I've finally worked up enough courage and resilience to return back into the old farm house after all it’s not going to do itself. As mentioned earlier this is going to take some time for two reasons, firstly nothing is straight or level in the old girl keeping in mind she is over 100 years old now and she has moved around with everything that has been thrown at her over the years. All this leads to the number two reason, it becomes a restoration rather than a renovation or maybe an entwined both if that makes sense. It becomes that little bit harder when you’re also trying to demolish and rebuild with respect for the age an history of something, modernising it yet keeping the vibe of the place.
My little Brother came up over the weekend to lend a hand and with total honesty it did leave us in awe of just how good the old carpenters were, when men were men. The frame of the house was built from all Australian Eucalyptus hardwoods (and I mean hard) and if that doesn’t scare you all the studs have been morticed and tenoned into the top and bottom plates a practice that hasn’t been done for years. So not only were they using some of the hardest timbers in the world they were working the timber with their trusted chisels and hammers, every stud to be exact both top and bottom! Oh, and let’s throw in hand nailing, no nail guns or compressors back then perhaps all this leads to why the actual skeleton of the frame is still standing strong.
I’m not sure just how long I will be staying inside without trying to find something else to do outside, but I am hoping long enough to at least get the Master Bedroom finished to make it a bit more comfortable up there. So, the floor has made a great difference already, a “Blackbutt Recycled” has been used and I’m hoping to track down some more in the coming Months for the other areas. The house is that old the original floor boards were just rough sawn hardwood boards without the tongue and groove we see these days. The bed head was the little Brother’s idea to use up some of the old French Oak boards I salvaged before we even acquired the farm. A long, long, long way to go but Rome wasn’t built in a day as they say….

I never really get into the eclipse thing but I have to say after being forced to wake up at 4.00am on the 27th I see why the attraction. It was absolutely spectacular both on this night and the next, there is truly nothing more special than a full moon on the farm.

Okay so it has taken me 6 Months (started in the Xmas holidays) but I am happy to report I have finally finished the stair balustrading - only 2 more sets of stairs to go. I think the stairs over a period of time have claimed several victims including myself holding a full cheese platter board in one hand and a rum can in the other - outcome, I didn't spill a drop and the animals had a good feed. Still I think Graham holds the best tumble but at least now we have something to catch us on the way down to reduce the collateral damage.