As the festive season is approaching fast we are under pressure to make the house at Nannup habitable so we can at least spend some time there over the holiday. With that in mind we have made good progress this week. On Thursday the tiler came and screeded the floors in all the wet areas and showed me how to do the waterproofing once the screeding had dried. Our task for the weekend was to complete the said waterproofing and prime the rest of the walls which are to be tiled in order for him to return this week to make a start with the tiling itself. The job of doing the waterproofing is not difficult but quite hard on the back and knees. All the edges which join the screeding with the walls which are lined with villaboard need to have a special mesh applied then three coats of the waterproofing paint which is very thick and not the easiest thing to apply. Special care needs to be taken around the drains and in the corners but I’m happy that the job has been done well and that it won’t leak.
Next weekend a very good friend is going to bring his tractor which has a back hoe on it and dig the trench for the electricity cable so we can be connected up and have light, heat and cooling once the aircon units have been fitted. As a matter of urgency I need to get on with the skirtings and door frames so we can choose carpets and other floor coverings and get on with the kitchen benches. Almost all the kitchen units are built and most are fitted onto the wall but as yet we have no bench tops organised so there is much to do!
I have now owned property in Nannup for over ten years. The first property was a three acre block further along the Valley development which my partner and I bought with a view to building something on but somehow it never progressed and we decided to sell it and buy something with some sort of house on it so we could at least use it as a weekender if we wanted so we bought a property on Walter street with a very old and dilapidated timber house on it which in reality was too far gone for my skills in renovations but it gave me many happy hours tending to it and making it the best possible for its condition. While we still owned the first property we met an English couple who had built just up the road from the block we owned. I think the English thing meant we had a connection and we met them several times. Their property is now fully planted up and you can see the massive amount of work which has gone into it, it looks a picture and we comment on it every time we go to our block. I have thought ever since I transitioned that I should simply drive up to the house and reacquaint myself with them but in all honesty I didn’t really have the courage to do that so every time I drive past I look to see if either of them is working in the garden and lo-and-behold, today it happened. I had already driven past so turned the car around and parked just outside the gate. As I walked up the drive I felt quite nervous, partly because in all honesty I couldn’t remember either of their names. I was soon confronted by the man who asked if he could help me. I had rehearsed what I was going to say but in the moment forgot most of it. After some searching questions I revealed who I used to be and he said he thought he recognised me but hadn’t quite got there. We were then joined by his wife, I pretty much came right out with it to her so as not to repeat myself. They were both pleased to see me and asked if I had time for a drink. I had Bella in the car so initially I declined but it was soon agreed that I would drive the car round the back and leave it in the shade with the windows down so she didn’t get too hot. We sat on the veranda and I told my story, it was a lovely reunion which I hadn’t expected today but just another example of how supportive people are of me. I’m sure it won’t be as long before we meet again and I know they will get on well with Denise. Lovely people and a lovely end to the weekend!
