Bless-ed are the floormakers

Our feature floorboard refused to play along with being the standout piece!

It didn't survive being sanded, so there wasn't a lot that could be done apart from remove it altogether.

So that's what we did.

I keep being amazed at what our builders can do.

Another sand and the first coat was put on.

We held our breaths a few times last night during the storm. We had 13mm. The door seals had just been attached and this was going to be the test.
All good. 

I can't believe how tall this thing has grown.
I'm still trying to decide whether I like it or not. It's actually a bit scary up close.
 It certainly adds some vertical interest!

And I'm loving this little corner of the rose garden with the pinks and reds of the hollyhocks.

These red lilliums would be perfect for Xmas but I expect they will be finished by then.
I will think of you each year when they flower Jo.

The tree seedlings dug up from the rubble have gone berserk!
We planted Kings Park callistemons in front of them thinking the tree seedlings may not  survive.

I counted 177 tree-guarded plants that we need to keep alive over the Summer and 100 other new plantings. eg lavenders in the lavender walk. 
Last night's rain was music to our ears and the frogs are singing tonight too.

Not so happy about the long grass next door.
*big sigh*

How gorgeous are these two photos from the Provincial catalogue......

I adore the Advent calendar buckets.

Wish Sam and Amy were still here so we could do one of those.
 Mind you, they'd probably only get candy canes in each one....I would've spent all my money just putting it together!
*big sigh*

Say cheese

 The Children's Rose.
It's a special favourite.
It is a classic powder pink and has the most exquisite fragrance. Now blooming it's head off.

Speaking of children.....( and exquisite)

Say cheese.....

And again.......???

* what a cracker! *

The place has been alive with tradies over the last two days.
They've had to park in the back yard today while the concreters got to work at 7am!! Yes, 7am!! In fact, I think it said 6.50am on the clock now I come to think of it.

The floor sander sanded......

And Alastair attached the door seals to the french doors.

We thought we were in for a drenching early on Monday morning, but work went on as planned......

Our painter kept painting, the gutter guard man kept gutter guarding, the electricians, the concrete boys all doing their thing.

Mum went home from hospital on Monday.
Thank you Di, Raylene and Dennis for what you've done for Mum and Dad over the last week. 

My late afternoon wanderings revealed the next hollyhock colour to emerge. It seems as though the colours come out in batches.
 This one is the darkest of all.

Looking forward to some more action tomorrow.

And some rain would be nice......mmm, maybe not just yet. Bill and I are going to pick up rocks and rubbish from the long backyard strip, to clean it up before some new soil arrives.

Eyeliner and a new toy for Bill

Beautiful Golden Wings and hollyhock loveliness.

.......and little boy loveliness.

At last.....

These exquisite flowers are blooming.
 I adore them.
 This one is called Lillium Eyeliner. When you look closely there is a fine maroon edging around each petal.  I planted three of them in 2012. I had hoped they would have increased in number by now. 
 But alas, still only three.

Bill has a new toy.
He wanted something that could reach the high dead branches so that he didn't need to climb a ladder.
On windy days, the branches snap off and drop which is fine, but not if you're under them.

Knew I should have been out there supervising!
What have you done.....?????

There are some ugly looking trees out there at the moment let me tell you! ( I can see a branch that's not even dead!!)


Bill went to get petrol yesterday.
Several hours later I noticed this.....

Poor thing obviously has way too much on his mind!

We have noticed more and more stumps returning to life. These all seem to be the same variety...wattles I think. Even Bill's hacking at them with the chain saw hasn't deterred them.

This little climber Mandevilla laxa has popped up out of nowhere.

I had planted it there in June originally but it had been knocked over and snapped off and I had given it up for dead.
 When the Wedding Day rose needed to be relocated, we decided to plant it there. Then just like that, the Mandevilla came back to life and is going crazy just behind Wedding Day. It is supposed to reach 3m by 3m.!! There will be some competition to see which plant takes over, or may be they will live in harmony. To be honest, I think the rose has offered it some much needed protection from the elements.
 It's description says that Each Summer and Autumn it has a succession of giant jasmine like flowers with a delicious fragrance. It might be expecting a bit much for that to happen this year I think. I will look forward to that though.

Our painter worked here on Thursday and Friday. He has just started to paint the fascia and weatherboards. He worked yesterday( Saturday) as well.

The concreters will be here tomorrow morning. The electricians were here on Friday putting up the lights in the sheds. 

The floorboard finisher dropped off some samples for us to ponder. One with a water based finish and the other with a semi gloss.
We are going with the semi gloss or satin finish....the one on the left.

The tragic death of Australian cricketer  Phillip Hughes has galvanised the entire cricket world.  
Sam and Amy both loved the game and were devastated to hear of his death.
The #put out your bat campaign was embraced by thousands to show their respect for such a lovely young man.

Mum has been in hospital in Horsham recovering from pneumonia. Amy has been up to see her this weekend. 
Thinking of you too, Aunty Bev.

Work continues tomorrow. 
Mmm....December!
The workers will be hanging up their stockings at our place the way things are going!

Down the garden path

Down the garden path.

There is something about this path making that has really lifted my spirits.
All of a sudden I can see some structure to that big, empty stretch of dirt that we've been looking out on. 

And I adore those curves.

The same can't be said for Bertie's shed. It's pretty much just your normal shed apron ( is that what it's called?), but at least Bertie can now be housed safely and we are more than happy about that.

We had the roof cleaner here as well yesterday. He worked on that roof for seven hours, and still didn't manage to reach the top!

We knew it was dirty, but really....????

Our lovely painter was here today.  

And he will be back again tomorrow.

Through our bathroom window early yesterday morning.......

In the photo you can see that our weeping elm has recovered, but it is still quite bare in many places. They are all dead branches. Haven't had a chance to do anything about it just yet....to be perfectly honest I'm not sure what we'll do anyway!

Oooo...... nearly December 1!! 
Some Christmas loveliness.

Lovely rain equals mud

 Monday morning.

(I love seeing these skies from our back door). 

But that didn't stop our tradies descending on the place at 7am and working in the showers and mud!

Nine of them in fact.

Just over 6 mm of rain......

....so inside for morning tea and lunch.

Outdoor taps connected, a new air conditioner in the Garden Room, power connections to the sheds etc, concrete man to check the path positions and aprons to the garages and the gutter guard lady measuring for replacements.

Ewww.....this is an ugly corner.
It might be a bit of a challenge to pretty it up!

Sewing day
Showers and mud meant an indoor day for me on Monday too.
I bought a couple of very old linen sheets from the op shop ages ago for $3 each and decided to cut them up and make them into cushions for the Garden Room.

I love them...imperfections and threadbare patches and all.
I would love to know what the letters T N stand for.

Bill and I went out for the day today. It was a tradie free day for us at home.
Bought myself a plate from Freedom. $8.95.
 ( such a big spender!)
Christmas is at our place this year. It will be our  first decoration.

Some garden bits that made me smile late this afternoon......
The first flowers of Geranium Rozanne.

Beautiful lilium just starting to open......

The herb Dill gone to seed......but oh so pretty.

7am start again tomorrow. Our tradies must sleep so well at night. They put in some very long days and most of them travel at least an hour to get here!!!
I'd be exhausted before I even began!