at least I am beginning to see some beauty in it all.

That being said, today still has been exhausting for me. It started great with my younger son Cole taking me for breakfast since my stove is now officially conked in and I'm not replacing it yet. I am redoing my kitchen cupboards and have been given an almost new hob and under counter oven, and when the new cupboards arrive all will be installed. In the meantime we eat what we can prepare on a bread board or buy from a take out.

After going for breakfast, the mad dash began. I met with Daniel who is putting two vehicles through roadworthy for me. I picked Michelle and Axel up from him and they hung about with me. I fear she was a tad bored, but nothing I could do about that...it would have been worse at roadworthy with revving engines. We went to 3 different hardware stores before I could find the sandpaper that was needed for the hand held sanding machines. Must be a popular size or tons of restoration work on the go?!? I eventually found them, but sadly had to pay a bit more because they only had them in singles instead of in economy packs. Sigh. It was take them and pay more or wait another few days for the new delivery. I decided that I am tired of the mess, so I coughed up the extra money.

Next I had to fetch cement and bring home paint samples, make lunch for the workers. During the morning Michelle was coughing badly as was Axel, so a pit stop at the pharmacy to get them both some medicine to help them. Got a call from Justin at work sick as a dog and please to fetch him.....detoured there and took him home. While there I tried to 'cashsend' some money to Cole only to find the internet down...aaaargh.

So many projects on the go all at once. Seriously. I am buying Daniel a 4x4 vehicle for his growing business, and swaping him for his older model BMW. This means putting it through roadworthy so that it can go on my name and get insured. Next, the BMW also must go through roadworthy and into my name for insurance purposed...however, since we are buying the 4x4 from a friend, we are loaning the BMW to them for a couple of days which means stipulating them as drivers. While this sounds simple enough (it does...doesn't it??) I have to keep popping into Coles office to sign papers because we are moving our insurance to his company so that he can benefit.

Anyway, this story is getting complicated and out of hand, lets go back to alterations which are out of hand too, but less so....

This picture is amusing because the guy doing this job ran out of stone and cement mix right at the end and with it being a public holiday I was unable to get anymore. Aah well, it will soon be completed and tiled. I can't wait for this to get finished so I can once again create a lush garden like it used to be.


Inside is still going strong. Isaac is verrrry busy making a mess
Ok, hes making a mess, but that's so he can make it all beautiful.
You can see the dust particles flying all over as they use their sanding tools.


The next two pictures are blurry, but at least you can see what's making my house stink like burning wood.......it is.....burning wood!!


Just look at that red hot fire on the doors, no wonder the paint melts away.


The doors before they started stripping the paint.


The paint is off, but still has to be sanded down to its natural color.


Some door frames were removed completely since they served no real function (no doors attached). The old days, if there was a hole in the wall, it got a frame. kinda like "ANNOUNCING THE DOORWAY".
Well, it would have cost me plenty of money to have them sanded and restored. When I considered the facts, I decided to remove them, and cement and paint them. It wont effect the overall look of the room.


Most of the skirtings were in pretty good shape and were sanded and restored.


Some were irreparable like this one. Fortunately the damaged ones were all in one area and that area is going to have wall to wall computer and sewing table which meant we could remove these without messing with the look. No idea why this picture came out soooo yellow??


The door frames are already showing their creamy undercoat. When they get their sealer they should be magnificent.


Isaac inspecting is work. Behind him you can see the different colored woods. When he's done, they will be uniform and natural.


I am not a big TV person, but still we have missed TV since its packed away till the chopping and mess is finished. There are "those" times you just want to watch something and miss it when you can't. I'd like nothing more now than a hot shower, then plonk myself in front of the TV with a glass of wine....but that's not to be.

At least I can now see some beauty in all this mess and my 11 year old vision for my grand old home is finally a reality. Its true then, patience is a virtue, and all good things do come to those who wait!