It’s evident, then, that we will have a very high quality house. And who would doubt it, with the team we have on board?  Mark Hitchcock and Carly Gibson from Bishop, Hitchcock, Irwin Architects, and the team from Tim Webster Building.  They have all been warned, indeed already experienced, my propensity to control.  Thus far we are still on speaking terms.

Living in town is very different to living on the mountain. Cherrie and I miss Quamby a great deal.  We miss the garden, although I must say that Cherrie manages to keep herself busy here in the rental house with the several hundred pots, with cuttings from the Quamby garden, she brought with her here.  In several truck loads.  She has already built, that is dug, a salvia garden in the rented back yard, which looks beautiful.  And, we are closer to the beach here!  And to the shops, which is important when not growing our own food. 

When we moved from Quamby I sorted the wine (with valuable help from Jennifer – thank you) into what had to be consumed in the next two years and what could wait.  They then went into boxes labelled A (for Albert St – the new house) and V (for Victoria St, the rental).  I was shocked at how much wine needs to be drunk in the next two years, but I’m doing my best.  I’m very tenacious about this stuff you know.  The to-drink wine is in the sizeable linen cupboard in the rental.  Does that say something about two sheets to the wind?

We chose the block we are building on because of its close proximity to town, three blocks, and that it is level.  Important for damaged ankles.  There was a house on it

And even a lovely asbestos aviary.  Sans birds, who may have had some respiratory issues

All of this had to be demolished to accommodate our own grand design.  We thought it only right that we have farewell drinks with some local friends before the wrecking ball hits.  Any excuse for a drink.  So Demolition Drinks were held on 6 February, the weekend before demolition was to commence

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In true Grand Designs style, it took another four weeks for the demolition team to move in!

And within a day or two, real progress was made

This is the site of the demolition drinks

Just when we thought we were safe, the demolition team disappeared.  Of course, I am known for my patient and tranquil nature. 

Ten days later they returned, with the big guns. 

And soon Woodhill, from whence we came, was revealed

Then, at last, the block was clear. Only the security gate remained

By now, it’s mid-March, and that extreme weather event happened, which caused so much flooding in Northern NSW, and in Sydney. We were largely spared, but were somewhat impacted

Another couple of weeks with no progress. Aren’t we grateful for my tolerance and calm? The plumbers eventually move in to lay the drainage pipes

Next, the sewer pipes had to be encased in concrete. Necessary because our design allows for an outdoor terrace which is too close to the sewer for the Council’s comfort. No pun intended.

This plumbing job calls for different plumbers. Of course it does. So what do we do? We wait.

Eventually work commences again, this time with a smaller machine

Ooh ah, ooh ah, the plumber is down the sewer

And then it’s encased. Fortunately after the plumber exited

Another five days pass before the machine returns to back fill.
Yesterday, the slab set out starts

Piers drilled next. Or so they say.