Horrible Sydney Weather

No rain for a month or more, fires to the north and west, and very little wind has made for appalling conditions here in Sydney. As Ivy pointed out at 3pm today "It looks like sunset". We've not been out to play for weeks now on my days with the girls as it is so hot and smokey.

On Tuesday I took the ferry to Janice's and it was grey smoke.

When I came home the sun was quite pink at 7pm.

But today at 3pm it was orange in an orange sky.

The grass is dead, ash is falling from the sky and it is very hard to breathe. I'm going to have to buy one of those face masks.

At least the new air con systems in the lounge and bedroom are keeping those rooms a bit clearer. I'm even using them in the evenings - hang the expense of electricity. I still seem to be covering my costs with solar generation well and truly.

Our Christmas Holiday Calendar

Since about 1980 our family has had Our Christmas Holiday Calendar to guide us through the various aspects of the Advent and the Twelve Days of Christmas ending in The Feast of Fools or Epiphany. It started as an exercise book in which we made notes and pasted ideas until eventually there was something for each day - a picture I drew, space for notes, an explanation of the theme of the day, some things to do, an appropriate song, a story or recipe for the theme of the day.

I first self-published 100 copies of this book in 1990 with an ISBN and all. This year I am at least starting the digitising project. You can find it in the tab at the top "Our Christmas Holiday Calendar" or you can ask me for a hard copy.

By making this book digital I might even be able to add some photos or links that I find. Something that was not available to me when it was first published.

Climate Change and Global Warming

This great article by Tim Flannery came through on The Conversation today. It has a little video embedded in it that is really worth looking at.

My recent addition of a new solar power system is an attempt to future proof my home and reduce my use of fossil fuels. When batteries become better I'll even consider getting one. Meanwhile I've got myself to Air Con 101 level and am able to program my air cons to come on in the middle of the day and store some of the excess energy I am producing in the infrastructure of my building so that life is more comfortable.

And there are more consequences of the use of fossil fuels (or any fuels unnecessarily) as outlined in another article in The Conversation today about the plight of Pigmy Possums in our alpine regions. That is presumably not the only wildlife to be affected by excess light at night so turn off unnecessary lights at night and save on power and maybe save some wildlife too.

Of course my water tanks store water for me. And today they are being filled by this lovely rain. Hooray!

Spending the kids' inheritance - I have the power!

It all started when I was considering the heat issues associated with my north facing back roof - flat and metal! I decided a fly roof of sorts was needed and considered laying brush fencing or shade cloth over it. I even considered a roof-top garden. Then thought an actual tropical fly roof would work. Ah! but what if that fly roof was clad with solar panels. But wait! Solar panels can go straight on the roof as it is at the moment!

Voila!

Although the panels are shaded early morning they use technology to overcome this. I could have even fitted on a few more but because of discrepancy with the layout of the office and the actual installer I did not know that at the time. Even at 6:30am I am producing. The cost of my solar panel roof was roughly the same as adding a fly roof and it is earning me money.

I have kept my old solar system (10 years old) that is mostly on the western pitched roof. When it dies I'll consider what to do next but by then technology will be even more advanced. I have also kept my old working solar hot water system. Again, when it dies I'll reconsider and maybe just use an electric hot water system with a tank closer to where I need the hot water so I don't lose as much heat in cold pipes.

My Solar Analytics software is throwing a wobbly at the moment trying to integrate all these various readings it is receiving but that will be sorted eventually with people coming from each different company and scratching their head a lot over my meter board layout. At the moment my graph reads that I am actually UNconsuming power which is impossible.

To use some of my excess power I have now had air con installed in my lounge room and bedroom. I can heat/cool the rooms in the middle of the day (when the sun shines) using the double brick walls to store that temperature for when I need it in the evenings.

    

Of course I am also feeding into the grid and offsetting my power bills. When batteries become a better/cheaper option I will consider installing one. You never know, I might eventually be off grid.

The Bathroom Story - Chapter 6

At last my bathroom is finished.

I really love it but had a lot of work when I noticed that at night you could see lots of dribbles of paint that had escaped behind the masking tape on the faceted glass. This was not visible when Matt removed the tape during the day.

Last night I spent 2 hours with a razor blade, small brush and steel wool removing the paint. Then a Windex wipe to clean. Lesson learned - do not use masking tape on faceted glass, it is a waste of time.

I have not had a shower yet but am looking forward to tomorrow morning. I decided that as I had to varnish the door this morning then clean the rest of the front of the house to get rid of dust and in-ground dirt a shower would be a waste of time.

Come and visit to see my new bathroom some time. I just love it.

The Bathroom Story - Chapter 5

It is now just on 3 weeks and things have slowed down while glue and grouting dry and other tradies are available.

I now have a space that looks like a bathroom except for the fittings, power and lights.

I am still waiting for a refund on the toilet that was the wrong colour. I get a different story everytime I chase it up.

I have left over boxes of floor and wall tiles that I cannot return so if you need any of them please just let me know.

On Tuesday I expect the plumber, electrician and builder to come and finish off and hopefully clean up their mess as well.

However, I have my loungeroom back to normal and all dusted and vacuumed and my bedroom is dusted and vacuumed although I still can't sleep in there because of the lack of bathroom nearby and the boxes and bits in the hall blocking my way in the middle of the night.

Patience is a virtue they say!

The Bathroom Story - Chapter 4

It is now the end of Week 2 and I have a few bits complete:

1. The hole in the loungeroom wall has been filled and painted and it is very difficult to see where it was. The Bunnings paint matching machine worked really well.

2. This morning the tiler came and grouted the new floor and it looks amazing.

3. A replacement shelf has been put in the laundry where some bleach had degraded the melamine and pineboard of the old shelf.

4. The framework is up for an awning over the loungeroom window to shade from the low western sun in summer. I tried to grow vines and trees etc but there are power cables coming to the house just above the window which makes trees and vines not an option. Next week the roofing will come for the awning.

5. The downstairs toilet seat has been moved to the upstairs toilet which had a cracked seat. It looks great.

The Bathroom Story - Chapter 3

It has now been 2 weeks since the huge job began. The walls and floor have been rendered and the plumbing re-positioned.

The joinery around the window has been altered slightly to allow for pots and blue bottles.

The door on the cupboard between the windows has been removed and will not be replaced allowing for some shelving.

It has all now been waterproofed as well.

The Bathroom Story - Chapter 2

So now the house is covered in dust from the absolute gutting of the bathroom. The builder is fabulous (Meld Constructions) and has done lots of work at my place in the past.

I was locked out of the front of the house for the dusty part to at least limit the dust in the back half. This sort of worked but I know the cleaners are going to get a shock when they come next.

All the plumbing had to be re-fitted in new positions.

Even the ceiling had to be removed (though it was not good anyway) to rewire a downlight, a fan  and a change of light switch position.

In the process of removing the sconce cupboard a hole appeared in the loungeroom wall which was temporarily covered with some cardboard.

The Bathroom Story

When I returned home from my recently holiday I started bathroom renovations which I had booked in before I left. It all happened because there were a dozen issues that needed fixing and I am not getting younger so I decided that the most cost effective (and aesthetic) solution would be to start again. As the bathroom was built in 1946 with only the addition of an inside toilet I felt I was justified.

Issues included:
1. Tiles falling off the bath, and bath no longer needed. When I am well I don't want a bath and when I am not well I can't get in and out. It was also a deep, cast iron bath that took ages to even get a 4" deep bath and it cooled off so quickly I'd freeze and have to get out. No soaking in a warm bath. The bath is going down to Underhill as a winter bath with a fire under it.

2. The window sills were so narrow it was difficult to sit my pot plants on them and it is difficult to find narrow pots.

3. The cupboard between the windows gets very hot in summer (no good for medications) and the door would not close.

4. The shower had a hob which I found awkward when I returned from my hip replacement and the wall of the shower meant it was always very dark, even when the light was on.

5. The tiles in the shower were damp behind and needed replacing and some were even very loose. I had had some glued back on some years ago.

6. The tiny cupboard set into the wall behind the toilet was awkward to get to and was built into a sconce in the single brick wall. But the toilet was fine.

7. The floor tiles, although individually laid, did not extend under the bath or shower hob and wall so would need to be replaced if I did anything.

8. All the wall tiles were minutely crazed and also did not extend behind the bath or the shower hob.

9. My friend Margaret (now 93) always regretted not putting a new carpet in her home when it was needed. When she finally left her home 20 years later she said she should have done it and her wise words were basically "if it needs doing, do it now, otherwise it will be too late". So I did.

Hard Work with Kim

Over the last few weeks Kim has visited and we've made huge strides in small areas.

First we tackled the garden shed. Anne had given me her old carpet so everything had to come out so the new carpet could be laid. Now I can get in to all the cupboards. We even threw out lots of stuff.

The next job was the pantry which I have not been able to walk right into for ages. Now it is a clear run and everything has its place again.

In the process there were lots of things to come out permanently. If anyone would like any of these before they go into the bin then please let me know. All the containers have lids.

Then we put together the old cot that Geoff and Jen had borrowed. It is now in use as a seat/small bed in the girl's room. It was Surrey's cot when he was born and lasted him until he was about 4 years old. Then Ellen and Geoff used it when they were small. It is now nearly on its last legs but has a bit of use in it still.

I really feel I am getting on top of things that either need two sets of hands or a tall helper. Thank you Kim.

Christmas has gone, the New Year is yet to come

Well the house is back to normal, summer holidays begun

And I'm fighting off the flu that threatened Christmas singing fun.

It's hot and humid weather so I'm sitting by the fan

Binge-watching shows recorded, or anything I can.
My step count's gone to billy-o, I don't move much at all
I even get a nanna nap and early to bed I crawl. 

I could turn on the aircon and work upstairs in the cool

But I'm tired and sick and sorry that I can't be by the pool.

The weeds are growing quickly and the produce coming fast

I race out in the morning cool and pick berries that I pass.

The chooks, of course, are gasping, but still lay quite well

And enjoy the flies and seek the shade when heat their actions quell.

I've dealt with all the apricots that Geoff and family picked

When they went to Underhill in this appalling heat.

I miss the rhyme and rhythm that accompanies Christmas time

And the trumpets, harp and organ and the voices so sublime

But I'll be back and join the chorus when this flu and heat are gone

When the year begins in earnest and we start our next new song.

Christmas Day was fun and busy when first at church I sang

Then all the family gathered and we formed a happy gang.

The children played with cousins and second cousins too

And the adults sat around to chat with nothing more to do.

I've cleared away the leftovers, filled the freezer with much food

Prepared some stock and soup and stuff that should prove very good.

I've cleared the decorations and moved the tables back

So when the year begins anew I've room to think and act,

But now it's time for quiet, for healing and reflection

For sorting things and catching up without interruption,

And to find the new music to learn this coming year

To make sure it is truly familiar to my ear.

So as the new year comes around I wish you all the best

And time to make your dreams come true and pass in every test

That life hurls at you and causes you to fear.

So basically I wish you all a Happy New Year.

From Betty..

Merry Christmas

I wish you all a wonderful time with family and friends over the Christmas  break.

This year I've made my own bamboo Christmas tree.

I have a new stove

My original stove is 72 years old and was leaking gas slightly so that I had to turn it off at the tap behind the stove when I had stopped cooking.

After much deliberation and mourning I found one I could cope with in my kitchen and yesterday the electrician came to create a new dedicated circuit because my old stove had no electricity. While they were doing the circuit under the floor I was able to clean all the grime out from behind and under the old stove. My new stove was delivered just as they finished the electrics but they could not do the gas.

They took my old stove out to my carport where it is going to be used as a serving bench.

It doesn't look too bad out there.

The electrician organised for a plumber to come today to fit the gas part and now it is fully installed and cooking a rice pudding because I know how rice pudding should work.

Unfortunately, the inside is nowhere near as big as my old stove. The top oven can be used as a griller or conventional oven, the bottom oven is a fanned oven or conventional oven. I just turned it on! I am now learning by my mistakes.

Having never had an electric oven before I am going to have to get some help and practice positioning shelves and working out where to cook things and what temperatures to use. It has always been just guesswork previously. It even has a timer and I can program it to turn on and off when I like but that is another experiment.

So wish me luck. If you'd like to come and experiment with me please do.

Keeping Busy

I've had a cold for the last week and have had to cancel all sorts of singing commitments but I am keeping busy with some tedious quilting and a job in my garage that has been hanging over my head for the last 40 years or so.

Surrey scrounged one of the museum cabinets when the old herbarium was demolished. Since then we have labelled the drawers 'temporarily'  with any sort of tape we could write on. A year or so ago Geoff found some lovely 'antique' label holders online so bought enough to do all the drawers.

This week I started the job. On the left is the first column of drawers done and on the right is the next column in its messy state.

It has now taken me a week but the drawers are all cleaned down of all the old labels and oiled. Then I attached the label holders using a template to mark the hole spaces. I created a table that produced labels of exactly the right size for the label holders and printed them on cream cardboard and voila..

It is a pity that the original handles are not all the same size and are not all aligned correctly but I am pleased with the job and they look so neat.

The timber is Sequoia (Californian Redwood) and when the drawers were made in about 1900 the trees used for the timber would have been possibly 100 years old.

If eventually they are used anywhere other than my garage they could do with a good re-strip and oiling but for now they are great.