Forever House #34

Sunday 27th October (continued)

Donna, Andy and Meegs Mudding in Jan 2005

My friend Andrew was saying a couple of weeks ago after I'd published my last two blog posts, that he can't believe the effort it takes me out here at Currawinya shovelling and sifting and sorting out big rocks from small rocks. He says he couldn't do one barrow load. And my friend Meegs said recently, that when she came out to help me mud in January 2005, she didn't like to say at the time, but she was pretty overwhelmed by the project I had taken on. I get what they are saying...

The burnt out house that I bought

In some ways I feel I need to qualify the manic drive I have to finish this project. On my trips out to Currawinya I often have a wave of anxiety wash over me; and when I arrive and settle in it goes away. Fires could be part of my concern. I am building on a slab that is the remains of a burnt out house. And, I always hope I'll spot any snakes before they spot me - although over the nine years I've been coming here I've not had reason to be alarmed by a snake.

The original house before the fire (Vicki and Tony's house)

There's the thought of the money I have sunk into the project over the years. Including the share purchase, the materials I've bought, and the labour I've paid for, it's about one hundred thousand dollars so far. Jeff and I have just borrowed some money to pay for a solar system and any further large ticket items like the water pump and plumbing requirements, the corrugated sheeting for the frames Dave is building, tile adhesive and grout, sealing and painting materials for walls, bagging for the block wall, etc. Then there's the time and effort that I and so many others have committed over the years, including my kids - whose young lives were largely influenced by this project.

nearly up to the roof in the bathroom/mud room area

Loving these bottles with the light behind

There's two choices I have - one is to give up and leave an expensive dinosaur on the landscape, that in no time would be consumed by the bush. Or... the other is to complete it. So although the list of things to do is immense, it's a no brainer for me - I just must keep on keeping on while I am still of an age and ability to be able to. I've made my bed so to speak and am lying in it! And happily so. I am glad to leave a huge sculpture as my life's work. In less than forty-eight weeks from now, although I may do little else for the year (other than paid work) - my efforts and drive will be rewarded. Well that is the plan.

Sometimes weird stuff drives me - for example: proving to myself and anyone else who is interested, that I'm not as useless as a certain second husband would have liked me to believe. And, another is that years ago, a friend of my first husband did an amateur reading of my handwriting. He told me that because some of my "t's" weren't crossed properly, that meant that I never finish anything. I have him to thank for completing my writing degree after nine years, and also for completing the Forever House after nearly ten!

Bedspring reinforcing. The arch formwork will soon go!

Today I completed the final row of mud that has completely closed in the external wall of the mud room. And I laid a row on the internal two walls that make up the bathroom and mudroom. Seven loads of mud all up. And tomorrow I'll do another row on those internal walls - which will take five loads of mud I'd reckon. That will leave a good three to four rows to get those walls up to the ceiling.