WEEK 14 THURSDAY

They almost finished the new roofing on the front.  The new one is the green on the right.

WEEK 14 WEDNESDAY

Wednesday was a stressful day because altho they got the back side of the new roof sheets on, they were doing so while watching rain clouds come closer and closer and the wind rising.  Mark also took Kara to gym which meant lost time.  So we didn't get the front part of the roofing on.  Mark and Mmalae got tarps up in the dark, but in the rush of everything dropped a drill battery and 2 other things, breaking floor tiles...  we also were chasing drops from above while it rained.  Tho the Lord was gracious to us as the rain was gentle and there was no wind.  Mark also had the added stress of the hot water pipe exploding in the bathroom we're using.  Tho he fixed it.  After many 12 hour days, Mark and Mmalae are tired.

WEEK 14 TUESDAY

Tuesday saw them replacing beams with new treated wood, building a new perch for the geyser and moving it back into its spot.  Jay... we could shower again.  Up until the roof action, dust from the construction going on around us hadn't really effected us... now its pretty gritty but we're coping... after all we're getting a beautiful new roof :)

WEEK 14 MONDAY

We got thru the weekend with part of our roof exposed.  Tho no rain we had a couple of hairy moments with wind on sunday.  No damages tho PTL.

Monday saw the guys removing old roof sheeting up till half way of the roof.  They also removed all the old wood which all needed replacing and moved the geyser (some know it as hot water heater :) so that the beams under it could be replaced... yes we were without hot water for 24 hours :)

WEEK 11 AND 12

 The petunia's Kara planted are very happy and awaiting their completed ramp... tho it'll be one of the last things.

 Mark and Mmalae took one third of the roof off.  They thought that they might save the ceiling in the bathroom they've beenworking on, but no ways.  All the wood in this section of the roof had to be replaced.  Mark said it is very crumbly.  He is very relieved that they decided to access the roof from underneath as there is no ways it would have held their weight.

They were however plagued with rain and wind and had to rarp what they could had we prayed the electric box would not get water on it.  The Lord was gracious and no more rain fell over the weekend (just this section in the picture was covered up).

Just so that you can see the section we're talking about.  Excuse the washing... but life has to go on amidst the renovations

Prior to heading up to the roof, Mmalae tilled the floors of the enterance, kitchen and dinning area.  Mark put in the basin and loo in the bathroom... all done except for a leak in the loo cistern (to be dealt with later).  The water pipes are in place and we no longer have the shuddering of pipes in the celingwhen we use the hot water.  The electric rewiering is also done as far as it can be done without the new celings in place.  

Mark also decided on the roofing and ordered that.

 These past 5 weeks seem to have gone rather slowly...  Mark was away for a well needed 'away' time on the Transkei coast with friends for a week (tho Mmalae continued working), Mmalae's sister suddenly passed away and he needed to be with family for just over a week.  Mark has also been working on sorting out the hot and cold water lines and redoing the wiring.  Here he is on the outside of the house doing something water related.  Our dog Jamie particuarly liked the water work cos she went crawling under the house with Mark.

 The first bathroom is taking shape nicely.  Tiling, grouting water lines, toilet connection, window and mirror edging done.  Tho we experianced a setback when we connected the water... a leak in the newly tiled wall (you can see the darkened tile in the left bottom corner).  This meant chipping out the tiles above the pipes, finding the leak and replastering and tiling those sections.  Mark and Mmalae finished that this week too.  The pic above is looking into the bathroom from the door and the bottom is looking back at the door from the shower end.  The basin will go next to the loo.

 The electric box is looking better and better.  Mark has had to figure out what wires were doing what before he could sort out the box (the house is 100 years old!).  He's now in a place of needing to wait until the new roof and beams are in place so he can finish it off.  They hope to build truces etc next week, Mark has ordered the roofing supplies and Lordwilling the one side of the roof will get done the week after next.  

The retaining blocks of the ramp to the front door are all in now (with plants :)  and will be completed once all the rubble is out of the house.  Rubble still to come from replacing the window in Kara's room (small one on the left) and the remodeling of the second bathroom (the shower is now leaking badly, so just in time).  JJ's room will be the window in the middle (next to Kara's.

WEEKS 5 TO 10 GARDEN...

The side garden is slowly taking shape.  Our back neighbors are the closest to us so we are trying to grow higher shrubs  around the perimieter of the property.  Our back neighbors, however, are really lovely.  Ash and Sherona were actually watching out for us when Mark was away in Transkei.
We are still battling weeds but seems like we're getting a handle on them.

 The front has gorgeous trees.   I couldn't resist putting some succulants around this one.  

This gives an idea of the view tward the front gate.  We cut back a lot of what was already in the garden, added new slips etc.  Things are taking root and the Fosters shrubs we pruned back, are growing wonderfuly again.  Its so wonderful to experiance the joy of His creation.