more pictures

back filling is still to be completed. but It looks great. So much so we are going to get the guy to quote us for the retaining wall we need on the other side of the house. which is probably a bigger job and is certainly more fiddly as it will include several direction changes and a set of steps. He's been brilliant backfilling over our septics as well. It seems they weren't covered the way they were supposed to be. So he has backfilled with some of our additional soil and covered up a service pipe so it's just visible instead of being nearly 500mm above ground level.

finally some action.

Still waiting on the maintenance guys,

still waiting on someone to put in some trees



HOWEVER



Finally our first retaining wall was started today. yippee The first of several. We plan to put them in gradually.

Once this one is done we can start on the front garden which I have been so looking forward to.
The guys will be finishing it off hopefully tomorrow.

piccies

oh dear

We had a call this morning from D the man in charge of WA C B maintenance team He wanted to call in and see our issues as per the paperwork we handed in yesterday. Very fast work. It seems we have some painting dramas to look forward to.
A-M I'm thinking of your painting dramas now and feeling a bit stressed.

ceilings need redoing, sanding, re-taping, repainting in at least 2 areas. One of them being the main living/dining/kitchen/games area. then cornices need patching and repairing. It's going to be messy. Paint sheets everywhere.

he's said something about getting in a cleaner afterwards "if " it's messy. but it looks like a few weeks worth of work as it's a several stages job.

We also need an extra bit of guttering to be added near the front door and also had a suggestion to wait 'til next winter to look at getting additional downpipes put in. He seems to think we don't have enough downpipes and need2-3 more. Hubby grimaced at that although he felt the same. the last thing hubby wants to do is dig more soakwells. oh joy.

hmm hopefully they start no earlier than late next week when the kids and I will be away and it's only hubby here and not while my mum is staying at the beginning of the week.

at least it's a good excuse not to finish our own painting. We might as well wait until the builders painters have finished. .

Tick tock time passing

IN reverse order:
Tomorrow I must be brave and finish the curtains for our bedroom. They've been sitting partly cut, unpinned and not sewn for 2 months now as I nervously dither about how to sew them. No more.


Today we handed in our 4 month maintenance form to the builder. We should get some action of the few things that need fixing hopefully in the next week or 2/3. Much is cosmetic but there are a few things that do need to be looked into including a section of guttering that seems to hold water rather than sending it flowing down the downpipes.
Our S.S. mentioned that our ceilings needed redoing in the main living area 3 months ago just after we first moved in. This will be something that hopefully gets sorted out now the follow up team are due to start their part of the process.

We've purchased a couple of extra towel rails for the bathrooms for hand towels. Still need a wall cabinet for our ensuite or else for the temporary mirror to be hung. ( Perhaps in the next wave of drilling)


Have looked into getting some earth delivered to do some planting and it was quite reasonable for very ordinary soil. It looks like the plants I have put in will get moved yet again. I think they are too far from the house for the garden border they are meant to be part of.


Yesterday the first of our pictures were finally hung on walls. There are more to do but it's amazing what a difference it makes once a few things are up.

We've had a couple of mini bonfire/fires to start to clear up some of the wood we have here. It's been fun sitting outside on a still night. C has discovered the joys of toasted marshmellows and R loves dropping leaves on the fire.

We splashed out and bought a new tv. Time for some family movie nights.

Several weeks ago our outside clothes line went up. Yippee. Airflow in the garage wasn't the best and it was taking ages for things to dry that couldn't be put in the dryer.

Finally all the soakwells have been dug. Hard going in rock and gravel as hubby will happy tell you. He's just glad it's over with.