why does blogger hate me

change of blog title

Well it may well be a cottage in a forest, however, last weekend I learnt a little about the history of the cottage.

Along with a group of similar cottages it was most likely moved to its present site sometime around 1920.  It was originally a millworker's cottage, hence the change of blog title.

Excitement is building and lists are being written!

Priorities:

A: Somewhere clean to sleep (camp-out style)
B: Somewhere to shower
C: Somewhere 'clean' to eat

A will be the 2nd bedroom. (gotta love the wonky door)  The main bedroom needs to carpentry work and the 3rd bedroom needs a wall put back so let's start with the easiest room first.

Ripping up the carpet to remove the 'smokers smell'

• Sugar-soaping the walls and then painting the walls and ceiling Dulux Antique White USA.
• temporarily putting a tarp over the bare floorboards(6 inch pine - be still my beating heart)
• setting up the camp mattresses on the floor

B will be the bathroom (in all it's leaky glory)

• tape over leaky join where sheeting meets the bath.  Someone should have told them the sheeting goes inside the lip of the bath - not behind it - hence the leak and the rotten floorboards under the bath
• hoping the hot water system works or it will be top and tail using a bucket.

C will be cleaning the kitchen (the electric stove is actually in what is supposed to be the 3rd bedroom - and part of the kitchen wall is MIA.  At least they left the top plates behind as a guide.

• pulling up the greasy vinyl
• scrubbing the sink and cupboards (acess should be easy as one of the doors has fallen off)
• cleaning the electric stove (my sister has claimed ownership of the slow combustion stove and wants to clean and restore it by herslef - whatever floats her boat I say)
• taking our "camp kitchen" gear to use temporarily.

We are going to need to be really organised - the nearest shop is a 1 hour round trip so each things will turn nasty if we I forget anything we need.

B has decided to take up a load of studding and a bag of tools 'just in case' he gets the chance to start putting up the nogging for the missing wall.

We have both agreed to resist the temptation to take too much gear or futniture until the internal carpentry and painting is completed and the floors have been sanded (did I mention the 6inch wide pine floorboards).

There is no mobile phone reception (yahoo!) but we will have to organise a land line for emergency use.  There won't be internet either - the options are dial-up (groan) or satellite at $499 per month for a teeny allowance (not happening).

The plan is to paint the interior ceilings and walls (all VJ's) Dulux Antique White USA and the doors and windows vivid white.  The plan for the exterior (after the ugly bits have been removed) is to paint the walls Deep Brunswick Green and the windows, facias and guttering white. 

oh now blogger is just being annoying - why is this picture lying on its side?  and what sort of tree is this?

Settlement

The waiting is frustrating beyond belief.  HURRY UP!!!

the contract has been signed - let the games begin!

The Real Estate blurb read as follows:

Wow look at this neat and cosy 2 bedroom cottage in ..... Take a scenic drive 25 minutes on good sealed road from ...... and you come across the picturesque village of .....  The home would make a great week-end retreat or peaceful living.  ..... has town water and is only 90 minutes from ..(insert major city)..  The home features 2 bedrooms, study, verandah, and it has a combustion fireplace for winter, it is set on a large block (1/3 acre).

Surrounded by trees and the sound of birds and nature.  It is on a no through road and has a wonderful north-east aspect.  Close to ...... camping grounds and the .....4WD park and surrounded by the ..... State Forest.  Plus more.

Just sit back on the verandah and enjoy the wildlife. 

Time will tell.