Month # 1 at the Mud House..

Today I was driving past the workplace of our friend that recently passed away suddenly and tragically, and thought perhaps I should go and visit the people I met at his memorial...  Then I though, nah, I’ll just start crying.  Then I did.  I had been so preoccupied that I hadn't thought about it for a bit, so it was weird when it hit me again.  And it put into focus what a full on month it’s been here. This had happened right as I was in the last heinous stages of packing and cleaning.   Any wonder I can’t quite get my head around the blogosphere at the moment.  Although I want to dive in, right now can’t.

But an update, in any case, would reveal that we’ve had a bit of a break from the crazy pace that was happening previously at The Mud House, with all time otherwise taken up by children, work and a web publication needing to be finalised twixt hubby and me, all whilst exhausting a reno budget very quickly!

There's been some lovely time out for fishing; The boys love it! Even if they just get to pat a catfish and let it go.

Our annual holiday at Byron is drawing very close so this week hubby’s wielding the drill and nail gun again.  Being behind due to all the rain, we’ve decided to just have to the bottom half built to lock up before we leave.  Building in below was a late decision that’s stretched us dollar-wise, so to pull the budget back a bit we’ve decided to use corrugated iron to clad the exterior. I’m actually excited by the prospect; I’ve always loved this distinctly Aussie feel of rustic and function that it gives and I recently saw some beautiful application of it, with hardwood in a friend’s interior which was amazing.  It should gel well with the oiled wood exterior we’ll have, and I love the idea of it contrasting with a beautifully finished interior..  eventually! xc

I'd be happy with a look like this downstairs..

Coping with Camp Chaos

Ok, so the move to the Mud House, and sorting out how to cope with Camp Chaos (a name aptly coined by my big sister), has been a series of challenges and frustrations to say the least.  Blogging the scenario to date has just not been viable as there has just been so much to do, and so little time, plus it really wasn't pretty!  But I’m starting to feel a little more under control now, and will try and catch up.

I wish, oh wish I’d taken the advice of my younger sister and had the rental home cleaned professionally, but I was just never going to get organised enough with all the packing, so I began the cleaning as I emptied each room. And just like the packing (despite countless carloads donated to Lifeline), it went on and on and on. I thought I had an understanding of how messy my little darlings are, but no… Renting with two small boys was never easy, but leaving the place was really hellish. The pinnacle of the challenge was when I slipped on some wet kitchen floor on climbing down from cleaning on top of the cabinets– I fell onto a bucket and got the most almighty semicircular bruise. Laying there for a few moments, wondering if I was going to be able to get up, I just hoped I had maybe jolted my spine back into alignment, instead of rendering myself crippled.

I’d forgotten that I’d borrowed a bunch of boxes from my sister to move last time, so wondered why I’d had to start feverishly throwing stuff into those stripey laundry bags! I’m still sorting through the resulting fall-out. We ran out of room in the shed too, which was always on the cards, and so the boys keep getting stuck into the “stuff” that is living alongside us under the house. Yesterday I unceremoniously threw a massive drop sheet over the whole lot.. outta site… you know the rest!

Despite the chaos and the ongoing rain following our horrendous move, the house is actually going great! We have walls now and tiled bathroom floors, with the wall tiles half done. I’ve dispensed with the idea of a feature tile to keep it simple, cheaper, and to leave it open for a possible hand-made mosaic feature down the track. I've always wanted to do this, and I'm missing practicing my craft so much!

We cut this wall out so you can look towards the river from the formal lounge.  Our neighbour's idea, after he recalled to us how hot it got in this room.

Elevated dining area.

Can hardly wait to have a functioning bathroom, although the caravan is serving us well.

The house interior is really going to be a reasonably blank canvas, contemporary in its basic design.   Sadly, by the time we get to decorating stage, I’ll be on a very tight budget too.  I’ll be refraining from buying anything too expensive anyway; as such items are just a magnet for breakage with my two small bruisers around.  So there’ll be some cheap, changeable bits and pieces like these gorgeous decals on Etsy.com.   Some might find them tacky, but I think they’re really lovely in the right place.  Can’t wait!

I can see something like this in the bathroom.  Love that if you tire of it, you just pull it off.
courtesy of http://www.etsy.com/shop/annaandnana?ref=seller_info 

So, its a hive of activity now at the house; the concrete has been poured at last yesterday, and the gyprock guys came by and left sheeting that is forming our new walls as I write this. 

We promised the boys they could leave their prints in the concrete.  We thought it would be a nice memory of little hands and feet.  They were just itching to go and play in it (little 2.5 year old did manage a dash across the wet surface after breaking free of Daddy's grasp!)

Oh the temptation!

This was not as simple as you might think!

Beloved Other Half heeded my last minute plea for a window seat in the master bedroom.   Thank you sweetheart!  Can't wait to see this finished with a beautiful polished hardwood hinged seat. 

We lost a friend suddently this week.  The all pervasive sadness that accompanies such a shocking loss has made it difficult to focus on the trivial and tedious task of packing and moving.  I can't stop thinking of his little girl and his Mum at this time.  Rest in Peace RM.  I'm so sorry you had to leave us so soon.  xc

A slight delay

My little ones have enjoyed the rain, but its meant a few delays.

I’m getting so excited about designing the interior of this home. Chomping at the bit now, especially after all this rain. Ideas are starting to come to me easier with a bit more experience behind me now. Other Half and I have been through two reno’s together. One of them was an old unit in a great spot, that I had signed a contract on the day we met. Who knew he was so darn handy?! Needless to say our relationship bonded fast with that little project to accelerate getting to know each other, warts n all. A bit of an initiation by fire for both of us.  

It would be nice to have unlimited funds to play with to do the mudhouse, but as it happens, it'll be tight. I do like the challenge of doing things with style as well as thrift though.  And I think clever approaches to space is as important as heaps of funds. I’m big on recycling and love to collect vintage bits, which I’ll finally have places for soon (yay).  I’d like to make this home contemporary, but not to clash with the bones of the house, (is colonial reproduction) and above all, functional.  A bit of retro and a lot of through will tie the it all together nicely.

And blogs – what an inspiration!  I just stumbled on this lovely one, with a pic of a gorgeous butlers pantry.   http://www.blog.dodelinedesign.com/window-seat/



Our butlers pantry is in, (the walls anyway...) it doesn't look quite like this yet.

  

And realised how much I'd love a window seat in the master bedroom. There's a perfect place for it overlooking the river. I hope its big enough!



What a gorgeous space.  Photo: www.visualphotos.com  

I'll be packing like a demon over the next two days.  Was hoping to be over at the mud house and set up before everything else had to be boxed, but alas, with the hold ups, we're still waiting to pour concrete.   Bless kindy/daycare!  xc

mud.

just noticed its kind of Oz shaped.  hope you all had a nice Australia/Invasion Day... however you see it.  I think a bit of thought for both is good. 

Rain rain go away. ..

As my two year old would sing. I normally welcome the rain, but right now its preventing us from getting on with the concreting so we can move over there, (small fry compared to those who are doing it tough with more floods of course, but frustrating nonetheless.)  and then I can do the packing properly without two kids emptying each box as I go.  there are only so many places I can keep the packed boxes before the agile little rascals get to them. 

So we're going to go with it, and take the multigrain based caramelised onion and cheese tart over to BOH for lunch, and then dig in the mud.  Think we'll prepare the area left of the front steps for a herb spiral.  see www.nicolachatham.com  I really wish I could get the soil over there right now, but its just too wet and heavy to buy right now the Sapar guy tells me.  I wouldn't mind setting up a veggie garden in the wet.  xc

Universe Providing?

I think the universe has a quirky sense of humour.  The other day the most unusual incarnation of such a phenomenon occurred when Beloved Other Half was driving over to The Mud House, and discovered a couple of items outside a nearby property displaying a sign reading "Please take".  The items were two brand new, very contemporary, Italian made, white ceramic toilets (brand new meaning never used, I'm guessing a case of retail/auction regret.)  They are somewhat unusual toilets... and I wasn't entirely sure I liked them at first, but I think they may be just about exactly what we need, and certainly fairly expensive originally.  In the ensuite we knew the toilet was going in a fairly tight space, and one of these freebies has an ideal slim column cistern.    Both are a single piece, and are the ideal 'trap' etc for the spaces.  go figure!

I wasn't so sure at first.. but am going for fairly contemporary aesthetic, so it should work.

The other is slightly square in the seat, which made me look twice, but I think I'll get used to that too.  I only wish I had bought the boxy shaped bath now; I decided against it because we had one in the last project, and it wasn't so comfortable...but really, it wouldn't have bothered the kids. Not to worry, I think we'll use both of them as needing to find areas to cut back so, voila.  Now I will look in earnest for a vanity that harmonises well with the odd shape seat!

Hmm, who am I to argue with the universe?

So, tell me if you think they're hideous!  G'arn, I can take it!  :)

I think my main hesitation came with the realisation that every time a visitor comments on the toilet(s), which they probably will, they will get the story about how we installed two toilets we found lying on the side of the road!  ("They'd never been  used, honest!")   Perhaps we'll have to go and introduce ourselves to the people who gave them away; with a gift.  Then we can say that some friends down the road gave them to us!  much better. xc

Garden Plans

Today The Mud House is surely living up to its name.  Massive downpours have turned newly levelled ground (ready for concreting... when things dry up) into a huge quagmire (pics of that later)  With the most rain falling since the house went underwater a year ago, the tide is edging into the front yards, surely not bringing with it fond memories for any of our neighbours.

Our frontage fills up a bit with a king high tide.  I remember losing our front yard many times to the tide on the river where I grew up.

We are ecstatic with the progress in a week though, and happily did a whole bunch to the garden on the weekend while it was dry.  Sadly, lots of garden had to go as there are just so many garden beds, and the hedges we agreed we're entirely unwilling to maintain.  We just crave space, and with my two children, its an absolute necessity for parental sanity! 

I'm very excited to be starting an organic veggie garden from scratch.  Its not something I'm very good at yet, but I'm ever hopeful. I'm gleaning advice from the experts such as Nicola Chatham at www.nicolachatham.com.  Her site, Sprout, is proving to be a massive help!  I recommend a look.

Nice gardens but they hide the house..  its not like they're needed for privacy as the house is not visible from the street.

Lovely formal hedges, but not for us I'm afraid.

I've grand plans for a beautiful herb garden to line the pathway to the house.

Oh, and I am so pleased to report we have fantastic neighbours!! Always a relief to find out with a new home.  Everyone out here is so proud of their beautiful properties, and they really enjoy maintaining them.  Ours was already getting a big overgrown, and new friend next door has mowed our pathway down to the river.  Thanks Brian!



A much needed bit of mowing.



One more thing... the vacant block next door has provided me with a new strategy for getting the boys to sleep at night...  I'm going to start aiming for record numbers of hill climbs per day!  They love it.  Ready Set Goooo!  xc



Wearing out my boys is no easy task.



Facing the inevitable

I think I’d been in denial about the clean-up of the muck and silt left by the floodwater (not to mention the sodden shelves, furniture and rubbish in the shed!) Remembering how vile and toxic the water apparently was, I’ve been preoccupied with preventing much dust inhalation, and any infected cuts or the like.  Not easy when you’ve got two little boys who live to get dirty, and Daddy is busily carving up the property on a dry dusty day.

Since bringing in the necessities like water, electricity, coffee, a beer fridge etc., to make the hard work all a bit more civilised and digestible, the place has started to feel a bit like home. Spent a great day there on Saturday, cleaning out the cubby and the shed - my boys playing together more happily than they perhaps ever have (bliss).  Today, my 4 y o even said, when we left for the Mud House today “are we going home now?”  So next I needed to tackle the layer of dried brown slime on our new home that, for me at least, had become the veritable elephant in the room. 

Shed cleared. can start movin. Am very taken with our new high pressure washer!  

Will find these little guys a new home when they've had a bath.

Shed resident.  I think it was the biggest spider I have ever seen.  approx my handspan.

Beloved Other Half doesn’t really notice the disgustingness of it all, being a bloke, and being so focused on the project managing side of things (which is great of course as he’s managing to achieve amazing progress).  

2 yr old getting in on the cleaning.  loves to mop!

The steps were particularly crusty.

 I, on the other hand, still felt quite squeamish entering the house.   Much improved since all the crusty muddy fittings were ripped out, but still, it was like everything was coated with a thick layer of dried bird poo; thanks to all of the paper insulation having spewed forth, wet, from the ceiling.  It seriously looks like the house has been pummelled with millions of oversized spit balls, inside and out.  Ew.  Thanks go to Nature Direct for making a gross job easier.  Although, there is still a ways to go...

ahhhh.

Progress in pictures

Progress at the Mud House is being made at a rapid rate!  Other halfs pretty excited we now have power and water to the place.  Most of the old muddied, flooded out stuff has been torn out now.

Main bathroom. covered in sludge.

Bathroom ... gone.

The ensuite bathroom. 

Everything was covered in a layer of crusty insultation that came out of the ceiling.  Made the toilets look particularly disgusting!  so had to share this. 

The ensuite bathroom... gone.  Walk in robe on right. This doorway will be moved to the right, so bed can be centre to take full advantage of the river view. 

I think we're keeping Aussie Skip Bags pretty busy!

Its an exciting pace!  Meanwhile the pace back at our current home not so exciting.  Between work, kids and house, I'm not getting a whole lot of packing (or much else for that matter) done.  Must stop running on the spot with new approach... will start loading up the caravan, then divide everything else into charity, box and BIN!  xc

Froggies and snakes and roos... Oh My!

Seems we have a few more critters living in our new place...  Apparently our letterbox is a little froggy love nest.  Two fat healthy green frogs greeted me yesterday.  (so I still haven't cleared the box!)

When Other Half was ripping out a wall, he got a bit of a shock when he was hissed at by a resident, rather large carpet snake... this picture didn't come out so well but here he is curled up in the rafters.

And today, there's been some wallabies and a hare spotted in the front yard.  (too quick for pics though!) Lovely to be in an area with a bit of wildlife (although I do hope the snakes move on quickly) - makes me curious about whats living down on the riverfront part.  xc

Not long now...

It always takes me a few minutes to pull myself together after putting the kids to bed on days when they've been at kindy/daycare. Too much sleep during the day... Both boys making bedtime hell... 2.5 year old is up till 9.30pm or later, wired. I am trying not to think too much about how thats going to go in the caravan, although they do like the bunks. Will have to run them ragged around the new property. Fortunately there are lots of places to play.

The cubby house, complete with 'coop' on ground level. Must check it out for safety asap before the boys move across to the new property.

Enchanting path up the side of the house.  Fortunately much of the garden came out of the flood pretty well.  Nonetheless, lots of changes planned for the front yard! Can't wait.

Looks like we'll be setting up and shifting into our new digs in a week or so, once some concreting has been completed on the bottom level.  Other Half's been in demolition frenzy, filling skip bags with over a tonne of muddy kitchen, laundry and bathroom.  He's enjoying getting his hands dirty again, exhausted but happy. 

I'm itching to get the caravan packed and sorted, but its just a bit too soon; Will have to focus on packing boxes and culling stuff -Ugh. Finding hard to motivate (and technology was not my friend today, then the washing machine gave up the ghost, with a huge odorous load waiting. Shame it couldn't hold out just one more week).  Would so rather be hanging out at the Mud House and setting up the new accomodation, than sorting through all our junk!  Am actually really looking forward to living in the van.  Hopefully it'll assist us to get in the habit of having a lot less "stuff".

Its pretty comfortable, I think we'll cope.  (fingers crossed ;)



Our temporary abode.



Will post a heap of Before pics soon.
In the meantime, there are a few random images to share that will always stay with me...

Flood victim



Sad fan.



Evidence of some of the recent residents.

Fair bit of picking up to do, stuff left by the floodwater dotted all over the place.

So much to do.  I'm off to write a list!  xc

The Mud House Settles

Whether we're crazy or merely intrepid, we have bought ourselves a home in a rather sad state, having been submerged to its roof a year ago in filthy flood muck. When we first viewed the property we were met with silt encrusted christmas wreaths and scattered bits of toys throughout the yard. I felt so sad for the owners.  We knew at least that they'd been paid their insurance and had chosen to move on.

On Friday the Mud House settled and we can finally get in and start. Beloved other half's been in ripping out bathrooms today, and this afternoon I visited it as our own for the first time. Discovered a macadamia nut tree in the front yard, and a few treasures left behind.

And had a surprising welcome from one of the locals when I went to clear the letterbox.  Scared the hell out of me!  Isn't he gorgeous!?

The green frogs are fat healthy specimens out this way.

The back story here is that I grew up on the river in Brisbane and I've always wanted that sort of environment for my boys to grow up in.  My Father bought our family home after the floods in 1974, and whilst their home was evacuated a year ago, it narrowly missed being completely inundated.  So, its a bit of history repeating itself, and being aware that this will likely happen again, we're happy to accept that our city is built on a flood plain.   I think the water authorities have learned a lot in recent times though, and we don't expect to have to worry about it for another forty odd years. and if we're wrong, well there's always insurance.

xc



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