Oiled and lookin good

What a difference adding a coat of linseed oil made. Looks way better and even better that it's doing it's thing and preserving the wood.

The tilers were still working away on a Saturday trying to complete our bathrooms and laundry. Our tiling job will take 5 days as apposed to the usual 3 days because of all of our small subway tiles - it's a lotta tiles to lay! The floor tiles were down, the shower tiles were done and the wall tiles were on their way. The floor tiles aren't quite looking the colour that I thought they would look (quite different to how they looked in the shop) at this stage I'm not that happy with them but I'm trying to keep it together until I see it completed and the walls painted. It may just make all the difference. Our basins and stone benchtops had also been installed and I'm really happy with how good they look.

Best Family & Friends in the world!

We can't thank my Dad and Chris enough for helping us build our retaining walls! Chris was a champ and led the team. Chris is a fence and retaining wall builder by day so charged through everything so easily and quickly. We wanted to get an early start on Saturday so the concrete would set for long enough before having to build against it the next day so we headed up to the house on Friday night and camped out in it ha! So much fun but I don't think my nostrils have ever been so full of dust in my life!! Going to the Coast on Friday night and camping out in the house allowed us to get up early and start working, the boys busted out a big day and got all of the holes dug (by hand and the dingo!), concrete pored, posts set and all the hardwood cut and ready to go for the next day. We organised all of our hardwood through Chris (thanks champ!) and our gravel, geo fab, ag pipe and concrete mix through T & G Sand and Gravel  who were really helpful, delivered early for us and gave me a little discount.

We had such a hard busy day on Saturday but it was so much fun! We had plenty of visitors - Alex's mum and her partner arrived and helped out and my mum, aunt, uncle and cousin arrived in the afternoon with wine woooo! A hot shower at the end of the day never felt better. That, and an amazing BBQ by my aunt and uncle. Such good times Xx

Next week - coating the retaining wall in linseed oil to protect it from the elements and to prevent it from drying out and going grey.

Bottoms up! 

Sunrise at the block to the sound of the ocean and black cockatoos. Bliss

Oh! Kitchen cabinets went in. Very unexpected but awesome surprise

Summer pooped out completely on the way home. Paws caked with dust and clay.

These boots are made for workin'

These boots are made for workin', and that's just what they'll do!

I may not be able to lift too many hardwood planks to build the retaining wall this weekend, but I'll surely look the part! Hello new work boots!

SO close to enclosed stage!

We've had a bit of delay with the bricklayers over the past two weeks so our site supervisor has pushed on with the internal works (plastering and cornices complete) even though we don't have outer walls. The sarking provides enough protection around the external walls to keep everything internal ok. Apparently it's the new way of doing things to keep the job cruising along! I was stoked to see that the bricks had finally been delivered and ready for laying this week, along with the internal doors, architraves and kitchen. 

Kitchen

Bathroom

Ensuite

Wallie wall walls

We have walls (internal)! Every trip to the house gets more and more exciting, I can't believe how much can happen in one week. Now that there's walls up it feels so much more like a house - has anyone else ever had the strong urge to want to broom out all the dust and dirt?! haha I'll be taking a broom on my next visit (hello OCD!) There was a bit of rain around over the weekend, which meant mud and puddles - Summer's dreamland! As soon as we arrived she be-lined straight for the puddles and the mud. There are now little paw prints scattered throughout the house. 

Swimming pool is coming along well...

Alfresco

Summer at her best

Entrance

Living room

Kitchen (fridge space and butler's pantry)

Living room

Dining, living and theatre room

One dirty puppy

 Ensuite bath

Recessed wall ensuite shower

WIR yeah yeah