Moving along…..

It’s been eleven days since the renovations started and so much has been accomplished…but still a long way to go. We were hoping to have it all done within two weeks but it’s looking more like a three week project....or perhaps longer....sigh!!! Can't wait to get back home.

Marley and Jasper have been sleeping with us at Oma and Opa’s place. They have their beds right next to me on the floor – one inside and one outside of the wardrobe.

One morning last week as I was getting ready to go out Marley sensed there was something happening and so he ran into his bed and pretended he was asleep so that he wouldn’t be locked outside while we were out.

The plumber came and replaced all the old dodgy pipes that have been causing us so much grief over the past nine years. Everything is copper now (at least in the bathroom). Eventually we will have to replace the pipes going to the rest of the house – kitchen and laundry, but for now at least there will be no more problems in the bathroom.

Before the plumber could connect the outdoor plumbing to the main feed coming in from the street Daddy had to dig up the underground pipe and found a long trail of ants heading for ‘Little Sissies’ room.

So that’s where they came from….

The bathroom is now fully lined and waterproofed and will be tiled within the next two days.

Some of the new tiles (a lovely French cream gloss) have been put down since yesterday and we’ve chosen a new wall colour - 'Paper Bark' - to match the outdoor room. It’s okay in some rooms, but very dark in others. We may have to reassess the colour choice and go for a lighter strength in those rooms that don’t get much sunlight filtering in. Grouting and then skirting boards need to be done still too.

Our one and only bathroom has transformed a number of times over the past nine years. From very ugly early 80’s (top left) to cottage denim blue and cream late 90’s and then an attempt at bringing it into the 21st century with a more neutral colour called Hogs Bristle. I actually still loved the last bathroom renovation we did only last year, but sadly it was destroyed with the leaky pipes and we couldn't get the same tiles anymore, so we are now going with the same floor tiles all the way up the wall and a more modern white gloss vanity and a different mirror to match. The shower is also being remodelled to a semi seamless modern shower screen. THAT....I am REALLY excited about as it will mean no more struggling to control the mould that kept growing between the grout and the old shower screen.

Stay tuned for the final finish….