look what they did for me! a whole trailer load of bricks brought in and neatly stacked in my back yard and I only shifted one- the ceremonial last brick to go in the trailer.



I had been offered salvage access to a property belonging to a colleague, the house is to be demolished soon. They had the same kind of bricks that I used for the garden path, and conveniently clean*. I wanted enough to be able to replace my poxy front path with nice bricks. However, I am still too unwell to manage brick shifting. Left just to me I would have had to give up the opportunity. But I have stunningly lovely friends who came and shifted them for me! So I set up the meeting with the owners etc and others did the rest. Hoorah. We meant to take other stuff too but were not allowed to start taking the house apart. So no floorboards etc.

bonus extras:
-a few loose wall tiles that match mine at home-weird to find but good.
-roofing tin for mrbassman
-a little wood for burning
-a strangely nice, heavy glass ashtray with a rose pattern in the bottom.
-the old fence posts that have been cluttering up my yard have been taken away to be recycled into other fences and firewood

Now I am very very tired to go with the pleased. Also very congested. This virus (?) is going backwards. I've been coughing for weeks, now my sinuses are getting in on the act too. Usually goes the other way. Really not sure how I will handle work this week.

*Clean as in not covered in mortar. Dirty as in covered in muddy soil.

( See my path! )

I still need to do the sweeping of soil between the bricks but that can happen later.

I am lacking. The path is getting built but I can only work in short bursts. My brick handling muscles are rather feeble. Surprise! Yesterday morning I finished digging out the old 'grass'. Yesterday afternoon I levelled and tromped down the dirt as best I could. Only time lately I have had benefit from being heavier than I would prefer, found that quite amusing. Last night I started carting bricks and forming the actual path. Did that until I couldn't hold a brick up anymore.   I've done two ~30min stints this morning, now I need to rest again. I should manage a bit more today but I may not finish. Need to retain enough strength in my hands to drive across town.

In the middle of the day we helped launch a book. That was quite fun. We sang lots including a piece I barely know, grin. Turns out my little bit of note bashing while sick actually stuck. As usual I was disappointed with my own singing but I do think I am improving. I am starting to be able to actually support a note.

Then I had a mad attack and failed to have lunch with any of the 3 groups of friends I could have joined, nay, was invited to join. Instead I walked home all upset and made my feet very sore. I need to walk more but that was a bit much in one go.

Today I feel much more sane. Achey but sane.  I suspect hormones. So I should retain sanity for about the next 3 weeks. Though I do recognise that I cope much better with small groups of people than large ones. I

Hoorah for Holidays!
After a couple of very productive days and a couple of travelling days I feel a bit flat and slow. So I will post pictures of our (Papa's) major achievements for this visit. These were the stated aims though the filing cabinet got finished (yay) rather than just two drawers fixed.

( Fabulous Furniture from scratch or old and grungy )

Papa also:
-fixed the kitchen window which wouldn't shut. It had swollen from water getting in the peeling paint. He has planed it down, stripped some of the old paint and repainted. Much better.
-tidied up and repainted the door jamb that had to be moved when the screen doors were installed. Yay.

We also:
-moved some furniture. Most significantly the big oak wardrobe from the dining room to my bedroom. Replaced that with 'Oma's cupboard' and the Arnofini mirror. Looks great and makes the dining room feel bigger.
-managed some deep tidy! Not all but a significant lump
-sprayed the weeds- die, die nasty weeds.
-pulled about 20 jasmine vines from under the house- now that was an overdue task.
-did heroic amounts of laundry yesterday in that beautful weather.
Probably some other stuff that I can't remember right now.

Hey, I might be mostly incommunicado but I have
-a brand new spare bed that doubles as a cutting table
-a filing cabinet with drawers that all close
-a chest of drawers with runners for all drawers
-parental company that I should go talk to

I also managed to time my trip home so I didn't drown.

All good really

I am supposed to be making a black coat. Instead this morning I have
-rehemmed a frock
-taken apart the orange wool Cranach frock preparatory to magic expando treatment.
-done another tidy up and weeding out of clothes. I have piles of stuff for offering to people, for future refashioning(this one is still probably too big), for charity, for reclaiming buttons etc.
-convinced myself that the red velvet chaise lounge of sexiness will fit in the front room.
-washed a bunch of woolens
-hung some of the musty old clothes out in the wind.- which just had to be taken in from the rain.

I say again- does anybody want a click/clack steel sofa bed frame?

Now will I continue to potter or look at this coat? I do need to tidy up after creating havoc in the dressing room.

A little later- I just fixed the front door!! The beautiful new screen door would not lock. My house shifts, maybe i can blame the earthquake we had a while ago- was that before or after the doors were installed? I could check via LJ. Anyway,  I inserted some thin bits of wood behind the lock plate to bring it out from the frame a bit. The door now locks just fine- yay!

YES- there was an earthquake in Melb on March 6th- after the doors were installed. So I can blame that for the door not locking- whether it was really the cause or not.

Kitchen is successfully de-greened. 3coats of cream paint on, new lockable window winder installed and all door and window furniture back on. In addition
-blind is cut down to fit inside window frame and reinstalled
-blue gingham frill curtain made and installed. Bit twee but I am finding it nice for now. Matches the door curtain.
( see: )

Do you like? I do, vastly prefer. The cream colour is a treat for the (my) eye. I look at it and feel relaxed, my eyes go "ahh". What a great thing.

I sit here weary in paint spattered clothes but .... there is no green paint left in the kitchen! Hoorah! It is all covered over by the chosen cream paint, somewhat streaky but only one coat yet so only to be expected.  I was dubious during- streaky cream over dull green just looks manky but as soon as a section is fully covered then is all good. I had forgotten just how tiring painting is, holding odd poses while guiding a brush 'just so'. I was slow to start and felt really clumsy. by the end of coat one I feel I have my hand back in. Just as well though that I have to wait hours before doing the second coat. Can't leave the house because the catch is off the kitchen window. I can put the new one on as soon as second coat is dry enough.

Getting this far gives me further push to do the rest of the house eventually. Especially the dining room. That dull green paint is dark, the room is dark and has six doors in it! Yes, six. So if they all turn pale cream, the room will feel lighter, and prettier, and lovely, really. I will only do the kitchen this weekend. Might do some furniture moving to facilitate the next bit of painting though.

So,
move furniture? a task that always blows out in scope
water front garden?
plant stuff?
more deep tidy? so slow- requires much brain power, so many decisions.

Should have written this earlier. My focus is shifting away, to house cleaning, deep tidy, rearranging furniture. All that.

Went to festi, came home. Did lots of fun stuff during.

On the way there
-foot complained lots. Needed painkillers and lots of breaks
-visited several good friends, one that I had not seen in about a year and has a new 3wk old daughter. So good to see her. Great to spend time with R&J (even if J says rude things about blogs) and Quatrefoil in her lovely little flat.

While there
-met the new site, very pretty! Did I take pics? sadly no. It is a valley surrounded by tree covered hills, very green and lush... because it is very damp. Also warmer and more humid than I like for much of the time. My big coat did not get worn at all and much sweating was done.
-managed not to get eaten by leeches unlike most of my household
-loved seeing everyone and catching up
-sang, sewed, cooked, drank some
-loved my new black frock and bright underskirt! Really works. Yellow Durer - convinced the neckline is wrong, bother, how to fix? The revamped button frock was most useful as cool working frock.
-loved living in my little tent
-for a change was not terrified that the big feasting tent would fall down- no high winds. What a relief.
-did three stints on troll gate- rather fun. Friday was too busy to do anything but sign people in. Other two days had time for sewing and chat. Very pleasant that the two quieter days had friends of mine on duty with me, quite by accident.
-went to my first L meet in years- actually useful, productive and well run. Encouraging.
-participated in the making of two new Ls! Both also friends, one ex apprentice. Very pleased.
-Enjoyed the household children. Seemed like 16 of them but there was really only 4.
-the kitchen sink! We kept a tidier camp this year than ever before in my memory. Much nicer.

On the way home
-packed up damp tents etc.  No choice, Monday was VERY wet and the humidity was so high that everything was damp even when the sky was fine.
-raced off to see Miss A who lives locally and I have not seen in 4-5yrs? Found her, spent half an hour or so until she had to race off to work. Sad to lose connections, great to have them reformed.
-Foot was vastly better, only a few twinges and no painkillers taken
-stayed with A&P, what a pleasant evening!
-experienced a dust storm on the road- thick orange clouds, had to slow to a crawl, could not see the road let alone vehicles! Put both headlights and hazard lights on in case another driver was more brave about speed than I. Very glad it did not last long.

After
-vast amounts of laundry, dishes, tidying, nearly done now.
-tent walls have gone really mouldy. No suprise but I need to figure how to deal with them. Has anyone got tips? I am thinking spray bottle of bleach or somesuch. Rest of tent is fine. Maybe this is where I finally need to remake the walls?

Interestingly I have arrived home wanting to make the house nice, rather than wanting to frock. Probably because I have been frocking for months and doing almost no housework. I want a deep tidy, furniture moved, painting and decorating plans finished. Spent much of the trip home planning this in my head. I'll spend a bit of time on this before I need to frock for midwinter.

The nice man came! I have screen doors! I have snick locks! it's all fantastic!

  

Now both main doors are open and lovely air is flowing through the house.

I just put these bricks here for storage. Twasn't as hard as it would have been if my neighbour hadn't helped. She wanted them out of her garden, I want a brick front path eventually. We are both now slightly happier and more tired.

the house is quiet. I am just home from delivering parents to the airport. Too late, too tired for crafthall.  Quiet house, mental space. 

Twas lovely to have them here and much got done but a couple of days to myself will be good. Well, the hours I'm not at work anyway. Given I only have a 3.5day week, those few days will need to be long.

Bathroom is 'finished' -hoorah. Tiling, hinged mirror etc.
New frames for ordered security doors, front and back
doona in back ceiling
whirlygig on roof
cutwork corners on back verandah
front gate post restabilised.
Opener installed on front door fanlight. Wind can't blow it in now, another instance of that and I would likely lose the leadlight.
Stopper installed so back door does not beat itself up when swinging open
Sewing room rearranged
Goodly amount of house tidying done- Mum made me, not such a bad thing.

All good. Now I need to find enthusiasm for this weekend's mammoth party trip

Finally! the bathroom cupboards are installed. Not photo-worthy yet, not until stuff is hidden/tidied away into said cupboards. Whew, hard work but worth it. Looks good, still feels airy even though there is more furniture. Tired now. The generous erudito  came twice today to help lift and/or hold things. Second time he got fed dinner in appreciation. I could tell you about the screws that were too short, or the way the wing screws didn't work first time 'cause I had them around the wrong way, then they were too short anyway so I had to go buy bigger ones...but I don't think that's necessary.

Now to go use my lovely new bathroom. I have a mirror! I can see what I am doing when flossing my teeth! I have a shelf to put the floss on! Well, I think it's exciting. I'd better, having spent weeks getting to this point.

I have been promising myself new screen doors for Christmas. Given the date it is now urgent I make a decision so I can get an order in pronto. Of course I want nice ones. The problem is in defining what "nice" means. There is lots of choice and lots of prices. I had been vaguely intending to get the same for both front and back doors. This is being difficult as the doors and situations are different. At the moment, the left hand door is front runner for the front door - in pale cream. The right one, in black for the back door. I may yet change my mind.

   

Erudito was kind enough to come over this morning and lift cupboards while I drew on the wall. Now I think I have found the necessary studs in wall (wooden house frame to fix to) and am otherwise prepped to finish off so hopefully he can come again tomorrow for more cupboard holding in between me drilling holes in things.

My big question for today: will I be brave enough to wield an angle-grinder for the first time? Various metal things for the bathroom need editing and I haven't the strength or patience to do it with a hacksaw. Is it stupid to also cut wooden things with an angle-grinder?

First I need to finish waking up. Then I will measure and mark the cut lines carefully. Then find clamps, goggles etc. Both hands on the anglegrinder... We will see.

It is late for me to be still waking up. I went to bed early-first time for weeks. Then got a call from giddyaunt , a lovely thing, and still within the bounds of "a reasonable hour". Then work rang with a big issue in one of my ports which kept me up till past midnight. Not my fault and I can't fix it but that doesn't stop me feeling sick-guilty. Really hard to sleep in that state. I am on tenterhooks waiting for the call that says all OK now.



</lj>

So, I think I do like the bathroom walls after all now I have things attached to the wall again. A very soft look:


and I am seriously amused to realise that these are almost exactly the same colours I chose when redecorating my bedroom at age 15.

and here are my new geraniums. I must be having a pale pink phase. What does that mean?



now I need to put my feet up and think about dinner.

Coat one went on the bathroom walls yesterday. The process was less painful than I feared. The new edger pad tool was fantastic-when the bit being painted was within arms reach. Not so accurate at the end of a pole. So I have made a bit of a mess of the cornices, pretty good for the rest except where I missed bits of wall. Still that is what a second coat is for- to cover the bits you missed last time. I can touch up the cornices after. Now the hard bit is that I am not sure I like the colour. It looks much more pink than I thought it would. eek? Actually it is a colour I really like, just wasn't imagining the bathroom quite so pink. I shall do the second coat anyway and then see what it looks like with the wooden blinds back and the floor tiles exposed. Nearly anything looks horrid next to the urk coloured drop sheets. Lots more of the wall will be covered up too with towels and cupboards etc when finished so perhaps the effect will be dampened, here's hoping.

Need to get second coffee down me first so I can do the coat in one go.

Later:
second coat on. Still suspending judgement about the colour.  Only used shy of a third of the 4L paint. Wonder what else could be painted almost pink?

Really want a shower but bathroom full of fumes. I'd better find something else grotty to do before the bathroom is habitable. Maybe I can dig out the rubbish from the front wall "planter" space so I can put the new geraniums in.

Even Later:
-wall dug out, refilled with potting mix,  geraniums planted in. Looks fab. Now hoping they grow.
-sad looking red geranium seedling potted up, fingers crossed
-new "apollo" tomato planted

Will the sky do some watering in please?

friday. is good. might actually make early night?

have bought widget wot might solve how to paint above bath safely. plan to experiment tomorrow when brain present. paint pad edger thing wot fits ona pole, never heard of prior tonight's hardware mission. will see.

hot chocolate, bed.

Yay for doingness. I finished my today list! Kitchen is reclaimed. Bathroom trim all pale cream now, lovely. I find it restful to the eye. New lockable window winders installed. One rather bodgily but functional. During this bodgy installation I had an amusing moment- needed to drill holes over my head- needed position was perfect for all the sawdust generated to fall straight into my cleavage. Not comfortable but pretty funny.

Still plenty more painting and suchlike to do but no more today. I sit here with tired arms trying to decide whether I like red wind spritzers.

well, I have managed third (final!) coat on door and some architraves. Looks pretty jolly good I reckon. Door furniture is back on, whew- this means it is now safe to visit me if you like a closed bathroom door. Also it means robe hooks, hoorah! I find it unreasonably irritating not to have one of these when I need one.

Also this morning I have embarked on painting the other bathroom window. This is a "spend all day at home" job as I want three coats and can't close or lock the window while I am at it. It is also remarkable fiddly and half done up a ladder. Though I seem to finally be learning to cut in paint better, this counts as a very good thing.

So my revised list for the rest of today
- one, two more coats on the window
-install 2 new security window winders
-tidy kitchen- even managed to wash the floor!!
-move dresser to place in the newly painted corner
-install it's doors and start putting stuff on it
-rest enough that I can manage to finish this list. Apparently so

If I have excess energy - or to be done another time
-cut down 8 drawer knob screws to size. Then I can assemble the drawers I painted last weekend.
-paint bathroom walls except unfinished washing machine corner
-install loo paper holder- now this I am looking forward to, isn't my life exciting?
-install cupboards and luggage rack in bathroom

finishing the kitchen painting will be a later project.