chalkerhive-blog

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23rd - 1st July 2025

Winter is truly upon us. We have had days of heavy frosts and -5 deg and colder mornings. Jane (very rugged up) was on her morning walk around the block and could see snow on the mountains from the bottom of our driveway. With the cold mornings the days have been clear and beautiful.

We had to be careful in the driveway as after a bit of rain we had slippery ice and the bins were even frozen shut.

The ensuite has now been finished with the mirror and shower door being installed at the start of the week. We love it. The shower door looks like it is on a slope in the picture, but it is level.

Mike spent some time packing up the fencing, to protect our plants. He also tidied up all the building material that was left behind. The builders came and picked up all the fencing and other equipment they still had here. That let Mike take the drains down and start painting in the garage. He liked having the space.

While it was not so nice outside, Mike continued painting the mud room. It won't be long until we can use it.

Rain is forecast for a lot of the coming week so Mike had a feeling he should move his bike into the garage and out of the house while there was not mud. It has a great space in front of Jane's car. She will be in a lot of trouble if she hits it.

The lights in the eves at the front of the garage are on a timer at night and really set off the battons.

The rain is coming this afternoon and forecast to be heavy tonight, so Mike enlisted Nathan to help attach the painted downpipes on.

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16th June - 22nd June 2025

This week saw a lot of finishing touches happening. Chris was here by himself and got a lot done in 3 days.

The ensuite towel rails, toilet roll holder and shower rail were installed and the flashings on the outside of the windows were finished.

The electrician finished connecting everything in the garage and found a fault which was quickly found to be a screw. Mike helped Chris take the ply down and put it back up once fixed. We now have a fully functioning garage. Mike and Chris cleaned out the garage of all the work tools. It is now ready for use (almost).

On Monday, Anita and Brian came to visit on the way to the airport. It was the first time they had seen the house in person. It was a gloomy day with the fog never lifting. We had a nice afternoon tea and will pick Anita up when she returns from QLD.

The plasterers finished the mudroom and once dry, Mike can start painting. We are looking forward to using it soon. The blue tape is where we are going to have a seat and storage built.

The start of the week saw Parry help Mike with hooking up the front drains. We are now prepared for the rain next week. It is too cold to paint them so Mike will do that when he can.

The slab was cut ready for removal in front of the garage outside the kitchen. It was a mess, and Mike spent some time cleaning it so we can walk around the area.

Linn and Orida visited on Thursday and picked up some of our second-hand building materials to use on their property. It is great for them and us as we don't have to get rid of it. Jane made a lovely minestrone soup with home grown produce. The celery was particularly good. Unfortunately, we forgot to get photos.

Nathan helped Mike move the rest of the materials we were keeping from the front to the back of the block. The front is looking quite tidy.

Thursday night we were invited to the builder's 20th birthday celebration. We had a great night and managed to have a nice photo taken with Chris and Aidyn. Jane is looking to invest in a higher set of heels.

With rain forecast for next week, Mike thought it would be best to fill all the open space around the garage. He spent two days with the wheelbarrow and shovel. He did a great job, and Jane was on food and drink duty. The Anzac biscuits were very well received.

This week we had a couple of -7degree mornings. Mike wanted to get our cars in the garage. He dug out some of the mound that was in the way and put boards down so we could drive in. We picked up Jane's car from her brothers and now we have two cars in. We are still trying to get a start date out of the landscaper.

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9th June - 15th June 2025

Another busy week with a lot of visual work happening.

The ensuite had its privacy film put on. We are going to move the path a bit further from the window and have a fern garden outside which should look nice. Jane is much better at outdoor plants than indoor.

The batons on the garage were finished and Mike's painted lights went in. We see lots of cars driving by slowly or stopping to have a look.

Chris and Aidyn worked late one night installing the insulation and then the next 3 days lining the interior walls with Ply. Everyone agrees it looks fantastic. Mike is just deciding what to paint and what to stain. We like the extra height with not lining the ceiling.

Friday, due to a cancellation we had the garage doors installed. They have a modern look that we are very happy with. They did scratch one of the flashings on the side opening (which they neglected to tell us), so we will have to see who is going to fix it. Now we just have to work out how to get into it.

Friday while the doors were being installed, Chris and Aidyn started installing the new front door. It has been sitting in the middle of the house for a month or so (it has been so long we can't remember). They ran out of time, so it is locked with a piece of timber. It should be finished early next week so we can all leave the house at the same time. What used to be a dark corner is now light and bright.

Mike has been working on the drainage around the garage. He has put in the agpipe, and after a few trips to the landscaping centre, has filled it with gravel. Parry, our builder, is also a plumber and is going to help Mike next week hooking it up to the stormwater and installing the downpipes on the front of the garage.

We have been talking with the landscaper about a start date and what needs to happen. Jane has started moving some plants from a garden which will be demolished and rebuilt into the plan. We have had so many frosty mornings that she has set up a little green house. She is running out of pots and potting mix so is also just moving things to other parts of the garden. We are lucky that the plants we have can just be moved and divided when we need to.

We have had some good days and Chris and Aidyn enjoyed having lunch on our seat (which came from Jane's Aunts place in Sydney some years back) in the sun. Friday was Aidyn's last day with us, he and Chris have worked really well together, and we are both thankful they were given our job.

Here are a few pictures of that we started with and where we are now.

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2nd June - 8th June 2025

A very busy week starting with an ACT public holiday for Reconciliation day. Ayesha came over for dinner and brought with her all the equipment needed for a Japanese Hot Pot. We had Carrots and large spring onions from Jane's garden and mushrooms from the farm shop down the road. It was lots of fun and very delicious.

This week the tiler came back and siliconed the edges of the ensuite and the plumber arrived on Thursday to install the fixtures. It is such a unique space. Friday, we had Monaro Screens out to measure for the shower screen and mirror. The window film was also ordered and hopefully on be a week. The joiners will be back to cut a bit of the top draw so it fits around the trap. Once the towel rails etc are installed it will be finished.

The garage kept moving along with the handrail for the steps finished and the door installed. The inside has been cleaned up ready for the next lot of work - lining the walls. The electrician came on Thursday and did the ruff wire in. Once the walls are lined, he will do the fit off.

The Mudroom is next on the list to fit out. It will be a great space.

Friday saw a hive of activity. Luckily Mike got up early as the builders arrive at 7am. The Surveyer arrived at 7.10am to make sure we had built in the correct place. As he was leaving the Certifier arrived to sign off the frame and work done so far. Then the guy turned up to measure the shower frame and mirror in the ensuite. As he was leaving the Landscaper turned up for our meeting. We are happy with the ideas and plan we have and hopefully can start that in a month or so. Poor Mike didn't know where to turn.

After lunch the roofer turned up (thought they had been coming days ago) and installed all the flashing around the garage door openings. This now means the batons can be finished and the doors installed when they are ready.

Mike has been busy with his spray paint spraying lights, so they blend in. He is doing a great job.

Friday also saw the delivery of the garage wall lining so the builders can start work on Tuesday first thing (another long weekend).

Friday afternoon Mike help Chris and Aidyn install the new sliding door in the old garage. It is so big and looks amazing.

Being the second long weekend in a row, the builders decided to work Saturday in terrible weather and take the horrible garage extension down. Mike helped with the roof sheets as it was a bit windy. He then went with Nathan suit shopping for the wedding.

Care was taken with next doors roses. We think Warrick and Janell are just as happy as us to see this structure gone. We will get the fence extended and Jane has plans to grow a Lemon and Lime on the wall as this will become our BBQ area.

Jane has a great view from one of the kitchen windows now over the BBQ area and it feels like we have so much more space.

Mike braved the weather Saturday afternoon and cut up the two garage doors and took them to the Metal recycling. We then picked up the insulation for the new garage. Sunday Mike spent cleaning up the mess and doing a big tip run. The builders will be surprised when they get back on Tuesday.

We are giving the wood beams to Linn and Orida for building and keeping the roof sheets for our new garden shed which will be built sometime in the future.

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19th May - 1st June 2025

The last two week have been slow, then busy. The first week was just the builders getting on with work that doesn't show much. The second week has been full on with lots happening.

The first week Jane went to Tumut to check on things for a couple of nights, she had dinner with Anita and Brian and ordered lots of takeaway to bring home for the rest of the family, so they didn't miss out on yummy Thai.

The ensuite has now been fully tiled and grouted. The tiler is back next week to silicone the final edges. We have booked in for the mirror and shower door measure next week. The lights and fitting will also be done next week. It has been so long that we have forgotten we have a second bathroom.

The garage has been progressing well. Mike has been busy sanding and fixing the eves on the house and painting them in Woodland Grey. They are looking fantastic. The batons have been going on but are now waiting for flashings around the door openings to be finished. It is looking really nice now the scaffolding is coming down. The Mudroom has now been sheeted and hopefully we get a door next week, so the house is secure again. Mike has made a special locking system for the inside door that has been working so far.

The stairs from the garage to the mudroom have been made and stained by Mike who also helped to install them. They are a great size, and we are very happy. The handrail should be in first thing next week.

The roofers came back and finished the roof and wall flashings. They now need to come back to replace our front gutter that is rusted out and a side one the excavator hit and damaged.

Mike has just started working on the drainage and dug out for the connections. more work on this next week.

Mike then took on the job of gluing the end caps on the batons that run above the garage doors. He first had to stain the edges as they were white and then glue them on. He spent all day doing the gluing. Luckily it was a nice sunny day and he had a good setup. There were about 120 of them.

When Parry turned up at the end the week he had been quoting on a job in our street, one of our other neighbours wanted to come around and look at our garage as he wants one now too. Our house started its life as a display home and now seems to be the display garage for the estate.

Jane had a lovely afternoon with Tilly, her mum and grandmother and her bridesmaids wedding dress shopping. After trying on lots of dresses and thinking she knew what she wanted, she said yes to a dress that is totally different and looks stunning. Everyone will have to wait until March to see it.

Last night we were lucky enough to see the Southern Lights. It was earlier than expected and Bella had messaged us from Canada to say she had seen posts on facebook. We all went into the backyard and got a few shots. It was very had to see with the naked eye.

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12th May - 18th May 2025

A lot happened this week. Monday morning was a parking lot in our driveway with the carpenter's, roofer's, tiler and delivery truck. The Brickie then turned up and had to park next door.

The brickie finished the wall for the new internal doorway but used a very dark oxide in the mortar, so it looks a bit strange. Hopefully it will fade a lot as it dries.

The roofers were very quick and had over half the roof finished on the first day. The second day they put the wall sheets on the two back walls and now we are just waiting on the flashings. Jane was very amused with the roofer dance.

The ensuite had the floor tiled on Monday, the vanity installed on Tuesday (after the tiler quickly grouted underneath), the stone top measured on Wednesday and continued being tiled over the week. Once the stone is installed next week the tiling can be finished. With nothing ever going smoothly we had to change the wall in the shower as the tiles that were meant to be the same size were a couple of mils out. Mike phoned the suppliers and luckily could go and pick up the 4 boxes of grey tiles we needed. We can now see the end in sight.

The Garage batons have been progressing and looking great.

Mike has been working on his project of painting the eves. We decided to go dark, and they are looking fabulous. There has been a lot of repair and prep work involved. We also thought it was going to rain on the weekend so hooked up some temp downpipes. Of course, it didn't rain! He has also been staining the new front door. The builders ran out of board, so after a quick trip to Bunnings, Nathan helped Mike move them to paint over the weekend. Luckily, we now have a great undercover space for him to work in.

Jane has been working on repotting cuttings that are growing well. There was lots of lavender as well as Kangaroo Paws and Grevillea cuttings (from Anita), She put up a little greenhouse for the Natives and will see how they go. The carrots are going great, and the tops make a great pesto also using spinach.

We had a nice afternoon tea with Tilly and Nathan on Saturday, tasting flavours for their wedding cake. They were all nice and it was decided that chocolate on the bottom layer and orange on the top would be a great choice. On Sunday Jane went to Wedding Fair with them and Tilly's mum (also Jane, to keep things easy). It is all getting very real now.

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28th April - 11th May 2025

A two week update today. The first week not a lot happened. Mike took Jane to Sydney to visit with Ayesha and have an eye doctor's appointment. We had a lovely night with Ayesha cooking us a roast lamb. We went to our favourite Japanese breakfast place for pancakes. Mike had his appointment (very conveniently only 700 metres from Ayesha's apartment) and went back to Canberra to keep an eye on the builders. Jane and Ayesha went into the city and had a wonder around as well as just hanging out at home. We had a nice visit from a Cockatoo which was surprising as she is on the 15th floor in the middle of Chatswood.

Very slow progress on the ensuite, the floor was levelled and the second layer of waterproofing done. The next week the heating and last screed was done and is now ready for tiling.

The new window and door for the garage arrived without warning on Monday morning. We were just told that they were ready and would be delivered later in the week. Mike was working out where to put them until they could be installed.

John and Christine came for lunch on Sunday. With our building and their busy schedule, it had been a few months since we had all got together. We had a lovely afternoon and Jane cooked up her first large crop of carrots as well as using the tomatoes that have been ripening on the bench.

The Garage has been moving along. While Jane was in Sydney, they got it wrapped and last week started preparing for the battens. By the end of the week, we have the first side installed. It is better than we thought and can't wait for it to be finished. Mike had a big cleanup of the site on the weekend, so there are no longer as many hazards.

We were waiting on the brickie to come all last week to brick up the area around the new internal door. Each day we waited and waited but he never turned up. We are looking forward to having the internal access from the garage with winter coming quickly.

Sunday was Mothers Day and Jane had a lovely long video chat with Joey from Canada then Nathan and Tilly made a delicious dinner. It was a lovely day.

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21st - 27th April 2025

A very short week with Easter and Anzac day. Easter Monday Mike pulled the old toilet room apart so the builders could put the back beam in for the roof of the garage. This room will be our entry into the garage and a mudroom.

Lots more framing done.

Mike spent some time pointing up the brick work ready for waterproofing. Chris felt he needed a bit more work this week to feed his family so came on Saturday and helped Mike with the first coat of waterproofing. It is a tight squeeze in a lot of places. They would have had it all done but ran out of product. The forecast was for lots of rain which never turned up.

The ensuite is a slow burn at the moment. The first layer of waterproofing was done and next week the floor with be levelled before the heating and another layer of waterproofing. Slow and steady. We are very much looking forward to the tiling starting.

Jane made Anzac biscuits as per tradition.

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13th April - 20th April

The week started with a trip to Queanbeyan for Auto Italia. The car show is one Mike likes to go to every year. Jane came this year because it had moved to a nice park instead of the dusty and hot site at the Canberra show ground (EPIC). It was a nice morning, and we saw cars we had driven in our super car experience in Canada. We also saw a 100-year-old Alfa, after owning one we decided it would have sent multiple owners broke.

Jane has been working on her garden and picked her first carrots. The multi coloured ones don't grow at the same time. Only the white ones are large. She has also pulled out all the tomatoes and basil as it is getting too cold. Hopefully the tomatoes will ripen on the bench. The banksia is looking better by the day. Nathan and Tilly arrived home on Thursday, and we have had a lot of catching up with holiday news and some early wedding planning.

The tiler arrived on Thursday and did his first prep coat and will be back next week for waterproofing

The sliding doors for the front of the old garage arrived. The look huge and we are looking forward to having these installed in the hopefully near future.

The new garage has been going up visually quickly this week. The frames for the walls were made and put up with an extra pair of hands from Mike, steel beams were delivered and installed, then the front roof beams were put up. We can now really see the shape. Mike was tasked with fitting the bolts for the beams and filling the gap between the house and garage wall with cement over Easter. 24 wheelbarrows later he was finished in more ways than one!!

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2nd April - 12th April

Nearly two weeks of work on site with time to let things dry. The slab had a week to dry and then the brickie came to lay the blocks that will be mainly underground. Two days for him and then on Friday the concreters were back to fill the blocks. Mike has been doing a good job of cleaning up after everyone, washing the fence multiple times and making sure the front yard doesn't look like a war zone. We had deliveries of steel and timber for the frames to start next week. In trying to work out our new garden design we have tapped out areas for paths and garden beds to see how it will work.

The ensuite has had the big window installed. Now the workmen will unfortunately have to come through the house. The lining has been put on the walls with new insulation and then work has stopped as we wait for the tiler to get to us. Unfortunately, it looks like he won't be here for another 2 weeks. Mike has been patching the ceiling and painting while we wait.

After the slab for the garage was done, Jane went to Tumut for a few days and caught up with friends and did chores around the house. She has also been having new successes in the garden with Celery (found the trick for tender celery is to wrap it in newspaper for 2 weeks before harvesting, we will see what happens) and her Brussel Sprouts are forming. The Banksia (Honey Pots) is flowering beautifully even if it is being a bit squashed by the port-a-loo. After reminding the plumbers multiple times that the only thing Jane really wanted was a tap at the front of the block, she is now able to water the plants without running up and down with the watering can and is very happy.

Sunday the 6th of April we decided to get out of the house and go for a drive. We ended up at Honeysuckle Creek, where there used to be a space tracking station. Only the foundations were still there, and it had been closed for a while due to the last bush fires. It was very interesting and has a campground and BBQ areas. We decided it would be a great place to come back for a picnic and has a couple of bush walks we could do. We then drove to the Orroral Valley tracking station site which is also dismantled. It was very windy there and after a quick walk around and finding a lone Kangaroo we headed home. We were pleasantly surprised at how close these places were to us.

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24th - 31st March 2025

Big family news for the start of this week's blog. Nathan and Tilly got engaged while on their holiday in Paris. A wonderful start to their life together. We can't wait to celebrate with them when they return in a couple of weeks.

Work on the ensuite has been progressing with the new wall for the shower and cabinetry in place and the plumbing being worked on today. Mike has been working on the ceiling and will paint before the floor is waterproofed and new sheets go on the walls. It is really starting to look nice and quirky instead of old and weird.

Jane had inspiration to clean up the garden shed from Christine in Goulburn who now has a new shed. Everything is now easier to get to, but more space will be great when time permits to build the new one. She had to tie the shelves together as the floor is rotting and they are starting to lean.

The garage is moving along really quickly. The week was spent preparing for the slab which was laid today. It was decided that Monday would be the best day to lay concrete as rain was forecast for the weekend. We weren't disappointed and received 25mm on Saturday and a few showers on Sunday. Better to have the bad weather when nobody was here. Mike helped out with his jackhammer squaring up along some of the foundations. An early start Monday morning and we were very excited to have 2 trucks arrive quickly, then an hour wait, until the next one and close to that for the last. While they waited one guy even gave the fence a bit of a clean. Luckily, the weather has cooled down and now the finishing is in progress.

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17th -23rd March

Another big week at the Chalker's. Monday started with Mike noticing that the new electrical board had been put in the wrong location. Our builders and electricians were at a Golf Day, so Mike had a few calls to make. After the inspector had been to ok the work for Tuesday's connection our builder Chris and the electricians were back to move it into the correct position. We are lucky Mike is on the ball as it could have been a costly mistake.

Tuesday Evo energy and the Electrician were hooking up the new feed and making sure everything was working. We were without power for half the day, luckily our neighbours let us run an extension cord so we could still have our fridge. Our windows for the ensuite also arrived.

Wednesday the plumber's got into action (sort of). Because the garage is being dug in, we needed to lower the sewer, storm water and water line. After the plumber spent 3 hours complaining, he got to work and finished the sewer and storm water but had to come back the next day for to finish the water line. We were without these services for the whole day, so Jane thought it was a great day to go out shopping.

Mike thought it was crazy as the plumber kept telling him what a hard and complicated job it was. Mike had to manage services for his job in Mongolia, that was tough as the picture below show.

By the end of the week, we now have the trenches filled in and all services working perfectly, even though it is still a mess.

The ensuite work continued on Tuesday and the two smaller windows were installed. Mike helped save some time by digging out excess dirt and filling with blue metal dust one evening. We finally got the slab poured on Friday afternoon, so it can cure over the weekend and work can continue next week.

One night Nathan came to us and said the forecast was for large hail. We moved Tilly's car into the garage with Nathan's (a very tight squeeze) and Mike's up under the front entry with some padding. Of cause, we didn't get a drop of rain that night. We get 12mm the next night but no sign of hail.

Saturday started with the arrival of the excavator for the preparation for the garage slab. It is great to know the machine is ready waiting for first thing Monday morning. We might even get a slab poured next week if everything goes well.

Jane's Garden is going well, she has been pruning the Tomatoes and getting a good crop of delicious fruit. Mike has started digging and planning for the retaining wall and larger garden shed at the very back of the block to replace the small one we have now. He has also repaired the wicking beds that leaked, and they are now full of soil and seeds and plants. Jane moved her Brussel Sprouts from a pot as it was getting too big. Hopefully during winter, we will be enjoying roasted sprouts.

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7th - 16th March 2025

We have had a busy week with it feeling more like a month. We headed to Tumut for a weekend to celebrate Mike's Birthday with Nathan and Tilly. We had Thai on Friday night and Saturday headed up to Courabyra Wines for lunch with Anita and Brian. It was a lovely day and as always, the food was delicious. We were all stuffed full for the ride home. Sunday was breakfast at the Riverside Cafe and now we don't need to eat for the next week.

We returned to Canberra and work started in full gear on the ensuite and garage. The ensuite is now ready for the new floor and walls. The new windows are arriving next week so hopefully we don't have to wait to long for it to be finished. Our builder Chris and his apprentice Aiden have been working very hard and are very nice. We ran into Chris in Tumut while having Thai as he was there for a kayak weekend on the river. It is a small world.

The garage slab demolition didn't take long, and trucks took away lots of concrete and soil. The front garden now looks like a bomb hit it. They then dug trenches for the new electrical and uncovered the storm water and water lines which need to be sunk lower. They were doing really well, then a surprise storm hit with 6.5mm in 5 minutes, as they couldn't see they hit the storm water line and flooded the area, then hit the water line. This was all repaired for us so we could go on with daily life. The electricians have put the new meter box in the new location on the far side of the new garage and Evo energy are coming next week to reconnect to the new box which should be in its final place when the walls are built.

Jane had lunch out with Ayesha on Friday enjoying memories of India.

Mike has now moved his Ducati inside out of the way of builders and storage. It fits nicely in the family room for the next few months. Luckily, we are not using that space at the moment.

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1st - 5th March 2025

Jane has been working on the garden for the last few months and been growing lots of produce. The new wicking beds are working well, and we received the last round ones on the weekend. Unfortunately, 2 of the 3 leak and now Michael will find some time to reseal them. We have not had the best luck as 1 of the 3 long beds leaked as well and was replaced. Great crops of basil and tomatoes as well as Zucchini, Beans and greens. Carrots are coming along nicely and we should have a great crop through winter. Cuttings have been taken of the lavender that will go with the new driveway.

The ensuite is getting a total renovation and Mike and Nathan started the demo before the builders arrived to save some time. The builders have started jackhammering the slab and will return next week to continue.

The big news is the new garage work has started. Again, Mike and Nathan started to demolish the old garage. Before that we had to locate the electricity feed to the house, as it needs to be relocated and reconnected on the 18th. Mike used his divining rods, and his first attempt was not successful but after hiring a machine he found the correct cable. After digging he discovered an irrigation pipe under the first hole, so they did work. A bit of gardening work was also required to mark out where the new layout was going to be. We were excited to have the builders here on Tuesday morning bright and early to start. The digger was quick to dig the trenches for the new electricity line and short work was made of taking down the garage.

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January/February 2025

A new year and more work to be done.

Jane and Michael went to Sydney for New Years Eve and watched the fireworks from Ayesha's apartment in Chatswood. After a lovely Dinner and late breakfast at the Japanese pancake shop the next day, it was home to get stuck back into it.

Michael borrowed some scaffolding from John in Goulburn and was able to patch and paint the high windows and walls in the family room with our very high ceilings. We also had the fan and fire alarm changed. The room is looking very nice and new.

We have now almost finished the bathroom, just need to toilet connected to the sewer outside and the mirror to arrive from Italy (we think they are hand making the glass from sand it is taking so long). We are enjoying using the new shower and it is amazing the transformation from the old one. The laundry is all finished except for the floor. Jane and Michael with the help of heavy lifting from Nathan, made angled shelves and spots to fit into the laundry. We had some sliding doors installed and now have one square room in the house.

It has not all been work. We have had a few trips to Tumut, with a lovely lunch at Courabyra Wines with Anita and Brian as well as a couple of trips to Wagga Wagga where we have discovered the nicest honey at the Strawberry farm where they also had beautiful sunflowers. With lunch after at our new favourite pub the Palm and Prawn.

We had a lovely trip to Goulburn to catch up with Christine and John and have a walk around their thriving garden. I will make sure to take some photos on our next visit.

Jane has also been catching up with Ayesha and Karla when Ayesha is in town.

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26th December 2024

The end of the year is almost here. What a year it has been with all our renovations and holidays. Pre-Christmas was spent in Tumut with Jane's brother Anthony and his partner Lyane. Nathan and Tilly came as well, and we finally spread Jane's Mum and Dad's ashes at the golf club. Bella was dialled in on WhatsApp from Canada. It was a beautiful morning with an amazing sunrise. They are now looking down the 16th fairway and over the club and town.

After breakfast at the Riverside Cafe, Jane and Michael took Nathan and Tilly to the Blueberry farm at Laurel Hill, which is a little way past Batlow. We ate so many blueberries while we picked, that we were all feeling the winding road on the way home. Each bucket was 2kg so we have a lot of frozen berries for the coming months.

While in Tumut we also went the Tumut River Brewery which has reopened under new management and had dinner with Anita and Brian at our favourite Thai restaurant. The Glen estate also has its houses over decorated for Christmas which was fun to see.

Back home for a quiet Christmas Day. Lots of food and a nice nap in the afternoon.

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2nd October - 6th December 2024

We have had a busy couple of months. Jane headed off to Sri Lanka and India with Ayesha and had a fabulous time. They stayed overnight in Singapore then a week in Sri Lanka and visited Delhi, Amritsar, Jaipur, Agra, Gurgaon and Goa in India. Jane was very popular with the locals and had her picture taken quite a few times.

Meanwhile Mike was back home pulling the house apart and getting it put back together. Jane nearly missed it all but arrived home just before the stone arrived for the kitchen. The kitchen is now complete with Mike putting the silicone around the cooktop today. The kitchen is the same layout as nothing else would work. It has better storage and appliances now.

We are waiting for the tiler to come back to finish the bathroom and laundry now that the cabinets are in. The weird cupboard in the laundry was demolished yesterday and Mike and Jane will rebuild it to fit and be more useful in the new year.