2010 renovation review

It's been a productive year, one which has flown too quickly for my liking.

This blog has been brilliant for keeping a record of what we have achieved at the Sow's Ear and is a great reminder of what we haven't achieved. It keeps us accountable, particularly as there is now an audience reading our travails.

In January and February 2010, we renovated the lounge room and started planting in our front garden.

NOW:

Agaves and agapanthus December 2010

THEN:

Agave and agapanthus January 2010

March 2010 saw us purchase salvaged timber casement windows to install into the master bedroom. Jason spent many a night re-puttying the glass and repainting them.

THEN:

Master bedroom
October 2009

THEN:

April 2010
Windows and new VJ board installed in this part of the master bedroom

April 2010 was when Jason agonisingly installed the 10 casement windows into our room and re-sheeted the lower walls with VJ boards. As you know, Jason is currently finishing off this room. Hooray!

Happily his shirtless efforts were rewarded, as Fun and VJs was named as one of the best Brisbane blogs by the Brisbane Times. Yay!

May and June were quieter months, but we did have the Sow's Ear's electrical wiring earthed at that time. It is still incomplete, with the sunroom wiring still to be done.

July saw Son #1's bedroom renovated and repaired. It's a gorgeous little room now...when there aren't toys strewn on the floor!

THEN:

Water damage in #1 Son's bedroom

NOW:

A nicer room for son #1

August was about clearing and planting on one side of the backyard and I started my very first herb garden. All this rain, recently, has been great for getting the plants established. I also purchased some outdoor Casala chairs and restored them with a lot of elbow grease.

THEN:

Lilly-pillies August 2010

NOW:

Lilly-pillies December 2010
Lots of growth in the space of four months.

In September 2010, Jason started painting the exterior of the house. For those unaware, sub-tropical Brisbane has received record-breaking rainfall since this time. Life is cruel.

Knowing Jason's luck, when he ever finishes painting the exterior with the incessant rain, Brisbane will be in drought again...

October and November saw Mr Rooney, our holidaying builder, step in to relieve time-poor Jason from some of the renovation work. He's been a lot of fun to have around and has invigorated Jason's enthusiasm to renovate. Work began on our exterior side staircase and new sunroom windows. Stay tuned for more activity in 2011.

Mr Rooney, the carpenter who loves working with steel, and Jason on smoko

December saw the removal of the cracked asbestos fibro sheeting in the sunroom. Thanks Mr Rooney! And Jason has been painting the deck (despite the rain) and finishing off our master bedroom.

NOW:

Asbestos gone. December 2010

THEN:

Asbestos walls. May 2009

I'm not one for resolutions, but prefer to have a plan. The plan is to finish the projects we have already started - side staircase, sunroom windows, earthing of the electrical wiring in the sunroom and to continue the exterior painting, one side at a time.

That's it, I think, for now. It pays not to think too big...sometimes.

Happy New Year everyone. I hope 2011 brings much good health and prosperity to you all. xx