The Renovation Story continues...

I thought I should do some updating on our renovations as the last time I added anything was BF (before floods). It seems so long ago already. Anyway, the day before we evacuated because of rising flood waters we had new carpets go in through the house including our new bedroom. The fellow who laid the carpet was great, like having your grandfather or a favourite uncle in the house. We ended up choosing a mid-grey colour that seemed to go well with all colours through the house and we are very pleased with the results. Here are a couple of pictures, one from our room and one from the hallway. Somewhere in an earlier post you can see what the carpets used to look like!

 

The other renovations underway is the replacement of our rotting front deck. We decided to also added a roof to help protect this new deck and provide some more shade to the house and also lift its street appeal. So, this is what we started with.

Then, just before the drenching rains and rising waters, the deck was removed and the house looked a little strange. It was funny how people that needed to come to the house responded upon seeing no way to get to the front door too!

Then the new deck took shape, the stairs were replaced, the roofing structure went on and the roof itself.

This is where we are now, waiting for the last little bits to be completed, guttering, screening and painting. Then we can start returning to lives without building work going on! Looks a little different now doesn't it??!! The last thing to be done is a "fix" of the kitchen, but we are waiting for our local Bunnings to re-open after being affected by the floods before we can do that.

I also, finally, have back to school photos! (But don't tell anyone, I kept forgetting to take one and I didn't until the last day of week 2!!) They have all grown so much in a year. This is Niamh's last year at primary school which is a bit mind blowing and Liam is now in grade 1 (I can't believe my baby is turning 7 this year!), with Erin in grade 5. Each year seems to fly past faster than the last.

To finish off, here is a layout I did this week for the Out of the Hat challenge site. The criteria for this month were: include a cloud or clouds, include a tree, use masking or misting. I had fun with this one, and played with my Cricut again! I used the Cricut to cut the tree, and also the clouds and grass that I used as masks, and of course I used my Ranger re-inkers in mister bottles for the misting! I am really pleased with how this one turned out and feel I am getting back in the groove!

Well, cheers for now.
Katie

Walk Around my Neighbourhood...

Liam and I went for a little walk last Thursday (so one week after the devastation) to see how the parks and river were looking. What we saw took me by surprise. There is still so much mess and evidence of what happened and even still water lying around in parks. It will take a long time for things to truly return to normal.

The view looking toward the river and the bike/walking path that meanders beside it. Currently it is covered in mud and unusable.

This looks away from the river along a little creek that backs onto houses in White St and finishes as an open reserve at the end of Austral Ave. Usually there is very little if any water in this creek, but you can see just how much surged through here at its worst.

Remember the layer of mud from the netball courts? Well that was nothing compared to that nearer the river.

Debris along roadsides and footpaths, full of all sorts of odd things. Here a smoke alarm, a piece of lego, a rubber glove and odds and ends of plaster board. The human side of the debris.