The Clayton's Reveal...

This is what you'd call a Clayton's Reveal...
That is, the Reveal you have when you don't have the full reveal...yet!

Imre still has a few things to do inside on Monday morning, before he starts outside on the front of the house...finally!
He has to put the architraves around the bathroom door, wall niche and new door hole that Zoltan cut in last year sometime, put up 2 shelves for me in the kitchen and then he can start outside. But the insides still has curtain rods, curtains, pictures etc to go up, but that is not a big job and can wait for a rainy day.

Zoltan was over doing the Honeymoon cottage all by himself on Saturday and is nowhere to be seen today.
I think he is a bit upset his helpers did not turn up, as he wanted to get up to the stage where the height was all leveled off to prep for the concrete pour for a "footing" for the mez floor and rafters to sit on, rather than wooden beams.

But, he is getting on with it, not even stopping for lunch yesterday. Not good in the heat outside... probably 30C...but inside, still a nice 26C.

Had some lovely visitors yesterday...the original owners descendants!
They worked out what the hidden documents from 1909 were that we found behind an old mirror as we were repairing it.

It was a military day journal from pre-war days when the guys had to hand write their reports.

They also took me over to the graves of his ancestors in the old cemetery, just a few hundred metres from my place...Great grand father, grandfather and 4 children of the family of 7 kids. Tough times back then, with only 3 of their 7 kids making it to adult hood.

We enjoyed a very nice afternoon and it was great to be able to speak English with people and find out some more local history.

Hello from Bear...

Just picked some more tomatoes. They all self sown from seeds from last year. Amazing!

Between the gophers/moles eating the roots of my plants and Bear digging them up every second day...I'm lucky to have any flowers this year!

Zoltan back on the job on Saturday.

Yeah, well, it looks a bit ugly just now, but wait until it is all baby bottomed by Imre inside and rendered on the outside by Zoltan...You won't recognise it!

A tough job by yourself...

Verandah cleaned down for the first time. It is not a work shop any more! The potty you see is Bear's drinking water. He likes fresh water and it has to be changed every morning and night! But he does drink a lot of water. The pillars have to be taken right back to the raw bricks as whatever is under the top layers, keeps coming through and the top finish keeps gets eaten away and falling off!

Deck tidy and almost set up...8am on Friday breakfast!

Dining room needs a few more dishes and plates on the wall to make it Hungarian, but we are getting there!

The other side of the dining room.

The lounge room cum second bedroom eventually. Have to get a proper lounge, but this will suffice as I experiment with colours now the basics are all in place. Everything will be white to get a clean palate, then I'll add colour as I go. One step at a time.

Am not putting the antique mirror here now we cut the wooden panels out of the front door. The back lighting is too reflective, so will put it in the bathroom when we re-position the shower and loo after Xmas. The glass doors were going to create a cupboard to go underneath the shelf, but it seems to set quite a different atmosphere and I'm not sure that suits here.

You know the bathroom is set up when the light show starts!

Yup, all systems go!

Yup, all good now. Let the final tidy up begin! I just need to get some blue tiles to go around the skirting board area and for the life of me, can't think past that just now!

Hahaha...was having a laugh as I was moving the old vat the other day. I remembered when it was going to become a spa! That was until it fell to bits as the wood worms had eaten it away. So this is all we could salvage as we cut it down to where it was sort of OK for a few more years...a new coffee table for the deck.

Imre hanging the little bathroom cupboard...and little and cute as, it surely is... Just fits a deodorant and toothbrush in it. Hahaha, but it is cute!

Some cane baskets to go on the new shelf Imre just put under the vanity...then some blue skirting tiles around the room, then something for the floor. Tiles, timber, Vinyl, cork??? Then I'll work out what to do with the bench top...Estapol it in clear to let the pine show through, paint it, tile it, laminex it????

Hahaha...there is NOT a straight line in the entire house and poor Imre has to keep running in and out measuring every minute cut! This is the gap between each end of a 2 foot long shelf in the passage cupboard that he's repairing!He pulled out these old shelves on the bottom and is making nice clean ones for me.

All done and another suitcase unpacked. The painter has to come in August and paint the windows, doors, trims and anything else that needs it. Will leave the pine shelves and just apply a clear stain when the painting is done...or maybe if the shelves are painted white it would suit better? Who knows just now, but will wait until everything else is painted first. The green plastic bags contain some of the lovely fragrant candles I bought for Xmas pressies for my family in OZ and forgot to take over last time! When you open the cupboard there is a lovely smell of potpouri smells mixed with fresh pine. Lovely.

Behind the bathroom door...will leave this cupboard open and add more decorative cane baskets for things.

Used the base of an old oil lamp for a vase. Perfect for short stem roses!

Imre adding the curtain tracks in the lounge room...

We called in to collect some things for Imre and guess who was working on repairs at the shop? You'd never run over a Hungarian worker in these bright colours!

Now, THAT'S a screw. Imre uses this size for the curtain tracks!!!

See the lovely brackets Imre made. It seems he loves woodworking and enjoyed very much, making these. He made 6 for the kitchen too and it only took him about an hour all up.

No home is complete without a picture of Phantom...AKA Gerry Butler...sighhhh. Oh, and Emmy Rossum as Christine from the awesome 2004 movie. The best ever Phantom of the Opera version. A visual and musical feast to behold that one never tires of watching...over and over. Have to buy a new POTO DVD as I've worn out the second one now...Watching it on line is not the same as on my little DVD player.

i

OOPs, I forgot my room...I have a second mattress on my bed...nowhere to store it until I set up more beds!

 OK, so after a few 13 hour days and 5 in a row of full 12 hour days, 5 suitcases, 3 wardrobes, 2 sideboard/dressers, the big red box, 3 drawers and a wall unit have all been cleaned out, unpacked, and anything made of material (clothes, drop sheets, dust covers, linen, and all) has all been washed and put away...finally.

It is so peaceful walking through the place, (traipsing the whitewash powder from the floors all through the house with me...)but at least it all sorted, ready for the finishing touches, painting of windows, doors, trims etc, then finally lighting and flooring.
One thing...if I do decide to whitewash the floors, I'll definitely be sealing them with clear Estapol...

The cellar gets done in a few weeks when Imre completes the front of the house. Then when the cellar is done...not much to do there apart from the safety rails around it and a good sweep out, some lights etc, the exterior of the house can be painted.

So today is the first day in years and years that I have planned to do nothing at all. It is my reward for a job well done and tomorrow, a new phase of works begin.

Have a great week and will catch you all next week with more pics of repairs and renos.

Bye for now and lots of love to all,
M
xxxxx