All the walls in the carport are now down. It is also cleared out. Have to get used to the clean site of the carport.





There was a lot of dust in the carport, a lot came from the wasps. They had blocked the blocks, we cleared that too. We swept first the worst up and then used the blower as you can see I am very elegantly dressed.





There is still a big cupboard which I have to check because there is a lot of stuff in it which I can use.

Most of the demolishing is now done. However have still to take the tiles in the bathroom of the wall. Found today a message on the messenger bank that my vanity base had come and can be delivered. Will ring them tomorrow. Will be very busy tomorrow, the bricklayer will come to do the carport poles. The rubbish bins will be picked up. Kylie will pick up an old singer treadle machine, which is in pieces and in need of restoration. An other friend will pick up the old engine of the hand mower.

Last Monday we took a day off work and went to the movies. We watched the "Water Horse".

Today I have been to a friend's place and helped her with weeding in her garden. Around lunchtime it started to rain. The first 15 minutes we kept going but when we got too wet we stopped for lunch. At around 1.30pm the rain was over and we started again. We finished with what we wanted to do. Has a drink and went home.

Had wanted to mow a bit more but on late Thursday got a phone call from my brickie that he will come next week. So had a rethink of what had to be done before he comes.
On Friday started to pull down some walls in the carport but now in the front.





Cannot do this when the brickwork is done, have a chance that it will start cracking. When I had done a couple of sheets discovered that I needed a bin to put the rubbish in. Rang for a rubbish bin of 8 cubic metre. Got 2 of 4. He delivered before lunch. A friend came over we had lunch and started to clear out the carport. First we did all the electronics, TVs, VCRs, radio's, washing machines and then practically everything out of the carport.







We had spring washers every size there was from very small to very big. Out they all went. Have not been used since we live here and that is now 23 years. Cleared a lot out and it start looking much better.





Today is the 26th of January "Australia Day"


Australia Day, celebrated annually on 26 January, is the official national day of Australia, commemorating the establishment of the first European settlement on the continent of Australia. The date is that of the foundation of a British penal colony at Sydney Cove on Port Jackson, New South Wales, by Captain Arthur Phillip, who was to become the first Governor.[1] Australia Day is an official public holiday in all states and territories of Australia, and has also been known as Anniversary Day or Foundation Day.

On Australia Day each year, the Prime Minister announces the winner of the Australian of the Year award, presented to an Australian citizen who has shown a "significant contribution to the Australian community and nation", and is an "inspirational role model for the Australian community".[2] Subcategories of the award include "Young" and "Senior Australian of the Year", and an award for the "Australian Local Hero".

Have taken only the first 2 paragraphs.

At last I could start mowing today, was already for about an hour going , when i noticed my neighbour in the yard. Had not seen them coming in the front, they slipped through the fence. They have a little girl Lucy. They got the trampoline, bicycle and more things they can use. We had a look in the shed, garage and I have not finished yet with cleaning out. It looks to me that 8 cubic metre is not enough, need at least another 4 cubic metre bin.

Bought 4 blades for the ride-on mower. Rang Henk, a friend if he could give me a bit of help with putting the blades on. OK, he was coming the next day. Instead of mowing, pulled down the rest of the pergola. It is now completely gone. It looks so bare. Have now to get very soon a mini skip for the rubbish which is now laying around the place. Took all the tiles off from around the laundry tub and the grouting. Now new tiles can be put on. Had already a look around and found a nice tile.



Will measure all the areas which have to be tiled. The bathroom has to be done too. and can then buy what I need.

In the toilet have closed the holes in the wall. To close a big hole, you cut a piece of carton, bigger in length but about the same width, put a cord through the carton. Push this all through the hole and pull on it. Now you can fill in the hole, because you have a background.



When it is dry, you cut the cord and sandpaper it.

Yesterday, Henk came and put the blades on. At around lunchtime he left. Had lunch and wanted to mow, tryed to get the mower going but could not get it going. The battery was empty. Looked for the battery charger for one and half hour and could not find it. Knew I had one. Gave up. Later in the afternoon I was again in the big shed and found it. Henk came over again and showed how to put it on the charger.

In the morning I took the charger off and could get it going. Have been mowing all morning. In the front of the house the grass was knee deep, it is still fairly long because you cannot mow straight to the length you want it. The grass is still a bit wet on the bottom and not cutting properly.

Got my hand mower also back today and can now do the areas which you cannot do with a ride-on.

Have received this week again some siggies. I like them very much, they are lovely.

This one is from Grazia Moro, Italy.




Jansje Pieters from the Netherlands.



Marlies Bauer from Germany.

On Saturday I have not done much only to the library and some shopping. Have to eat from time to time. Have been reading during the day. Once a month the library is disposing of books they do not need anymore or which are replaced. Bought 2 books for $1.00.
Sunday morning I baked a banana cake, made some kroepoek( prawn crackers), you fry them in hot oil, they expand. When it is ready get it quick out of the oil otherwise they will burn. Leave them on some paper so the excess of oil can drip off. In the late morning, loaded the car with the swing, we are not using anymore.
In the afternoon went to Linda had everything with me. Had also some salted dutch licorice. It was a very nice party.
Was about 7.30 pm back home again. Was so tired have not even been on the internet at nighttime.

Today I went to the Princess Alexandra Hospital. Needed a mammogram. They clam your boobs between two plates, it hurts. Off course this is an invention of men. They should slam their balls between those plates. We will get then something else.

In the late afternoon I wanted to start mowing. Had done a bit but found out that the mower was not properly cutting the grass. Went back in the shed and switched the mower off. Had a look underneath and the blades are very bland. Got one off. Will buy tomorrow new blades, need 4 of them and will see if I can get them on.

Busy week.

Had a rest on Tuesday, wanted to save my energy for the Wednesday.
Handyman from Hubby came late about 10am while he had said 9am. At least he did not leave me in the lurch. The job was done within the hour.



This is all left of the pergola




When all the rafters were down, I could fill in the holes with putty. It was quick dry and painted it once.

Have to do it a couple of times. In the front I had sunshade hanging, got that down too. Have decided not to put up the sunshade again.



On wednesdaynight Alice came home and on thursdayafternoon I brought her to her home, helped her to move to another room. They get a new housemate and she gets a bigger room. Dusted and vacuumed the old room. Afterwards I had to bring her to TESSIE. This will be her last year.

On Thursday James came and put in the new laundry tub what a difference. The tiles came off when he got the old tub out.







Had thought to get away with the old tiles but see have to get new ones. Will wait with this till the handbasin in the bathroom is also changed. There is a delivery time of 3 weeks. Have time to look around for tiles and a tiler.

In the meantime have to get a skip(bin) to clean up all the rubbish around the house now. Have a lot of old electronics, which are not working, TVs, VCRs, radio, washing machines, old car parts, the timber of the pergola, the laundry tub, old toilet etc,etc.

Received this week 2 new siggies.

Carina Norberg of Finland.



Margun Vatshelle from Norway.



Have not done a lot of quilting, have joined the knittingyahoogroup and started to knit a bit. Can now learn to read the english pattern as they are given in two languages, english and netherlands.

Have now done two rows on my 365challenge quilt. The first row is stitched have now to do the second one.

Yesterday I finished all the battens and started on the rafters. Got a slash hammer and started knocking on the end of a batten. It took me a long time to get one loose. It was definitely not working. Stopped, it was in the meantime also about 5.30pm. Had to find another solution. Thought up to saw all the battens off with an electric saw but suddenly I thought, why not bring in the experts. Rang a handyman, who had already done some work for me, it was about 8.15 am Mondaymorning. By 12 noon he had still not rang me. Conclusion he is busy. Rang some else (got from a big hardware store here in Browns Plains several cards from tradesmen they recommend) he was home and can do the job for me. He will come on Wednesday. He is from "Hire a Hubby". Lucky me.

At about 10am I got visitors, after the coffee they interviewed me and recorded it. Someday it will be broadcasted here in Brisbane on 4EB, the dutch radio on FM 98.1. There are 4 days they are broadcasting in the dutch language.

We also have been talking afterwards about genealogy. It is one of my hobbies.
Am researching my married name. My maiden name is already done and several people have it published on the internet and written a book about it.
It is very interesting to do this. My husband was born in Indonesia and there are very few records. I was lucky that I found the birth records of his grandfather, which gave me the name of his great grandfather and I could make the link to the Netherlands, where great grandfather was born. His great grandmother was born in Indonesia out of dutch parents, who were living in Indonesia.

Start of renovating

Yesterday I went out and did some shopping for the house. Went to Reece and bought a new dual flush toilet 6 ltr/3 ltr, a new stainless steel laundry tub and a new vanity basin for in the bathroom plus some traps for the laundry and vanity basin. Next Thursday James will come and install it.

I am in the process of demolishing my pergola. Yesterday I started and got the shade cloth and 5 fibro sheets off.



They are fastened with wood screws, use the cordless drill to get them out.



Today I finished with another 4 sheets. Hooray that is done. Today I was wearing long sleeves, which I didn't yesterday and got very fine fibres on my arms which is irritating. Because the sheets were there for years the sun has deteriorated them and the surface is not smooth anymore. The other side is still smooth. Will see if I can use it somewhere else. Might make a chookhouse or a shade house for plants.



Have also bought bricks for the carport and will have first all this work done, before I decide what will be next.

Christmas card and siggies

This week I received a Christmas card from Beatriz Gouzalez(Spain). Thank you Beatriz, I was flabbergasted by it. Had received last year a siggie from Beatriz during the year. Have been swapping now since 2003 siggies and this is for the first time I got a Christmas card. I appreciate this very much.



Have received a lot of siggies since the New Year.
These I have received on 8th January.

Rita Kastner, Germany.



Lida Kunkeler, the Netherlands.



These I have received today 9th January.

Christine Chevalier, France.



Els Hoppers, the Netherlands.



Lise Cupak, France.



Mona Norhave, Denmark.



Sandra Fredriksson, Iceland, this is my first from Iceland.



Sylvette Lenoir, France.



Ladies thank you very much. They are beautiful.

Today we had luckily no rain. Had a little bit too much , but still the drought is not over. The dams are only about 25% full. The water restrictions level 6 are still in place. Been to the city and had a good cup of coffee there with a nice group of Dutch people. Have been asked if I wanted to do an interview for the dutch radio here. They will be coming to my place and then tape and edit it. Hope to get to hear the interview before the broadcast.

Cherries jam

On Friday had done my shopping and also been to the greengrocer. He had boxes of cherries for sale and I bought a box. When I was home, I thought what I am going to do with all these cherries. Can make jam out of it. Well on Saturday I started. What a lot of work, specially if you want to have jam without stones. It took nearly all day. Next time I will buy a jar or tin of cherriejam much easier. However I must say the one I made taste far better and is not that sweet as the factory made one.

On Sunday we had a lot of rain and I had a swimming pool in the back, carport and driveway. Everything is overflowing, the gutters, the water tanks.






As soon as the rain stopped within a couple of hours the water was gone. That was on my place. It was different in Nth Maclean, where I live. The road to the highway was blocked with water.








Monday I went out to buy some bricks so I can get the carport poles bricked in.
Had a run around and was send everywhere. The first two places they could not help me. The third place I was luckier and bought bricks. Today they were delivered. Went on my slippers to the front and they were soaked. The drive was 4 inches under water. Told the driver not to come inside with the truck. He had a forklift with him and brought the bricks with that in. Yesterday I had been mowing but could forget about it for today . The property was covered with water. Looked outside just before it became dark and the water was already gone.

A couple of days ago I saw my lodger again.



It is sitting in the corner of the carport. There is a chance when the poles are bricked in that they cannot get anymore in the ceiling.

Happy New Year

Yes, I know, I am a bit late with this but it is still well meant. Some time ago I was saying that I was going to get a new mower, well I changed my mind and I am going to get a new engine in the mower. Had seen the new ones, the chassis is not as strong as mine. It cost less too.
Had a quote for bricking in the poles of the carport and have now a brickie. Have been out to buy new bricks but the factory was closed. Next week they are open again
and will have a look then.
Have been selling a lot of books to a second hand shop and got quit a bit of credit for it. Been there twice, the second time I bought some books.
Just before Christmas, I send a lot of siggies out with 2007 on it and can start the new year with the 2008.
Have received a couple new ones.

This one is from Anne-Sophie Vermeeren from France.



Inge Brinkman, the Netherlands.



Luciana Momesso, Italy



Am in a siggie swap and you can join if you want send then an email to Annelies and she will give you all the information.

Had Alice home with the Christmas days. Christmas day we went to Morayfield to Jati. Bob had a cousin here and Jati was his wife. We had a very good day.

My Lodewijk is nearly finished, have to sew it together and fill it.

With the change from 2007 to 2008 we had hardly any fireworks where I live. In the city was fireworks and they are very good. With Australia day(26 January) there will be again fireworks and can go then. Hope that the weather is then better as it is now. It is very cool and raining and this is already going on for about 10 days. The drought is still not broken because the rain did not fall in the right places so the dams can fill up. Have been working hard in the yard, a big branch was fallen against the fench and a pine tree. The branch is now in smaller pieces and I started already on the pine tree, but have this one to saw in smaller pieces.