Sandy Issues

This is going to sound silly but I have a problem and its ridiculous.

The only time at the moment I can go on site is before or after work and as always I'm dressed to the nines in stiletto heels and pencil skirts. (I can see you picturing me tottering around site with a pair of heels on - thank god my builders have not yet seen me because I'm sure they would be laughing as well)

How on earth am I supposed to negotiate the quick sand that makes up my block without filling my shoes with sand or covering the cuffs of my lovely back pants in horrible white dust?

I could wear thongs for my visits but to be honest, even the idea makes me grit my teeth because I still have to put my shoes on afterwards and I just don't want to do it.

How on earth am I supposed to do this? And yes it does seem silly and petty and ridiculous but for me, but you also have to remember I am it for the builders, they are supposed to take me seriously? they are supposed to listen to me when I tell you that the wall just isn't in the right spot and how are they supposed to do that when they are laughing over me ruining my perfect day old pedicure?

I suppose the good news is if I'm complaining about this there haven't been any other major dramas on site... a plus perhaps.

For your interest some pictures of my now buried pool! Take that builder - I am so not paying $10,000 to scaffold out the pool when I can just fill it in.

Oh the feeling of joy when you know you have managed to outsmart the company dedicated to squeezing as much money out of you as humanly possible!

New and Exciting Lighting

Well one of my favorite lighting companies - Willowlamp have just brought out two new lighting designs I am totally in love with - what do you think?

Small Spaces

There is a small space outside between the garage and the pool that I cant seem to stop thinking about.

Its only little but because its so visible from the alfresco I want to make it a special place.

My thoughts are perhaps an open pergola covered in pretty purple wisteria with some hanging chairs... obviously it depends on the amount of room I have but it would be very pretty and quite secluded.

The perfect place really for a glass of wine at the end of a stressful day.

Confessions

I have a highly embarrassing confession to make and I can guarantee that you will laugh at me by the end of it and maybe im slightly emotional right now... but.... ok here I go.

I am ridiculously insanely jealous.... of my Sat Nav!

Yes you heard right and you are probably sitting there thinking ... what is she smoking but its true. Of course you are aware over Christmas we had a few dramas. The main one being that our car was stolen, used in a number of different robberies then involved in a police chase before being written off. Obviously we had to buy a new one and this one has a sat nav we have called Alice. (it seemed like a smart idea at the time because she sounded just like the computers in all those movies where they go insane and try to take over the world) anyways I digress. So we both loved Alice, she told us where to go, told us where to find petrol and was basically an angel in our own car.

Now here is where it gets creepy. We just found out you can voice activate it - so you press a button and say disc and it will automatically change to disc. Great right? For the two weeks hubby was home we were in heaven where he would press the button and Alice would quite delightedly do exactly what he asks.

Then he goes away and I'm left with the car and poor little Alice. So I try to do the same thing, pressing the little button and saying disk and what happens.... She doesn't like me and ignores me totally. At first i was just irritated by such blatant disrespect but over the weeks I have not only gotten more and more annoyed but I also feel she has a thing for hubby, she likes his voice and not mine and wont listen to me at all.

FINE - I am desperately searching for a way to turn her off because right now I am ready to kill! Stupid Alice - why wont she listen to me. I have also decided I am going to try to find a way to change the voice.... why would I want a sweet perfectly pronounced bitch telling me where to go.... where is the sexy low husky male voice asking me nicely to turn left...

STUPID SAT NAV - STUPID ALICE

Surprise - Im Done

Oh yes (and I do realise I say "oh yes" in alot of my posts but what can you do...)

So where was I - Oh yes, my block nearly screamed "Surprise" when I drove down late yesterday afternoon - I'm finished. the pool is now a lovely concrete shell all done and sitting there waiting to be filled up.

Sadly what it doesn't realise is that it will be filled up ... with sand shortly but I will try and make sure once its finally uncovered it takes pride of place in our new house.

YAY for companies that finally deliver what they promise!!!

A Beautiful Beginning

Well exciting news on the home front. The pool has begun!

The beautiful level block is no more - we now have tons of sand piled around the site but the important news is ... I have the beginnings of a pool. Its all very exciting and I'm kind of happy but also just realising that we are going to have a house... my house exactly as I always wanted it...

Enjoy the picture overload people.... I cant wait till I can show you more

Lovely Idea for a Hallway

This roof is heaven on its own but for a hallway its even better. When you think about it there is not that much you can do in a hallway. Its a pretty narrow space so you are limited - a couple of wall hangings, so pretty wall paper... a nice light. this just goes above and beyond beautiful. I am trying to think how I can fit this into my house?

Good News

Well I have some very very exciting news. I finally have a flat empty block - Oh yes, what some people take for granted I have had to fight for. I have no old pipes, no sewage issues, not concrete leach drains. ... Its just a nice flat block. One of the guys at work looked at the picture and said .... my block looks just like that and I almost bit him! Oh yes, the bastard, its easy for some but for me its blood sweat and tears just to get to a clean block.

However enough about how exiting the blank canvas is - have a look at this Hampton's home... if this is not heaven to come home to I swear I give up on trying to please you.

Design Dilemma

At the moment im finding myself torn when it comes to the exact style I am going to be using in my house. I know i want new and old, that fine and good.

The dilemma I face is all my built in units. Ok so im going to be having built in's but do they take on a more modern feel or do I go with my gut and go for the more traditional fiddly style I lust after in pictures.

I know option 2 is more expensive but is it worth it, will it add drama to the space or be lost.... Im still thinking this one through and I know that with built in's I cant change my mind ... it has to be right first and only time.

So do I go for a plain contempory style or the traditional details I love??? You have seen plenty of traditional built in ideas but here are my favorite modern contemporary ideas..

Told you it was a Dilemma (plus I just love the word)

So Much to Report

My wonderful husband is stuck up in Darwin at the moment, he was due to fly back to work but then the cyclone came (nothing big but enough wind and rain to ground choppers) and he is stuck in a hotel room in Darwin calling me every few hours because he has seen all the movies they are playing ... poor darling.

Also - we finally had news from the builder - earthworks should be completed tomorrow and the pool company will be coming in on Friday to start pegging out so very very soon I may be able to show you a few pictures.

I still haven't decided whether or not to buy the faces, I do love them and I do want them desperately but... I am trying so so hard to be good.... see honey, it is possible.

So that's it - husband stuck away, earth works still not complete and me going through withdrawal symptoms because of a serious lack of shopping.

Tomorrow I will hopefully have pictures of my perfectly flat, cleared block!

Creepy or Cool

I found this - heavenly dreamlight candle holder from Matt Blatt (here) and kind of fell in love.

Can you just see three of them lined up on a hall table somewhere with their little tea lights glowing and casting shadows on the face...

So what do you think - and they very cool or do they just creep you out.

My office votes creepy but to be honest - I think they are kind of cool

Retaining Done

Well the retaining wall has been completed - oh yes that's right. We now have a fully retained wall retaining ... get this another retaining wall.

The good news is I love how it turned out and I'm so glad I went with the grey to contrast so nicely with the limestone.

Now I'm just waiting for the earth worker to come in and finish off the block clearance properly and we will be all go on the pool front.

Finally some progress.

Nice House

I brought a bit of house porn on line the other day - Its a book called "Nice House" and for me its all a bit dream like.

Do people actually live in these heavenly little cottages?

Oh I want it all so much... look at the shingles, the white that is just everywhere.... oh oh oh

Anyways - today its just a few pictures of my favorite houses but on Monday I have found a true Hamptons beauty... who would have thought I would be so over the moon happy about a tiny little book.

If Heaven Was A Wall

This picture would be it.... its just lovely and calm and peaceful and interesting.

My only worry with it is wouldnt it gather dust???

Half of a Retaining Wall

Well as of this morning I have half a retaining wall... they have to hand dig it out because my earth worker is an idiot but at least we have movement ... sort of. Even if its almost a sideways slide.

Im Not Overly Fond of Earthworks

Why oh why did we decide to build....... That is the question both my husband and I keep asking although he glares at me darkly when he asks because really this is all my fault.... (I may have brought the block without him really having a look at it)

There is a bit of good news .... my retaining wall contractor John is lovely and is actually quite nice to look at so I was happy to wait on site and talk to him today.

The other good news ... the sewage pipe has been moved and unless someone runs over the fence its now pretty safe from destruction.

The bad news is ... my earth worker didn't really get close enough to the wall. They said he would be about 2m away but he is really about 10m away which is disappointing. It means my retaining wall company will have to dig everything by hand which will add a days and $1,500 dollars onto the already spirally budget and schedule.

The other bad news is ... the builder are not going to touch the leach drains. They want the owner (That's us) to deal with them.... so I'm hoping a friend with a bobcat can help me remove them late this week.

That is all - its not all doom and gloom but its not great. At this point I'm just tired of earthworks... why cant I have my slab.... All I really want is a slab.

Drama's on Day One

Day one of block clearance.... should be easy right - just alot of beach sand to push around ... WRONG!

We found these little lovelies about an hour in......

What could they be I hear you ask.... leach drains that run the length of the property. These are from the 40's and are so strong I'm sure you could use them as bomb shelters if we ever had to deal with world war three.... the big issue is they actually go right up to the retaining wall and no one is comfortable digging that close.... so I'm not 100% sure whats going to happen, we have a supervisor figuring out the best way to deal with them but its not a great start.Also - they found and destroyed a sewer pipe connected to our front neighbours property. Wonderful right, lucky for us it was an old unused one but we also found the used one and have discovered we need to move it so it doesn't affect the new retaining wall... So day one over and we have major additional earth works costs and over $1,000 in plumbing. YAY for building....