Forever House #27

Before

Monday 9th September, 2013 I spent some unexpected time yesterday afternoon playing with the second of two rat infested windows I had found in the shed. Unsure of where they originated, it's interesting pulling them apart, washing them and laying them back together (with the help of the "Before" photos I took). I am aware of who might have created them in the first place, how long ago, where, and the process they would have had to go through to find the glass and materials. The arch around the top section is an odd selection of textured clear glass, which makes me think the glass maker was working with what he/she had available to them. I laid out six pieces of A4 paper out of the printer, and sticky taped them together. I gathered various straight edges and Jeff's right angle to draw up the design of the three windows that make up the door that will be hung on the external wall of the Forever House Bathroom.

After

I can't tell you how much pleasure I am getting out of giving new life to these windows which at first glance, in their original broken state, could easily be put in the too hard basket. In fact, they are jewels waiting to be dug up and mounted in a new setting. I've never had old windows to revamp before - and would not have wanted to deal with the repair of such windows. But now I have reworked two, I will seek them out and recycle as many as I can find.

Forever House #26

Sunday 25th August, 2013

Sifting

Oh my ... what a mammoth effort by me today. I'm sitting at the caravan table, bucket bathed, in jammies, warmed vege soup and toast in front of me, probably a bit sunburnt and definitely aching at 5.55pm. I had a good big sleep last night - read myself to sleep and woke a couple of times after six with the day light - finally waking ready to start my day and begin work around nine - after making good use of my recent coffee pot purchase. I dug and sifted dirt and chopped straw.

Carting water

After installing the dunny window yesterday I carried a heap of water before dark. Eventually the water will be accessible closer to the work site - but while ever I am carrying it I am keeping fit! I remind myself of the broomsticks in the Fanstasia movie from my childhood. I get into the zone and go down to the tank and back up to the work site a dozen times with a bucket in each hand.

Today I made and laid five loads of mud by 1.30pm when I stopped for a cuppa and some fruit salad. Then I dug more dirt and carried more water to be able to make and lay another five loads of mud by sunset - which is pretty much 5pm. So I have done a whole row around the external wall that takes in the mudroom and bathroom . In some spots I will reach the ceiling when I lay the next row.

The bathroom - panorama - the walls are so close to the ceiling now.

I didn't receive any visitors today. In fact I just heard the first car of the day drive past inbound. Until I set myself this deadline to finish the house by October next year, I would pay visits to other Currawinyans when I ventured out here for the weekend. But no time for visiting for the next year. I'm on a roll and I really do have to give one hundred percent on each occasion I am here.

Tomorrow I will rise when I first wake to give myself an extra couple of hours to repeat today's effort. These weary bones will certainly be weary after that.

Knock off time

On this visit I did get two full rows of mud done around the mudroom and bathroom. I certainly didn't plant the cuttings I brought out with me - nor transplant the blossom. I'll do those things next time I come out at the end of September. Jeff is coming then as is my sister Peita. Dave has agreed to come and work with us on that occasion to continue the ceiling sheets. Although I may ask he and Jeff to work with the tanks and water arrangements -moving at least one of the tanks and putting up guttering seems important at the moment. I'd like to be set up to catch every drop of water possible. Peit and I will help with that, and if there is time we can move between work on the paving, the garden, maybe make a mosaic, and paint some ceiling sheets. We need to collect more sand and I can always prepare more mud ingredients for the following trip.

My sister Danielle showed me how I can take panoramas on my iphone - I never knew!

This pic with the next is a 360degree view from my block at Currawinya.

Before - rat infested broken window

 The next project I'm working on for the Forever House, in-between visits out there, is the back door to the mud room. I am using the glass from an old window found recently when I cleared out the rat infested shed to make a mosaic studio. The glass from that is being reworked into a new design to fit the window in the door. I was given the door by a friend, Penelope, when she renovated her house years ago. Sll these things I've collected that will now finally get another chance at use and beauty.

Current - dismantled, cleaned and being reworked to fit door