The List (Renovations are Never Done)

painted furniture pieces in our dining room

Years after moving into and living in our renovated old house, there is still plenty more we would love to do.  Perhaps someday when we free up resources to make it so !

So what would we do ?

• (Finish) paintwork on the exterior
• paint the old roof (with micaceous iron oxide paint or other suitable finish)
• replace the guttering
• pave the driveway
• put up a carport, or covered parking
• restored the verandah & all trims on it
• do some more gardening & landscaping, to make some of the terraced areas prettier
• build or put up a small "writers" cottage with a little verandah up on the hill

Wow, there's a fair bit to do here.  And these are all big projects.  How about a few smaller or indoor things ?  I have a smaller, easier to take down list:

• paint over the walls in my office
• figure out how to make the functional laundry into a more clever and stylish space 
• get a timber file cabinet, paint it, and put in Ian's computer area
• paint a new painting for the bedroom wall
• cover or paint the magazine file boxes on bookshelves to create a more unified and attractive look
• install a wall of DIY built in storage cabinets in the storeroom office space
• install a wall of DIY built in storage cabinets in the spare room for stowing all the fabric and sewing materials behind doors for a neater look
• Get Ian's help painting the rest of the walls in the Dining room (to match the two we painted last year, they look so good !)
• clean up and organise my office !!

and maybe should just get on with doing some of these !

Meantime, I enjoy living in our warm and wonderful old stone home.

De facto Studio

sharing the space with tools

While we wait before resuming renovations, our studio has gotten pressed into service.  Frequently as an extension of the Engineering Department's shed.  And occasionally room is made on my work table for me to paint !  Although paint and palette share with tools.

The creative work space is shaping up

But the painting work is going well.  The light is lovely in the space and has a good quality.  The garden views and sounds are very peaceful.  I can feel it will be a really great and productive space to use.  Though just 75% of the windows are fitted, I can imagine already how the space will shape up….

excellent light for painting 

quitting time in the studio...

Unscheduled Summer Break

Oh my, we had high hopes to finish off the studio very fast and get to using it !  Not so fast it seems.

Ian rang me Tuesday, hours before New Years Eve festivities time would get underway.  From the Emergency Room at the local hospital.  Thankfully its close by, because he had been in an accident and lost tips of two fingers to a power tool on a hot hot day !  I met him at the hospital, where we spent several hours while the doctor stitched up artery and veins in each finger (to stop bleeding) and kept him for observation.  We came home with pain killers and antibiotics.

Two days later the fingers are healing.  A day in doctors office and in hospital later….we learn a bit more lost and he would likely need grafts to recover (which would make for more complicated recovery)  He was sent home after tests and treatment, and a special dressing for each of the wounded fingers.  Of course, we won't know for sure what is next  for a week, when he meets with a Hand specialist at Royal Adelaide Hospital.  Its just rest, positive healing thoughts, and time that need to do their thing !

How things look at the current point of progress.
Almost a room !

So our studio won't be done as soon as we thought.  While he can do some things with one hand, many of them are not well indicated quite yet, as the hurt hand feels best when it isn't over jostled or anything !  Ian is working through his summer reading pile instead.  We are grateful it wasn't worse and want to help it heal, so we can get back to life and doing things again (Ian is never idle much, he is always doing things, and, using his hands).

So, more when we have some developments to report.  Sure there are a few things to do.  I have cleaned up the scene of the accident already, and there is a bit more tidy up to do, so we have a workable covered patio, partly enclosed.  Three windows are in now, and the accident occurred right in midst of preparing some of the timber framing for the fourth.  We can put two of the panes of glass back in their frames, and the area can get cleaned up until ready to do next construction bits and pieces.  I just may need to rearrange the sequence of things. It seems some de-clutter, rearranging, painting and soft furnishings work in and around the house may need to move up on the list while that last stage of construction waits the opportunity to get back at it  again !

Ian and Kim at Christmas

Happy New Year 2014 to you all :)