Before and after ...

At last I’m posting a couple of before and after shot of our renovations. I think I just became to fed up with the entire process to appreciate the end results. It’s only now that I look back at the pics that I really see what a big improvement it all is.

The garage and driveway:

The front:

The back:

The flat:

Look what we did with this old water tower. I love my “weather owl”! It still needs a new door and some racks – eventually it will serve as a little garden shed. The inside of the old part of the house is a bit of a mess at the moment as we are busy repainting it all, renovating the old bathrooms and replacing all the light fittings.

The end is in sight! :o)

My new kitchen revealed

So here it is ... my dream kitchen!!!!

Ta-da!!!

*** ( insert drumroll here) ***

I love every little detail of it! There's so much space - a place for everything.

I've always wanted a pantry - now I've got one!

Next to the pantry is the laundry. Only big enough for a wash basin, washing machine, tumble drier and a huge cupboard on the other side for my brooms, ironing board, vacuum cleaner as well as a linen cupboard.

Next to the laundry is my scullery with double sink and undercounter dishwasher.

Then it's the main kitchen:

A lot of thought and planning went into this kitchen. It turned out just perfect with everything I need close at hand. I have a tall cupboard for the groceries that I use often (on the far left of the next photo), then the fridge, microwave, roll-top breadbin, stove, workarea and sink - with a dustbin drawer right next to it - all in a small triangle and not more than 2 metres apart.

One of the focus areas in the kitchen is this beauty ...

I'm so in love with this stove. I can't keep myself out of the kitchen. All of sudden cooking and cleaning are not swear words anymore! The hob is gas with an electric hot plate on the side. The ovens are electric - one of them with a thermo-fan. An absolute joy!

Quick update

I really miss blogging! I especially miss being part of the daily lives of all my blogging friends. One day I know things will settle down and I will have time again for all of that but in the meantime I'm almost starting to enjoy life on the run! Once your brain gets used to it, it's actually rewarding to be able to do so many things in one day. Every night when I lie in bed before I fall asleep - I try to think of everything that I've accomplished in the day that's gone and try to make a mental list of all I need to do the next day. I'm really starting to enjoy this little "project"!

Now for the update: This are going sort of according to plan. The rain has kept us back a little but when the sun's out the guys really make up for the lost time. We had to vacate one half of the house so that they can literally break out almost every single thing inside. The other half of the house is looking more like a storage site than a house - we hardly have space to sleep. We spend most of the time in the old house now and just pop in to check if everything is built the way we want it - which a lot of the time isn't! Then they need to make corrections and so on.

They will start fitting the new kitchen on 8th December and should complete it by the end of that week. The plan is that all the building and inside finishing must be completed by 19th December. Phase 2 will then start again mid January to complete the outside finishing touches, the swimming pool, paving and the garden.

The other great news is: my old house is sold! It was a rather emotional moment when we had to put up the "for sale" sign at the front gate. When the fist prospective buyers pitched up it was almost like they invaded our privacy. At the same time I was anxious because I was afraid that the house will stay in the market for months / years (like a whole lot of other houses in the neighborhood) and that I would be forced to rent it out in the end. I didn't really want to do that because I've heard so many horror stories about tenants who ruin your house and the rent would only cover about half the installment!

I was blown away when the agent phoned me about an hour after they came to view the house. The couple wanted to buy the house! It's a young newly wed couple and they love my house and wanted to buy it. The very first people who came to view the house! Mixed emotions filled my heart. I was so glad that the house was sold (at the price that I wanted!) but I really feel sentimental about that house! This is the house that I bought after I got divorced. It was the refuge for me and the boys. We made it into the safe and happy home that we all wanted and needed. I realise that now it is time to move on but I know that a couple of tears will flow the day we will have to say goodbye to "our house" permanently! I'm not sure when the move will be. The new owners want to wait for final registration before they move in. Hopefully this will only happen in the new year. At the moment there is just no way that we can move in to the Parys house before the building is completed.

Here are a couple of picture updates of the building in progress. These pics were taken on Wednesday, so they are already outdated but it will give you a general idea of the progress.

My new en-suite bathroom and walk in closet:
The "flat" where the boys will stay:
The patio:
What's left of the old garage on the left and the new garage on the right:The old kitchen after we moved out. By now it's only an empty shell with nothing inside - they broke everything down - even the ceiling!!Gotta run again - on our way to visit some friends for dinner - some kind of French meal with a VERY strange name - can't wait to taste it!

Will try to be back soon!

Buy for now!

It's been three weeks!!

And three weeks of mess and rain and mud and fights and surprises (both good and bad!) it has been! At work things are just as busy. I had to take over additional work from one of my colleagues who's went on maternity leave on Friday. I barely touch ground and I have no time for blogging or even blog reading so please please forgive my absence to your blogs. I know that this all have to settle down some time - just don't know when!

Here are a couple of pics I took this afternoon.

We have a couple of fruit trees in the back yard. While I was busy taking photos I saw the one apricot tree was full of ripe and ready little fruit. There and then I decided that all those yummy fruit cannot go to waste. I called the kids and they helped me to pick the fruit. We managed to get about 15 kg of fruit from that one fairly small tree! We all jumped in - Leon included - and we pitted the apricots. Unfortunately I was too busy to even think about taking pics. Can you believe it! I think I'm loosing my touch!

Anyway - the fruit are now pitted, rinsed, weighed and sugared. Tomorrow afternoon after work the big jam cooking episode will begin - midst all the other chaos.

I guess it's true what they say - the more you do - the more you get done!!

I will try my best to be a better blogger and at least post once a week from now on. In the meantime - keep well and enjoy your Christmas preparations. I feel like I'm going to have to skip Christmas totally this year! Just don't have capacity to even start thinking about that now!

Sleep tight! ;o)

The mess has begun!!!

Yesterday it all started with a bang! I thought they would just start measuring up but when we got home - only 5 hours after they started - we were shocked by how much they've done in such a short time!!! The entire yard is on it's head! Here are a couple of shots I took yesterday:
I will try to post a few of "work in progress" shots every couple of days. This way I hope to share the joy and pain that will inevitably accompany this process with all of you.

Above all the mess and with the chaos in my head trying to keep track of everything is still an overwhelming feeling of gratitude. Although we had to cut on some of the renovations because it all just became too expensive, I am busy building my dream home! I’ve always dreamt of living in an old house with high ceilings and wooden floors. A big house with lots of character and room for all of us to live and play in.

All of this is starting to become a reality right in front of my eyes. Although I know there lies a time filled with chaos and frustration (and probably a couple of tears and fights too) ahead for us, I am so excited and can’t wait for it all to be done!

I pray that God will bless this project for us and that it will all work out the way we planned. There are so many workers busy working there right now, I also pray that they will all work safe and won’t get injured in the process.

Keep me in your thoughts and prayers – I will surely need it! :)