Second most consistent activity of the summer

DIY, renovating call it what you will that was the other thing we spent the most time (and money!) on this summer...in fact most of Shaun's extra hours can been seen in the new kitchen, floor, bathroom etc etc.

Couldn't have done it without Mum and Dad, who although we lured them over here with promises of wine tours and lazy summer days by the lake, still managed to lay the ENTIRE front room and hall with cork tiles - a achievement in anyone's book but when the front room in question is 25 ft by 15ft and the hall 17ft long (yep, they build 'em big over here!), the chop saw chopped wonky and it was edging 40C at times it was stunning!

More of the adventures of M&D later (so we did let them out for a few days!) but just to give an update on the changes we have gone from:


a very pink and mint green hall





to a more open look with cork floors (thanks to hubby- labour of love that one!) and a fabulous light - am amazing gift from Rik and Janneke but was a labour of love to put up - 52C at the top of ceiling, balanced on a dodgy orchard ladder, light in one hand, screwdriver in the other and the nails at the bottom of the ladder...the language was not pretty...but the results were!









A slightly pink lounge (are we sensing a theme?) & shag pile (otter is still pining over the pile - he LOVED it!)
To (more) cork floors and what we hope is a retro 70's feel without putting Shaun back in short shorts and me as a twinkle in Dad's eye!









The kitchen is still a work in progress as the kitchen company had a bit of an oops counting the number of doors versus the number of cabinets (the missing ones are coming tomorrow) and we still have to tile around the backsplash and put in a oven hood. More cork floors again courtesy of Mr R (I did do the painting and the light fittings honest!)