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.

Top End Travels - Undara to Cairns

Tuesday 4 June 2019 (H to I on map)

Up for a "bush camp breakfast" (for me dry toast) and everyone very cold. I decided to leave my thermal top on as a jumper.

We had a tour of the lava tubes led by a guide that was fabulous at explaining just what they were all about. We saw lots of wallabies as we drove and some butterflies at the walkways. Some of the walkways go way back into the dark depths of the tubes which is quite a breathtaking experience.

We returned to the main camp area for morning tea at the bus then hit the main road (good bitumen and lots more traffic).

Lunch was at Millstream Falls NP quite close to Ravenshoe and the Windy Hill Wind Farm.

We had a stop at Millaa Millaa Falls which were quite impressive. We tried to photograph Ulysses butterflies which flitted bright blue amongst the leaves. Unfortunately whenever they landed they were almost invisible browns.

We came down the Gillies Highway with its 230 bends and settled into the Shangri-La Hotel right out on the point of the port. Beautiful views, jug and coffee in the room, internet and phone reception. Our farewell dinner was a chatty event and we were able to say goodbye to those who were homeward bound in the morning.

Wednesday 5 June 2019

No early morning start today but of course I was awake. Breakfast at the hotel with the others then Karen, Alastair and I walked to town. I was quite underwhelmed by the building site that Cairns seems to be. Just like Sydney!

Just as we were back near the hotel we received our call from John and Marion who were driving down from Topaz to meet us for the afternoon.

After we were picked up we drove to the Botanic Gardens for lunch and a wander. The gardens highlights tropical plants of course but it is amazing to walk amongst giants of the plant world and see amazing butterflies and tiny birds - Yellow Sunbird - feeding in the nectar producing plants.

Back to the hotel then dinner at Mondo's on the pier before retreating to our rooms and doing a little more updating of the blog.

Thursday 6 June 2019

Up for coffee as the sun was rising.

Down for breakfast with Karen and Alastair. Then I took a walk around the point on which the hotel stands. I was impressed by the mangrove seedlings that are poking up through the rocks on the shore line but I bet they will be removed as soon as they show any signs of blocking views along the walkway.

We walked to town again to do a little shopping and to visit the Cairns Regional Gallery recommended by Marion. On the way we were thrilled to see a pair of Thick Knees and their tiny chick walking through the park. It was so well camouflaged against the path.

At the Gallery we viewed the excellent Blak Portaiture exhibition and also did a little shopping of course.

In the gallery shop we met James from the bus mob and enjoyed a last coffee together on a fantastic mosaic table.

On one of the shop windows Karen spotted a Four O'clock Moth. It was quite still while we were there and we could get really close and see its beautiful furry body.

Some of the banyans and other trees in the city are amazing.

Home then to have lunch at another portside restaurant with great views over the harbour area. Then we collected our bags and caught an Uber to the airport. There we filled in our time until our flight home to Sydney.

Wow what a trip! To places I'd heard so much about from Surrey and his plant collecting trips. Karen had also not seen most of the places but Alastair will be happy not to see another tree or blade of grass for a while.

Map of My Journey - Darwin to Cairns