MJ's little flock

[Shadrach]

I'm sure I've mentioned this before but not in a while, so perhaps it's news.

The architect (he's also the builder) has submitted the veranda plans for approval. It's going to be deconstructed and reconstructed with new materials and adequate footings. He's also going to do the gables and maybe the money will stretch to a tessellated tile floor. Once we have approval, he'll put out the call for tender and do the first budget. Then we can get started.

When it's all finished, it'll be the first time in my life that the house has a smiling face. And I can't wait to see it!

Here's a before photo. You can see how shabby it is. And also it's easy to imagine how lovely it will be when finished.

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Don't go making it too smart, it lose some of its character.

 

[Shadrach]

That is gorgeous, MJ. Is that a pre~war model? It is going to be amazing when all done up. Will you plant the front with wild flowers again? I am so excited for you. I'd love to have something like that to play with!

I hope you find something like that to play with Ribh.

 

[Ribh]

Don't go making it too smart, it lose some of its character.

It's really hard to destroy the character of houses like this. It's inbuilt. You would have to take it apart.

 

[MaryJanet]

It's really hard to destroy the character of houses like this. It's inbuilt. You would have to take it apart.

Exactly.

Also, I'm not changing anything, except for the columns which have no exact replacements these days and which are not in keeping with the vernacular. So they'll be replaced by chamfered posts.

The broken old columns will be reused around the garden and perhaps even in the funrun. Same with the bricks that support the columns. They'll be cleaned up and retuned to me for future use in the garden (maybe paving, maybe beds, maybe retaining, not sure yet).

 

[MaryJanet]

That is gorgeous, MJ. Is that a pre~war model? It is going to be amazing when all done up. Will you plant the front with wild flowers again? I am so excited for you. I'd love to have something like that to play with!

It's a 1920s house. 1925 the documents say. So it should look quite nice for its 100th birthday.

I'm very lucky to live here.

Dad's nasty ex tried to take it from my brother and I after dad died and we had to enter a legal dispute with her to force her to behave.

Also, it's lucky for anyone to be the fourth generation in a home these days.

I loved the wildflower meadow and will definitely be doing that again, but with formal paths and with a little more structure to it.

 

[MaryJanet]

I hope you find something like that to play with Ribh.

Me too.

 

[MaryJanet]

I hope you can include the tile!

It would be consistent with other parts of the house and less inclined to hold dust than concrete! I'd put the robovac out there once a week to keep it cleaned up.

 

[MaryJanet]

The house needs lots of other projects too, but not as urgently: safe bathroom, convenient toilet, new roof, insulation, solar, battery, garage, bore pump and irrigation, front fence, driveway resurface, ... There are others but they're not coming to mind right now.

 

[LozzyR]

Dad's nasty ex tried to take it from my brother and I after dad died and we had to enter a legal dispute with her to force her to behave.

Ugh, what an awful experience for you. Even more so if she was no longer part of the family!

 

[MaryJanet]

Ugh, what an awful experience for you. Even more so if she was no longer part of the family!

Yeh. I won't describe the lies. Suffice to say the lies went on and on and on. I collected everything up and the evidence was in our favour.