New Window With A Surprise View

Its been so weird having tradesman over this week, the tiler and window guy, its the first time we've let other people come in and do some of the work but we've realised there's some things you've got to leave to the pros to get a really professional finish.

So the window guy came to fit the new window and just happened to pick the day Perth was having a massive thunderstorm and lightening all day long and there he was up on his ladder outside in the pouring rain trying to fit the window. Poor bugger!

A few hours later and the new window was in and what an awesome surprise, because its clear glass and not frosted like the old one, you can see the greenery from the tops of the gum trees through the window.

BEFORE - Old frosted window it lets the light in but you can't see out

DURING - Old window out and what a surprise you can see the tree tops

AFTER - New window in (sorry about the terrible photos)

When I think back to the window in the shower problem we worried about for weeks before we figured out what to do and to then get a surprise view like this with the window we chose it makes all worthwhile in the end!

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Stupid Little Coins

Working in the CBD does have its perks ... there's always shopping to be done on my lunchbreak! I came across a new store in Carillon Arcade and couldn't resist buying this funny little money box for myself as an early Chrissy present.

The only downside is it doesn't fit 50c coins (it's made in the UK) but other than that its looking pretty good sitting by my aquarium wine buffett.

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Removing The Bathroom Window and Built in Wall Vanity

The next job on the bathroom list is the window in the shower problem which we've spent the last 3 weekends working on. This is what we had a choice to do:

1) Keep the window there, paint and seal the timber frame and maybe get 4 years out of it before it rots and makes all the tiles fall off - Verdict: No way we are not dodgy renovators!

2) Remove the window and replace with glass bricks for approx $1000, it will be sealed shut and over time the moisture will probably make the sealant mouldy euwwwww - Verdict: Expensive and not fully practical.

3) Remove the window and replace with aluminium window for approx $600, will be able to open the window and let the moisture out - Verdict: Houston, we have lift off - and a winner!

Option 3 it is - So now we know what we're doing, it was time to get to work and remove the window and the built in wall vanity

Unscrewed the frame from the outside

Then jimmyed off the frame on the inside

Removed the wall vanity metal box which would have rusted if it stayed there

Checking out the 2 courses of bricks

Our Aussies houses are made super strong with double brick, one layer on the inside and one on the outside

Playing around with my mosiac tiles which will be in the shower box that we will make

When the window frame was removed we inserted a big metal support beam in its place and rendered around the frame

Made a waterproof shower box out of this piece of cement sheeting, cut out all the bits of the box to size, glued and screwed together, waterproofed and then cemented in

A final render and tidy up

The hole is boarded up from the outside with a piece of wood and plastic sheeting stuck on the inside to keep the creepy crawlys out

 

The bathroom is now ready to be fitted out this week - the window guys are coming to fit the new window, the tiler is booked in to start his 3 day job of screeding, waterproofing and laying the tiles and the vanity is being delivered as well.

It's all  happening in the bathroom this week exciting stuff!

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First Tomatoes For The Season

My tomato plants have been growing like wild getting leafy and green, they're covered in little yellow flowers all over and then green tomatoes started to form and finally FINALLY they're turning red which means they're ready to eat.

My first meal with them was an under the grill toastie tomato, cheese, red onion, dijon mustard and cracked pepper mmmmm yum my favourite

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My Makeshift Bathroom

With me all caught up in the bathroom renovations I thought I'd share my little makeshift bathroom I've been using for the last 4 weeks while my bathroom has been turned into a room of sand and rubble

This is where I'm brushing my teeth nowadays, yep in the laundry sink! I also do my makeup here which is actually a pretty good spot because there's lots of natural light. And the best bit is I figure with the washing machine covered with all my things, if I can't see it I don't have to use it until I run out of clean clothes which will never happen with a wardrobe my size!

We also have a granny flat just a few feet from the house out the back door which has a little bathroom, shower, toilet, and runs on it's own hot water system. The granny flat is pretty daggy we have just been using it for storage up until now but after lots of scrubbing and cleaning I'm glad we have it for the renovations.

Now be warned - nothing can prepare you for the sparkly floor, swirly shower base and flowery wallpaper! Shower times have been reduced dramatically I'm in and out in just a few minutes and I'm embarrased to admit I've been going as many days as I can without washing my hair because I'm too scared to close my eyes incase any creepy crawlys come out!

I just keep imagining that I'm on holidays camping or staying at a caravan park or somewhere because that's what it feels like using the laundry and granny flat as my makeshift bathroom!

Ah the joys of renovating!

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Life Is Art

Awesome quote to get me going this week

I hope everyone has a fantastic week ahead of them  :)

[Image via my Pinterest]

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Book Review: Notting Hell by Rachel Johnson

There's a reason I shouldn't go into the library unprepared without a few books on my wish list, because when they didn't have any of the books I wanted to read I was left to walk the aisles and grab a book at random.

Bad idea, all that I had to go by was the cover and name and ended up walking out with Notting Hell by Rachel Johnson

As the name suggests this was a bit of a hellish read and I debated whether to write this review because I don't have a lot of nice things to say about it. But in all fairness I'm going to review all books I read, both good and bad and you never know it just might stop someone from dying from boredom in the near future! And hey, it's just my opinion, you might love it you might have your own sexy billionaire living next door that wants to marry you on his yatch, who am I to judge!

This book is based on an english share garden residence where the rich and famous spend their days going to yoga, shagging their neighbours and ignoring their children. The story is told by 2 women and they each take turns to tell their story alternating chapters all through the book, talk about confusing, I didn't realise this until half way through when they were talking about one another! The humour was the only thing keeping me reading this and maybe the sex scenes although even those weren't that steamy.

I would recommend this book for any one who loves to live in a fantasy land of the rich and famous. Or thinks their billionaire neighbor wants to marry them on his yatch.

I give this book - 1 star

Jarrah Jungle's Star Rating
1 Bad - I'd rather eat brussel sprouts topped with anchovies than read this again
2 Not Good - I'd rather watch re-runs of Neighbours than read this again
3 Ok - I'm sitting on the fence - its not great but not terrible either
4 Good - I'd pass up a pack of tim tams for this read
5 Great - I'd pass up a date with Johnny Depp for this read


[Image via Dymocks]

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