windows and wombats

With teaching and a general lack of enthusiasm progress continues to be slow.

We are having a drought in this neck of the woods - and as a result (almost no grass and more kangaroos than I've ever seen before) my nemesis - saffron thistle, raised its ugly head. Sprouting up in huge numbers in areas not seen in for 3 years. So that took some of my time up, as did the winter veggie garden. (Broccoli, cauliflower, bok choy, red onions and rhubarb.)

I've also been planting a lot more trees and shrubs. (You may see a procrastination tactic here!!)

Anyway - the little bit of house progress is as follows:

See right through now!

It's great to finally have these installed after sitting around inside forever. The difference inside is amazing.
Even a month after the shortest day, the sun still comes in a long way.

And despite freezing conditions (we hit minus 9.1 at 06.30 this morning) it has been warm enough to work inside in a T-shirt.

Once the windows were in I could frame up the hall cupboard and bedroom wall/door:

I have also begun to seal the container floors. The timber in them is saturated in pesticides from years of spraying. This can lead to off-gassing, or the release of noxious fumes into the house over time.
So I have been covering them with a layer of epoxy resin. This forces any fumes to escape below into the sub floor cavity. This has the added effect of deterring any insect from eating their way into the floor from below.

Cleared and mopped:

 And sealed:

Looking from the main bedroom through the 'reading corner' out the window:

I was able to move everything out of the three containers into the one I had already sealed. I could then clean and seal these ones.

One advantage of the new windows is to watch the locals unseen!

A wombat has been making an appearance during the day. It seems to be an adolescent and is scratching a lot which means it has mange.

I called WIRES (Wildlife Information, Rescue and Education Service) and they sent a guy out to check it out. He wanted us to catch it so he could weigh it. If it was under 20kgs he would take it to a Wombat refuge. But the little bugger was too wily and quick for us and he got away!

I will have to keep trying to catch it on my own. Without treatment for mange his/her prospects are not good.

Drinking at my dam:

Chasing wombats was an unexpected aspect of moving to the country!!