Drama's and Solutions

So things are going well and we have to say the builder has been awesome but there is always going to be some things that are just .... crap.

Hubby found one on Monday. We have a small planter box build into the house. What we didn't realise until the "rains came" is that they put it under the main slab with no real way for the water to escape .... oh yes but it does get better. They also made sure that one of the downpipes that drains the main front roof falls into this watertight flowerbed!

 

 

In order to actually make it work we had to put a step up onto the pathway from the driveway .... Surprisingly adding yet another level makes it all very interesting so I'm happy but the extra work hubby had to do for a really simple task .... stupid!

2 days of grinding the slab and cutting through the concrete means we now finally have the drain running into the soak well.

You may ask ... why would this not have been picked up in all the detailed design drawings but downpipes will be at plumbers discretion.

Walls of Progress

It amazes me just how happy bricks all stuck together can make me. It is finally starting to feel like a house as opposed to a building site. Although the space feels smaller its our space and its now clearly defined and just waiting for us to make it into something.

Hubby and I decided last night that we were going to stick with our "one thing at a time" plan. We want every moment in our house to be special, we are currently agonising over the letterbox design and you know what ... that's ok! We are allowed to want everything to be perfect - we expect every moment to be perfect and although we know that this takes time ... we are alright with that.

So the house is going well - the wall is going well and it should be hours / days before we get the keys as opposed to weeks.

Bring On Handover!!!

 

Frustration is ....

Waiting ever so impatiently for your house to finish. 2 weeks ago I did final inspection and 2 weeks ago I was excited about finally getting my long awaited keys. 2 weeks ago I wanted to get started on all the little things that need to be done before we move in.

2 weeks later I am frustrated .... grumpy and more than ready to get my keys.

Hurry up Mr Builder, I want my house, I want to move my stuff and unpack boxes and make it mine!

Hockey Has Come To Perth

 

Ice hockey ... yes ice hockey has come to Perth.

My husband has actually been playing hockey since I met him ... and probably before but ehhh. Ok so ice hockey in Perth was a small very little known sport. There were no spectators and to be honest most people didn't even realise we had ice hockey leagues.

So for various reasons hubby has not played for the last three years but this year he started again .... and getting back into the whole social aspect of it I was surprised with how much it has changed. On Saturday we actually watched a state game - WA vs Canberra and it was a really good close game with a penalty shoot out and fans cheering. For me this is mind blowing, ice hockey has come to Perth!!!

Now don't get me wrong, its no NHL with cheer leaders and entertainers but hey, this is great!!!

 

Toning It Down

I think it might be difficult for me to take my fabulous ideas like the above image and then tone it down so that you can live with it not just now but maybe even 5 years from now.

I love love love the eccentricity of the above image but to be honest I am not sure how to make that work in my ultra modern house.

This image from Samantha from Black Velvet Chair (here) made me think that perhaps it might be possible. I have added a couple more that kind of have the same feel, relaxed formality??? If that even exists.

 

 

Beautiful Moments

Sometimes in life you need beautiful moments more than others. As you know I have just moved back to Perth and started within a new department at work. To put it very politely its not a bed of roses. Getting off the train this morning I felt sick to my stomach at the prospect of going to work. I wanted to just get back on that train and go home, crawl into bed and pull the covers over my head. What it does make me realise is how lucky I have been to work for 5 years in a job that I have not just enjoyed but looked forward to coming to work.

Obviously its only week 2 of my new position and I have promised myself that I wouldn't pass judgement until I had survived 2 weeks so no more judgement for another 4 days and then I can safely tell you my new boss is an idiot!

I suppose to be honest with all the stress at the moment over my new position I needed a beautiful moment and my builder did not disappoint. Its kind of brilliant that when I need it most one of my most agonised decisions comes into "being".

Thank you to whoever decided to get the glass delivered on Friday. Have a look a my beautiful balustrade. It is clean and slick and overall makes me happy just running my hands along the glossy stainless handle.

A beautiful moment to wash away the bad taste work seems to be leaving in my mouth .... the only answer for a bad taste in your mouth ???? Lots and lots of scotch!

 

 

 

Before meets After

The first bit of very good news I have is that the bricks for the wall have arrived! One step closer to a wall. The really frustrating bit is there is always more than one boundary you need to deal with. We are using the one neighbour at a time strategy because to be honest .... it can all be pretty overwhelming if you let it.

The second bit of very good news is that we now have a front driveway. Oh yes, Paving is down and I think its looking quite brilliant. The colour and texture of the pavers is great, the width is ok although I think it kind of dominates the drive when I add some green stuff to the left it should soften it nicely.

I am really enjoying watching things happen and as mad as this sounds I really do wish I was doing more. I think you appreciate things alot more when you have personally put in the blood sweat and tears and although its really wonderful to see it finish I secretly think to myself .... I wish I was there helping out. I think it would feel a little bit more like my house that way. The only good news is once we get the keys I can almost guarantee you that I will be saying the complete opposite .... you know what they say ... the grass is always greener?