yafm

Hi everyone. Just a quickie
We ahave just finished tiling and decorating the main living areas of the house and the master bedroom as without this we were not comfortable. The house was a filthy tip when we looked into corner and on ledges etc and the fan b;lades were sending out storms when they moved. However we are now clean and straight.
The computer is running again after lots of problems but likely we have a nice neighbour who knows about these things.

After all the pre move advice from peoples about using UK televisions thru a australian video we tried it but no luck so far., The house has about 5 outlets for the tv aerial but the previsous people had foxtel and so we do not know what the situation was. Another kindly neighbour took pity on us and loaned us a small australian tv but no luck with this either. All the wires and etc look ok but we don't get any signal at all. Someone said something about this area needing a booster but don't fancy throwing money away on this if the problem is something else. Nothing for it but when we return from the cruise (lucky us) we shall have to have the aerial (antennae) man in $80 visit no work???
The garden is looking good considering I don't know or recognise most of the plants and trees but having cleared up a huse rampant area of potato vine (think russian vine (mile a minute plant) with attitude) and found several items buried within it a wrought 'iron' archway (laying down of course and a similar pot stand for 8 plant pots plus cannon balls and etc. It is very interesting but hard work. Good job I can work for half an hour and then have a dip in the pool, absolute bliss.
We have got several quotes for the ducted air con and will go for one when we return from the cruise - did I mention the cruise? We have organised several quotes for the slab and the garage and this also needs to be finalised but we have decided blow diy we shall get it erected by the company and if they offer to do the driveway work as well we shall accept.
The only thing is I feel very guilty with my gardening I have transplanted sevaral shrubs and a couple of tress (they were in the wrong place or would be destroyed by the garage/drive and every time I do so that evening the heavens open with a huge thunder storm and loads of rain. Good for my plants but I am not sure I shall be very popular if this keeps happening.
These early morning are great for getting the work done - 5 am because of the cockatoos and the noisy miners as well as the magpies. Perhaps as we stay here longer we shall stop hearing them but at present they are a great alarm clock.
All you peoples waiting for your visas keep chins up - it is a bute country and the people we have met are most welcoming. There are some draw backs as dotty kept warning us - cost of things like paint is a bit overwhelming and also some foods (it must be because australia has a sugar production everything has sugar in it) Very difficult to find low salt and low sugar items which we bought automatically in UK.
Speak further when we return from Hong Kong (did I mention the cruise?)

podgypossum

Hi Yafm...youve been busy!!

Can i ask how much you were quoted for ducted aircon?..we have been considering it for when we buy

hevs

Have a fab Cruise!
PAINT! oh god it is really expensive isn't it, Shame we need so darn much of it.
We have umpteen projects to, do you ever just look around and think aaaarrrggghhhhh!!!! I do, every day!
Good luck with it all, keep us posted
Hevsx

Badge

I know, I couldn't bear it any longer, I had to get out.

Is it hot up the road there? Cooler than yesterday.

Badge

dotty

Buy 20 litre tins of Tradex. Painters usually use this its not UK quality but basically if you just want to freshen everything up its fine. Most people dont realise you can get it tinted to any of the Dulux, Wattyl colours etc just so long as you dont mind 20 litres in one shade. As for outside dont skimp there, get sunfast or youll be repaining in a year. Even Bunnings sell it.

hevs

Unfortunately it is for outside The last owners were so bloody slack its untrue and i think they've painted it once in 30 years! We have some wood on the extention that is so rotten its full of holes. My handy man skills are knowing no bounds at the mo.
Cheers for the tip about Tradex will check it out on me next trip to "B Bunnings warehouse"
Kids!!!! c'mon, we gotta go out !!!!

hevs

Phew, it worked then!!!
nope! it feels hotter today mate, don't even want to go in the pool for fear of skin cancer and wrinkles! Is it cooler down the hill then? If so get the tinnies and biccies out, i'm on me way

dotty

Get the rotten wood with holes checked out, look for little white ant dudes with beaks. Seriously its best to keep an eye out for them, we were moving wood yesterday, just having a clean up really and nice pile of termites had munched through the wood pile, it does not look like they got to the house tho. House is due for its 12 monthly termite check thankfully but the woods only been there a few months so it does not take long. Dont even know if termites are a big problem in Melb, but they are up here.

Badge

someone was saying to me, it's good if you can have a 'sacrificial' wood pile as they attack that first - then you nuke them. So you let them take hold of it.

see what they're getting at?

BM

hevs

Yep, they are a problem here. Our house has had 2 past infestations that our inspector told us about.
I have ripped up all of the carpets and treated them myself, just so i know its been done, still won't stop em if they fancy a munch though i guess?
Didn't think about the holes as it was listed as "rot" in the survey. Be assured that i will give it a thourough poke ( ) and find out though, take it that i would be able to see evidence, then get the men in??

hevs

How do they know to attact that first then badge??

Badge

Someone say something?

Hevs: it's obvious - you put a sign up.

dotty

Now Ive hijacked a thread with termites Apologies.

OK termites are designed to clear forests of dead wood, trouble is they can get into houses and do the same to the frame. Usual signs are trails of ants, white with beaks to the house or dirt tracks. Trouble is they are good at gettin in without being noticed and they can munch through a lot of wood. They chew from the inside out. So they can go unnoticed while causing damage.

Any sign of them call a pest control firm ASAP. We get yearly inspections done as that is part of the conditions of the termite control programme installed on this house.

Could not find my termite control info pack that came with this house but this website was not bad, click on the fact sheet for some explaintory piccies. www.pink.com.au

Pollyana

Am looking forward to seeing your place Hevs, I expect it to be fully tarted up by then of course!!!

Now to get the thread back on track ( ) - good to hear your update Yafm, was wondering how things were going - have you considered taking a cruise to relax after all that work??