A bit more progress

We are chipping away at things around the house.  We ordered and picked up some wall features for outside.  I found out to check the price as there was nearly $50 difference with exactly the same thing being ordered from Mitre 10 and Bunnings.

A lovely butterfly light box from Northcote Pottery.  Light box is not really the correct description. Firstly there is no perspex and secondly there is no light. So it is a metal sheet.   I like it all the same and it will become a light box eventually.    Yes yes when we do it I promise there will be photo's. I am slack at the moment or not driven to take photos of the bits and pieces of progress.  I think I would be trying to justify all the work so this way you can just form your own impression in your head.

More sanding has been done. I am over sanding and with the change in weather tomorrow that will be it for a bit.   Thats not to say that there isn't HEAPS more to go!

I have found a nice new door handle (lockwood) for the screen door.  I wanted to replace the door however my other half thinks a bit of work will bring it up nicely and especially with the new hardware too.  I have to remember that we are big about recycling and reusing not just getting all new things and getting rid of the old because i am want new and pretty.  Sometimes I dream about a bulldozer coming in.

I show the children our progress and what we are going to do. They ask questions and show a geniune level of interest and wows, makes me happy.   It also motivates me to do more and show them lovely progress.  Progress which makes me smile when I go outside.  Even if it's only a section of the house it is making a difference.

We made Paella, I have never made it before. I had all the ingredients except stock. I make it the children turn it into chicken soup and then its gone very soon after that.   Bit fiddly the recipe, maybe because it was the first time making it?  It worked well and I have requests to do it again soon.  Nice to have new not too complex recipes that are winners.  Of course now I would like a paella dish, I used a cast iron wok it worked perfectly.

Back to massage tomorrow.

been a long time....

It feels like so much has happened since last I blogged.   We decided to tempt fate and get busy around the house renovating again.... painting, sanding, fixing and trying to make at least some of the outside decent.  I say tempt fate as every single time in the past just over 10 years when we have made a huge effort to do some work on the house someone has died or we have become carers.  This time was nothing different.  Not that long ago we had my mother in law visiting, sitting in the chair outside talking about what we were doing, now we are about to become carers again.  The project will be put on hold like all the others.   This lovely women had a stroke a couple of weeks ago, mild in the scheme of things (she is still with us).  Down her right side and when they say mild is it still amazing what functions cannot be preformed. Basic functions like feeding yourself, getting dressed and walking are all being relearnt. I am so pleased that I have some skills to help and I do massage on that side every time I visit. I just wish that it never happened.

Whilst this lovely lady is in hospital and rehab, I have been between moments trying to work on the projects.  I have been sanding, bit by bit. I break the house up into sections otherwise sanding, undercoating, cleaning, fixing and painting the whole house is just too mammoth a job to even contemplate, even with lots of help from my other half.

So I have moved from the front bit all sanded, to the side underneath the kitchen window.  I am about to get up the ladder and work on the higher bits, then mow. Today is very productive.  My hurricane is busy watching "thunderbirds are go" his new favourite and his sister is at a movie with her best friend.  She finally has found the most gorgeous little girl and they have clicked. Its very exciting watching this happen. They have their own language, the stand close as they can to each other, there goes all my space invader training she says smiling, they enjoy similar things and they are oblivious to the world when they are together.  Her first play date today going off without is to GOLD CLASS to see Despicable Me and then lunch.  She hardly slept last night she is so excited.  My Petal is having a lovely time having a beautiful best friend.  I must say I too am thrilled to bits.

Ok back to sanding!  I will try not to leave it too long.