Thursday 19 January 2012

All Features Grout and Small

Craftsmen in various different fields are all working hard to finish our home, so there’s practically something different happening in almost every room, simultaneously.

Unseasonal gales hit over the weekend, which saw me clinging to the roof while
temorarily fixing a bucket over our unfinished chimney. The red and green not only
looks very festive, but also stops the loud rattling which wind gusts produce.

Like one of those Guinness book of records domino-tumbling attempts, all kinds of actions are slowly being set in motion from different directions, along different paths. In the bathroom, the shower has been tiled and grouted. 

Pieter and Gerda tile the shower, proving to us that a husband and wife can work together.

These large earthen tiles are the complete opposite of the tiny mosaic squares
which we used in our previous bathroom. All that’s required now is a large glass
partition to separate it from the rest of the bathroom.

Simultaneously, more plumbing and electrical wiring has been put in place,

Our ‘steam-punk meets Wallace and Gromit’ water heating system.
Or possibly it’s the engine room of Captain Nemo’s Nautilus…
while across the hallway, we have sealed all the walls in the kitchen and dining areas.

Our own contribution this week – sealing walls in preparation
for the installation of the kitchen.
The floor sander has now arrived and set to work, beautifying our recycled floorboards.

The matai floorboards are being given a relatively light sand, which levels
and cleans them up without removing too much of their original character.
Then, once this is complete, the kitchen installers can take over.
The end result of all this won’t be a single domino tumbling into a glass jar, but the completion of our Plumbing and running water in our kitchen, laundry and bathroom. As well as the obvious advantages, this means that our house will finally be officially designated a ‘dwelling’.

Rose contemplates taking the floor-sanding machine for a spin

4 comments:

  1. Love the title!!! Is your hot water heated by gas/solar/electric??And will you have a fireplace? with or without wetback? Roll on the final day when it is called " a dwelling proper" all good things take time, and again congrats for living in the container for so many months. I'm sure the cat enjoys the shower. Cheers from Jean

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    Replies
    1. Happy New Year, Jean - good to hear from you again!
      The water will be heated via a bank of roof-mounted solar tubes in summer, and by our fire via a wetback system in winter. We just have to get the water connected and make sure it all works, now...
      I bet the cat won't enjoy the shower nearly as much as we're going to!

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  2. The floor is coming up beautifully. And its good to see the cats keeping an eye on progress in Their new home (yes, I know cats being staff to Zebby).

    Now, have you worked out where to put the cats' door?

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    Replies
    1. Hi Michelle and Zebby
      Yes, we have found the perfect position for the cat door, and at least one of them uses it...
      As our glass doors are nearly always open they have half a dozen access points around the house - but winter will be different! We'll publish an picture of the feline portal for you soon.

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