Another Big Day for the House

Significant progress is being made each day as the builder is piling on the pressure to finish the build.
The stairs are now complete, the garage door was installed the plasterer is working on the final finish for the walls and all the doors were removed and sent away for specialist painting.  We are very hopeful that we should be in within a month.

Count the Tradies!

With a little clear weather, the new house has been awash with tradies making the best of the conditions.  With plumbing works, electrical works, installation of the stairs, rendering and the installation of the kitchen and all the built in cupboards, we have had a tough time getting in and out of Unit 2.  No complaints.  The sooner it is done the sooner we are in.

Work internally sees the partial installation of the kitchen.  The stone benches are being cut on site. It is quite a process.

Transforming Nunawading Primary

The old Nunawading Primary School site is being transformed at a rapid rate with the girders to support the main building now being put in place.

James Goes Hard

The Mitcham Tigers could not overcome Kilsyth today but there was one thing for sure, the fault did not lie with James.  He worked his backside off all day with the Coach moving him all over the ground to fill holes.  If he slept for a week I would not be surprised.

Sophie - Basketball

Sophie and her team had an immediate challenge playing Collingwood today with some very tall girls in the opposition. Our girls did well and the match was even until after half time when Collingwood pulled away.  As usual, Sophie played her heart out.  Another exciting game.

And the Build Goes On

The weather has been appalling.  Rain and drizzle every day for over a week.  The builders have stayed on the job with drainage works and some important work inside.  Our new front door is in place.  We commissioned the eucalypt themed glass as a nod to our history and my background as a biology teacher.

Importantly, the stairs have now been installed making it a lot easier to view the upper floor

Most of the doors have been installed but they will now be removed and sent away for painting.  The tiling is near completion and the architraves and skirting boards are in  place.

Artists in Residence

Both Cooper and Lachlan were not well enough for school today so they came over for a quiet day. Much of the day was spent working on their portfolios.

Lachlan the Artist

Lachy was not in good shape today so he stayed with us.  His current passion is drawing and before long he had produced his first piece.

 By the time to leave he had produced four more.  This boy loves to draw.

Rams Rebuffed

Jack plays football with the East Burwood Rams.  Today we watched them take a bit of a caning at the hands of the Knights.  There is always next week.

More Work On The House

Steve, the builder does not take a lot of notice of public holidays.  He worked on Saturday and continued today (Queen's Birthday Holiday).  Perhaps he is a Republican.  The floors are in and he continued work on the upper storey installing architraves and appears to be preparing for the painter.

 Cupboards and shelving are arriving and being stored in the living area.

Outside the basic structure of the porch has been completed and awaits the concrete platform for the tiling.

Dinner - Yum

Brett and Cathy hosted a family dinner last night.  It's always a treat.  We gathered expectantly while the cooks worked in the kitchen!

We had a great meal of roast pork and the signature crackling and some top shelf red.

This was followed by profiteroles and a macaroon layer cake with mulberry and raspberry home made ice-cream.  At the end of the evening, hunger was way down the list of our concerns.

Love the Farmers' Market

It is always a bit of an adventure visiting the Farmers' Market.  What will be on offer this time? Are my favourite vendors there?

 My Salami Man failed to show on this occasion.  We made up for it with a range of artisan cheeses, an olive and a fruit sourdough and some more real peanut butter.

And the Build Goes On

There is plenty of activity on the site of the new build but now all the action has moved inside as the doors are fitted, architraves and tiling are done and the shelving units are being set up.  Inspection is still a fraught affair as we walk the gangplank to enter the building.

Echuca Station

In the 50 years I have been visiting Echuca and surrounds, I have never taken the opportunity to have a look at the railway station that was so important to the development of the area.  This visit I was able to rectify that omission.  Like all older buildings they speak of an era with a completely different set of priorities.

 

The workshops, once a hive of industry, are now empty and in decline.

Nathalia

We visited Nathalia to drop a family history to Kylie P and have a look over her school.  The school and its facilities were amazing and with 750 students in a small town, the locals must also think the school is amazing.  While there we took the opportunity to look around the town.  It is evidently in decline but it is still a little gem in the bush.

 There is always someone hanging out around the pub!

Winter Football

We watched the Mitcham Tigers take a bit of a beating today.  James did his usual work up close and personal with the opposition.

 The star attraction of the day was the weather as a massive system moved across at three quarter time.  The last quarter was played in heavy rain with the (largely ineffective) lights on. 
Ahh - the delights of winter football.  It was interesting that 5 years ago to the day we watched James play in almost identical conditions with the Heathmont Jets.