A spur of the moment idea

We have a number of DIY projects that we want to do around the house this summer, and others that we need to finish from last summer... and the summer before!  But instead of being practical and finishing off the old projects first, I had a spur of the moment idea late yesterday...which was that we should lift up all the old bricks on the pathway to our house, water blast them, level the earth, and then lay all the bricks back down again.

Hamish was all set to paint the garden shed today - a project that he started a few weeks ago, before the weather changed - but no, I had other ideas. Hmmmm, possibly not my best idea for our Christmas break.

After spending yesterday evening and many hours today using a crow bar to lift up some 260 bricks, move them to the driveway, water blast them, turn them over, water blast again, and then stack them, we are both knackered.

I think Hamish is wishing he had stuck to painting the shed, as it would have been an easier job, and much quicker than this brick path project, which I think will take about three times longer than I anticipated that it would, which always seems to be the way with our DIY projects.

Here are some pics of our huge efforts today.

Stage one of the path uplifted

Hamish water blasting the bricks



A work in progress



260 stacked and freshly water blasted bricks

Our temporary plank path to the house

We now have some 260 bricks water blasted and looking much better and cleaner. Each brick weighs 3.5kg - and needed to be handled three times each during the lifting, water blasting and stacking process - so between us we have moved around 2,730 kg.  And we also now have a very tired Hamish and very tired and very sore Kristine.  I wonder whether we will manage to see the New Year in...?!

Last day of 2010

It is New Year's Eve and we are having a very busy day at home - more about that in the next Blog. It's really hot today and I notice Hamish has cracked open a beer while assembling the rotisserie part of our BBQ. Tonight we are having a NYE dinner of BBQ rotisserie chicken, new potatoes with mint, fresh beans with lemon and salad. Followed by brandy snaps, cream and strawberries. Yum!

Before the New Year kicks in, I thought I'd post some pics from Christmas this year.

Here is our Christmas tree. This is the first year we've had a 'real' pine tree, which we purchased from the church down the road. Fortunately it has not made me sneeze too much...yet.

Here is a pic of  my nephew Zak, and niece Emma, being Santa and the reindeer at my Mum's pre Christmas family BBQ a couple of weeks ago.

Zak and Emma

And here are some pics of Christmas morning at my sister Cathy's.






Uncle Hamish and Emma

Zak showing Pam how to use an iPad



Mum opening her Bokashi compost bin



Sad news from Canada

Today Leanne emailed to say that Susannah's Mum, Pauline, who we met in Victoria in October, had passed away early this morning. It is hard to believe that Pauline became so unwell, so quickly, when only a couple of months ago we had enjoyed a wonderful thanksgiving dinner with Pauline and the rest of the Street family, and she seemed just fine.

It  was such a fun evening, with members of the Street, Scherp and Pryce families all enjoying a great Thanksgiving meal, some wine and lots of good humour together.  I am so pleased that we had the opportunity to meet Pauline and hear a little about her early years growing up in New Zealand.

Here are some pics from the Thanksgiving evening in Victoria.

Susannah and Pauline

The Street family

Pauline, it was a real pleasure to have met you. Rest in peace.