Granny Flat Progress- Renamed Hubby Flat!

 We knew things were progressing quickly with the Hubby Flat, but when my mobile hairdresser came around after 6 weeks, when it was at the concrete slab stage and said - wow that has gone up quick, we realised how much had happened.

So the roof has gone on, windows in 

The the electirican - Lachlan, recruited some trade assistants to help do the rough in of the electricals.

A couple of 4 legged supervisors who like to be in on the action

Lachlan hard at work, he was here for about a week after working his day job, a couple of nights working to midnight, he worked so hard and is so meticulous.

Then they put this stuff on- not sure what that is but looks like it is getting wrapped up!

Plasterer's arrived and put in the gyprock

Cladding starts to go on

Enjoyed watching the plasterers getting about on their stilts to do the joining stuff!

Looking good, we have walls and windows. It has been an interesting process seeing the different stages of the build.

We have a door! Basically at lock up, nothing happening now till 18th January.

Christmas

 Christmas was a fairly low key event for us this year. Managed to put out a few Christmas decorations but not many. Struggled to get into the Christmas mode- not sure how it came around so quickly. Fortunatley Francine and Kelly were right into Christmas and invited us over for Christmas Dinner, it was wonderful, lovely food, great company and the table and house decorated so beautifully so we did enjoy a lovely Christmas Day.

Some lovely little bird decorations I found in Yass

A yummy Gingerbread Wreath that mum got for us from the Gully Market

Dog friendly Christmas cookies that Amy's friends Mars and Tiffany brought over in the morning when they called in for Christmas Brunch.

Bindi, Mia and Charlie were supposed to be in Melbourne for Christmas but couldn't go because of border closures( they had been in Sydney on the 11th and 12 December). We got to enjoy their company for Christmas Day. They did get word the following day that they would be allowed in to Victoria so they were able to drive down Sunday.

Amy and I made Christmas Pudding and on the Sunday we went next door for a BBQ lunch and took our Christmas pudding which has become a bit of a tradition.

Borders are Open Quick Trip to Melbourne

 Managed to make a quick trip down to Melbourne before Christmas to catch up with mum and the family now that the borders are open and with the way things happen you never know for how long. I left on Friday afternoon and drove to Rutherglen where I stayed overnight at one of our favourite B&B's Amberesque in the main street. It was nice to just get away on my own and just worry about me for a short while, life has been rather busy this year.

I arrived in Rutherglen around 4:30pm, after settling in I borrowed a bike and rode along the railtrail to Corowa and across the Murray River. It was a very pleasant temperature to be out riding and the Murray looked lovely. Enjoyed my bike ride.

My cheese platter on arrival!

After a lovely breakfast the next morning I drove to Melbourne and caught up with Mike and Mum at the Ferntree Gully Market. That night mum and I went into Melbourne and caught up with Gary and Arlene and the boys along with Kelly for dinner.

Sunday I went to church with Mike and Leeanne and then mum and I joined them for lunch, then Sunday night drove over to Kim and Fil's where we had dinner with them, Ella, Kieran and Daniel so managed to catch up with all the family.

I left Tuesday afternoon, stayed at Albury overnight and was home by 11:30am on Wednesday. Was lovely to catch up with the family before Christmas.

Amy's Birthday at the Alpaca Farm

 Traditionally we have headed down to Melbourne for Amy's birthday or somewhere interstate. This year we did go interstate, though just across the border to Yass in NSW- an hour and 15 minutes from home. With the business of the build, being tired, and lots going on we just had one night away, and it was lovely to get away and just relax and we picked a lovely spot. We stayed at an Alpaca Farm just out of Yass, we had a lovely cabin for the night and a tour of the farm in the morning with Joy the owner, with Suzi the dog and Charlie the emu to accompany us, Amy was in heaven! We had dinner at the Ewe and Me restaruant in Yass which was delightful. 

Chocolate dessert platter, including a milk chocolate and rosemary creme brulee- sounds unusual but it was delightful.

Charlie the emu- she was 5 months old, incubated from an egg and she was cuddly and so friendly. Suzi the dog who also loved cuddles.

Meeting and feeding the alpacas

Amy in animal heaven

We couldn't get too close, the baby alpaca was only 2 days old

Our cabin for the night. We spent a few hours in Yass exploring the shops and having lunch before heading home, it was a great 24 hours away and a nice way to celebate Amy's birthday.

Granny Flat or Birdland Becomes a Reality

 After at least two years of pondering, working out what we really want, planning and approvals, building has commenced on a granny flat - or officially known as a secondary residence in our backyard. We refer to our granny flat as Birdland. Initially it will be Bill's man cave for him and the macaws. I can tell you it can be rather challenging living with macaws in your kitchen/family room so that has been the driving force behind this project. Ultimately it will become a place for Amy to live. It is a one bedroom, one bathroom, kitchen and living space. It will be connected to the main house with a covered walkway and outdoor area which will be meshed in so can serve as an outdoor aviary  for the birds.

Our builder is the same person who built the house ( we met her a number of years after we brought the house) she also did our extension in 2009 and now is doing the granny flat, that is quite a story in itself.

We spent the beginning of October getting trees and shrubs removed and cleared, waiting for the final approval to come through. Things really started happening the last week of October.

This was our backyard before it started but with all the shrubs along the back fence cut down and cleared away.

 Week 1 Surveyor comes and puts out the necessary markings and posts.

Costa the bob cat driver comes along and works his magic

 

Costa has finished after and hour and a half

Surveyor comes back for some more accurate marking out and checking levels

Luna checking out the bedroom

Week 2 Drainer comes in with his excavator to dig trenches for water, sewerage, stormwater, electricity and data. Big mess in our front drive!

 Plumber and sparky (aka Lachlan ) get to work doing their prelimary stuff

Trenches are filled in

Supplies arrive for the concrete slab

Week 3 Concrete tradies arrive along with Costa to get the preparations done to lay the slab

Deb the builder gets her hands dirty!

The slab is ready to be poured

Concrete pumper and concrete truck arrive

Slab is poured

Amy testing out the slab

Week 4 Carpenters come and put up trussess, frames and windows