Thursday 10th March

It’s been a long hard week. I lost track of what day things were done on, but in a nutshell, I plastered the walls downstairs, stripped and sanded the cupboard doors and put a first coat of red on, then sanded the walls, vacuumed up the dust, which wasn’t an easy task, the poor old Vax I have suffered severely with clogged bag and filters a few times during the process, then put a first coat on the walls. I put a second coat on the walls, a second coat on the cupboard doors, then re-hung them.

It took me a day to clean up the majority of the mess, wash the windows, wipe everything down the dust sheets didn’t cover, and now it is finally starting to feel as though I like it.

Here are some before and after pics, I’m still working on getting the table clear, at present is serves as a handy place to put cartons as I find and empty them. The kitchen has plenty of space thankfully, I have a huge amount of kitchen and baking toys.

My washing machine arrived this morning, so by 1pm I had a load through, and the second one starting. The wall oven needs to be replaced, it only works on fan grill/bake, and has a tendency to go to the top of the heat scale regardless of the setting, and the lower oven is the same, turn it on and wait for the smoke.

At this rate I’m going to have an entirely new house, did I mention the laundry is in a sad state of repair as well?, 5 sheets of Gib board and a day spent ripping out the sagging roof and walls should fix that though, and a new tub.

I mowed the lawns yesterday, 3 hours of pushing the new mower around, it struggled a bit in some places. I think it has been a little while since there was a good clean up done, and I know I’ve got a few days at least to spend clearing out the Tradescantia and Ivy that is rampant everywhere. The Azaleas and Rhododendrons look in good shape though, and I’d love to cut out a huge Ligustrum (privet) but as the fantails are nesting in it, I haven’t the heart.

Local news, there is a shared lunch at the Rockville Hall on Sunday, bring a plate and meet and greet, so I’m going to roll along. I haven’t a clue what I’m taking yet, the thought is pumpkin soup, or sushi, or tabouli salad. Something along those lines, or else a large bottle of whiskey and tell everyone it is what I usually have for lunch, is there a problem?

Back into Takaka tomorrow, to pick up some gloss black for the window and skirting trim, so I’ll have a white ceiling, cream walls, and black edging. I like it. some may not but tough. And my red, white and black kitchen.

Still haven’t worked out any way of getting a bed upstairs without cutting out the banister rail, so it will go this weekend. I’m thinking the same problem is going to happen at the top of the stairs, with not enough angle available to get a bed frame base through the doorway from the stair, so the door frame as well them.

Thank God I’ve picked up a few skills over the years, ok, it mighten’d be perfect, but it should look ok.

I’ve contacted Morriefield Polyhouses in Invercargill, for a price on a large tunnel house, and found a poultry breeder in Nelson who has Barred Rock hens and Roosters, so there is the next thing to start on. I have enough room at the back of the section for a long run, and about 12 hens.