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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