Windows 'n' Doors

Housebuilding progress report No. 37 - are you bored yet?

Some of the gaping holes in the house have started to be filled in with lovely double-glazed cedar-framed doors 'n' windows. These are all made by a husband and wife joinery firm in Margate, about 10 minutes drive away from Allens Rivulet.
The electrician has also just started the first-fix, i.e. running cables all over the place and marking out where our sockets, light switches, lights, A/V stuff goes. So many decisions to make!!

What the papers say

Thought we'd share with you some of the key headlines from the 'Sunday Tasmanian'.
Maybe for the front page you'd expect a piece of national or international importance - perhaps something on the economic stimulus package from the Rudd Government and its effect on the unemployment trend. No, sorry, we got 'MIRACLE MOGGIE' which outlines the fascinating return of a cat from one part of Australia to another! Don't believe us - here you go: -















Or how about the next fascinating article - 'Crusade of broccoli boffin', including the ever memorable 'brocolli benefits'.

A roof over our heads

Finally, just as the torrential rains have started to give way to light cloud and sunshine, the house has a hat!
Some windows and doors are also now fitted although the attached piccie isn't quite up to date - it's a couple or three days old.
Before you know it the external cladding will go up - a mixture of Colorbond steel and Cedar wood.

The most expensive cat in the world

For years we had Smoke insured in the UK and he never got sick. Now he's arrived in Oz and is too old to be eligible for insurance he spends half his life and most of our money at the vets! He has a kidney problem that is kept under control if we feed him this really expensive on prescription diet (in other words we can't get it cheap over the internet). He's had his teeth done and now he's cut his foot and and will probably need surgery to repair it! Anyone want a really expensive old cat? He comes complete with box!!!!

UPDATE: Smoke has escaped surgery and instead has to have antibiotics twice a day. Which means he now hides under the dining table or behind the sofa whenever I'm around in case I grab him! Oh, to be popular!

Pick-up sticks

We are now well underway with the building process, with the framing timber going up pretty quickly. We hope the roof trusses will be finished this week and then it's onto external coverings, doors and windows (apparently).
Pictures for those that are interested - just click on image to expand: -
1. North East corner view of framing, i.e. looking at front of house from NE
2. North West corner view
3. View of the shed behind the house, i.e. the South side

Go East young man

OK, so the song is actually called 'Go West young man', but this doesn't fit this blog posting so you get what you're given!
Anyways, a little while back we booked a weekend away to Swansea on Tassie's East Coast, definitely not in Wales. Drove up Friday after work and was on the beach Saturday morning - fantastic. Bit crowded though, as there were about 6 or 7 other people on the nine mile stretch of sand; barefaced cheek!
Weather on Sat was fab (high of 18 deg C, or mid 60's in old money) despite it still being late Winter. Not so good on Sunday so got up late, went for Japanese lunch, and baked cup cakes in the evening for RSPCA campaign (see new web-link on right hand side in the link 'u' like section). Plenty more to explore in the area, so we will go back maybe next year and camp.

Another new job for Jules

You may remember my first job at Australian Red Cross was in Emergency Services and my contract ended in June. The job finished, but my passion for the area didn't. Soooo, last month I applied for and got a new job working full time for the National Emergency Services team (as opposed to the Tassie team) on a project to develop a national framework for the use of spontaneous volunteers in an emergency. As before I'm on a contract until the end of June, the Oz end of financial year. Do you spot a pattern here! So far I'm loving it. Part of the project includes holding stakeholder consultations in every state/territory in Oz, so in Sept/Oct I will be jetting off around the country. How lucky am I???!!!