question: what is the definition of time wasting? answer: no-more-gapping

Hey all....sorry for big delays between blogs....my brother et al is visiting from OS.

Now, the update is that the framing is nearly done downstairs. The roof trusses (over the garage and also the new deck upstairs) should be delivered this week. The structural timber delivery has been delayed by a week so no builders have been on site for the last few days.

As for me, I've been 'dipping' doors aka getting the paint stripped ready for me to re-putty, sand back and stain/paint once more. I think nearly all of them are dipped now.

I'm still not sure if I'm going to stain the doors or repaint them. I do, however, know that the walls will be a warm shade of white (crisp white....not hospital-grade or beige) and my gorgeous floors will be sanded back and stained (this reno, I'm not doing this myself.....it's a job for professionals).

I've basically purchased all doors and windows for the house, bar one. It's hard to fit as it's going into a space that previously had french doors so is tall but relatively narrow. I'm going to have to get a few quotes as it will have to be made up from scratch. I bought the best pair of casement windows in really good nick from 2nd hand building 'recycler' company.....cost $50 a pair which is great....new you're looking at around $300 a pair. I'm getting 'security' leadlighting done on these.....basically means it's lead over both sides of a pane of glass.....looks good but is much safer than the real leadlighting....I will however, do the upstairs leadlighting in the traditional way.

Since I last blogged, I've been doing some distracting socialising (i.e., mum's 70th birthday, my brother et al visiting and a friend's 40th). This fun has time up some of my weekend renovation time. I've decided I need to buy one of those halogen work lights so I can do some night work.

I've spent 2 days cleaning the dining room walls and ceiling.....scrubbing mould off with bleach/sugar soap then with fresh water...........needless to say..........my hands are being wrecked and I'm starting to miss my acrylic nails :o)

Now, a big job I'm doing is the no-more-gapping. I still haven't finished one full room after 4 days. Good thing is....no blisters (yet)! At this rate, I'll probably finish the no-more-gapping sometime in 2010. It really is a bugger of a job to do, particularly on my own.

Actually, the reno isn't as fun on my own as it was when I renovated with someone else (a previous partner)......I think it's just nicer to share the monotony with someone and then it doesn't feel so bad.......you do some work, have a break together and support each other. trying to out-sing each other to the golden oldies on the radio wasn't half fun either :o)

Doing something sssoooo repetitive and boring as no-more-gapping lets you spend a lot of time in your head. So, I've been missing my dad a lot. He died 4 years ago in November and there's not a day goes by when I don't think about him. He was a chippy by trade, a builder as well as and an OH&S officer on commercial construction sites so would have really loved to be around for my renovation. It makes me miss him more and it's hard to do a good job no-more-gapping when you're teary and can't see what you're doing.

So, this is where things are at. Coming along but slowing. In the coming days, I'll download some pictures of the downstairs framing that I took on Saturday.......

A real estate definition of 'city views'.......

In my previous blog, I expressed excitement about posting some photos of my new elevated vistas.......however, this excitement soon waned due to some minor disappointment in the foresaid views (maybe my expectations were a little too high) and a bit of difficulty in taking the damn photos...... I couldn't seem to capture on camera what my retinas were absorbing........

(I know I've said this before, but I do really suck at photography and probably should give it up now......my 'pointing and clicking' approach doesn't work and this isn't going to change as I can't be bothered learning ways to improve on this.....).

Despite this minor 'issue' of my photographic incompetence, the upside is that the views are pretty good, especially at night (so my big back deck is going to be grand!!!). I love the fact I can now see across the valley towards the north (which I couldn't see before and I look over rather than into the next door neighbours' houses.....

however, I am going to have to admit that the city views are as defined by a real estate agent (aka pretty much in line with the 'potential' of the 'renovator's delight'). The trees on neighbouring properties still manage to obscure quality views of the city .....but I do get some nice twinkly lights at night time.

So, to summarise, all in all, I am happy with the elevated views of the house. There are many upsides....the views are better than before, I'll get some fabulous cross breezes and, with some strategic landscaping, I'll be able to break up the vastness of neighbourly roofspace.

I'll keep trying to take vista photos to load on the blog......but, to be realistic, don't hold your breath.

Now for an update of the renovation progress:

The builders have marked out the floor space and walls on the concrete (looks like it's in red crayon...but that's just my bizarre brain). This has been good to physically walk through, as I realise that I've made a good decision to keep the bedrooms and living spaces downstairs quite big rather than have more rooms but less space per room (when drawing up the plans, the draftsman may have been able to squish in a 3rd bedroom downstairs).

Mid-week I gave my builder a list of windows/doors already purchased/obtained or procured so that they can be built into the downstairs framing......this means the treated pine framing began last week (Wednesday/Thursday to be exact). They have completed framing one of the bedrooms (the one with the walk-in-robe) and the bathroom/toilet area down stairs as well as part of the other bedroom downstairs. I've taken a photo of this - will load it on the blog in the next few days.

A good start......BUT there was no activity on site on Friday as the builder was off elsewhere (on the 'other' job). Sometimes the other 'job' feels like an intrusive affair in an otherwise monogamous builder/client relationship......

My brother (his Spanish fiance and her two brothers) arrived from the UK/Spain this morning for a 3-week visit.....he and I went upstairs into the house......with the westerly winds today, the house really felt like it was swaying quite markedly......to be honest, it also made me feel a little ill (i hate to admit this.... as it shows how pathetically sensitive my inner ears can be).

What lurks beneath....

I've been prompted to provide a new update as I've been told it's been 2 weeks since the last one.......the main reason why I've been a little slack is that I don't really have any newsworthy pictures to post (and I've also been in Sydney visiting friends).

Since the main slab has been poured and cured (and this took longer than expected due to the week of baby showers). The main activity at the block has been sewerage and stormwater plumbing in the backyard. This really does not lend itself to an exciting blog That is, except if I managed to take a picture that included my plumber in the photo as he's a buff guy. He's put in storm water drainage across the yard and up the side of the house as well as the gravel pit. Yes, lots and lots of digging. He's also now connected all new sewerage piping to the old council line in the back corner of the block. This has taken over a week but is now done.

The builders have also started the prep work for the garage part of the concrete slab. They have also advised on the best spot for the 5000L water tank that I'm going to put in. This water will primarily be used for the garden.....not that I have a garden at the moment, but I have a few key trees that will need to be watered to stay alive, such as a lime tree and big mango tree. I want to get another flame tree as my beautiful flame tree (about 5-10m high) had to go. The engineer thought it was too close to the house (my builder didn't agree, but that's how it goes and it's not worth the wrangle). Eventually, I'll also put in some drought hardy plants......I must admit, this is more due to my complete lack of green-thumb talent and my dislike of gardening than due to drought conscious landscaping design. Yes, I'm a plant killer.

Of course the Queensland State Government has introduced some rebates for water saving measures, including rainwater tanks.......but the conditions for thse rebates are only really applicable for those just starting new reno plans or new houses - e.g., rainwater tank rebates only apply when the watertank is connect to toilets and laundry "at a minimum"...so, such changes to plumbing and drainage plans necessitate going back through council approval processes......this, of course, means that such measures are not available for me. I will, however, get some sort of Council rebate for my rainwater tank.

My exciting news is my part of the renovation process is now beginning. This weekend I can get up into my house and take some photos of my new elevated vistas (to post on the blog). This also means I can start the process of bleaching/cleaning the mould off the walls, starting the no-more-gapping of my VJs and the copious amounts of sanding required to get a good finish on my internal paint job (which I will hopefullly do myself as well). Of course, such a job is also complicated as most of the walls are lead-paint.

Keep posted for the photos of my new elevated vistas.......