. I've heard they call them Bifolds, god only knows why.

Well folks, this is all we have for this week, hope you enjoyed it. Until next time. R&C