the house has an eye

Since the previous post in September (a particularly wet month) most weekdays, when not away visiting my partner, have been spent teaching. Not that I necessarily wanted to do that much work, but with a 6 week summer break with no income I took pretty much all the casual work they offered.

Out at the land the Spring rains created havoc with the weeds. Not being there most days like last year meant the saffron thistle went berserk. So much time was spent hand weed spraying.

Also I needed to get the Spring veggies in and established. I am growing everything I grew last year and have added eggplant, squash, chili, spring onions, parsley, and Spanish onions.

Unfortunately the roof is still sitting on the ground.

But in the meantime I have put up the verandah beams (which forms part of the roof) and created the back deck:

It might seem a bit premature to be building the deck now - but soon I will be putting in the back sliding doors which will then become the main entrance while I continue to build.

Once that was done I was able to start framing inside.

School holidays began on December 16th so I have been out at the house every day since.

With all of the ceiling joists finished, I then made a start on the wall studs:

And I also made the first cut out of the exterior walls to try putting in a window. This is the 'study nook' window so it is low so I can see out of it when sitting at the desk:

 

 

 View from the window over the veggie garden towards the road:

 

And I love being able to use 'old' technology - this is a plumb bob and it is used to line up the top and bottom plates. Simple and effective:

I have also begun to box in the steel roof beams:

Hopefully I will get a lot more accomplished before school returns at the end of January.