Cool things I found under the house

We spent a very busy weekend basically working on the house in one way or another. I can't talk about the curtains I spent all of the rainy Sunday making because it's just too depressing, to spend all that time only to be really disappointed with the result...

Anyway I will maybe tell that story another time.

So what I did do this weekend is dig around under the house. It rained almost all weekend and I had noticed that there were a couple of areas around the house where the rain wasn't draining too well. (Steve's previous blog about the squelchy moss was one of them....) Anyway I thought about this and figured that logically, water shouldn't be collecting in a concrete yard - then did a bit of digging (literally) in a few likely spots and discovered two drains, both completely covered with mud. The second one was completely blocked and required me to lie in the mud with my arm right down it to unblock it.... Very satisfying when it clears though... I just wonder how long it must have taken for decomposing leaf litter and mud to completely cover up a drain such that you can't even tell where it is?

While lying in the mud I noticed this bone pendant sitting in a puddle. I'm sure it's some genuine 400 year old maori taonga.

When I'd had enough of rummaging around in the mud I went back to installing underfloor insulation which took me to some of the dustiest parts of the house. I doubt anyone has had cause to go there for many years, given the lack of concern for the drains....

But I did find this cigarette packet. Notice anything about it?

... No health warning. In NZ they were introduced in 1974 which means this packet is at least 36 years old.

And I saved my most exciting find til last: An old, rusty metal sign lying in the dust turned out to be one of those cool old advertisements for Van Houten's cocoa which I think is one of the best brands of cocoa still. Shame it's a bit rusted away but rest assured it'll end up inside the house not under it eventually...

Getting back into it

We had to have a break as this renovation lark can get a bit heavy sometimes, so last weekend we ran away up north to the shores of Lake Taupo. Unfortunately the rain followed us so we couldn't do any skiing, but we did plenty of relaxing and thinking about what we'd like the house to look like. We got out the coloured pencils and did some 'artist's impressions'.

Artist's impression of the view into 11 Howard Street. Note beautiful handmade hall table to the right and handpainted cabbage tree on rear hall wall

Artist's impression of stained glass windows at 11 Howard Street

But this weekend we got back into it with a vengeance. I went and bought a spade and cleared the back yard of all the squelchy moss that has built up as a result of the neighbour's tree diverting heavy rain from the gutter to our backvyard. At the same time I kept an eye on the sunshine, we're now getting sun in the back so we're making a record of what gets sunshine so we can work out where to build the deck.  The present location of the compost heap (go figure!) is looking like the best bet.
We reckon we'll get about 8 months of sun in the back yard - we've just endured the 4 months of gloom.

Celebration time at no 11 as the socks get some sunshine

We replaced a bit of the porch, can you spot the difference?

Well, ok, it is the cross beam on the left. I machined a bit of 2 by 4 in my woodwork class, then we drilled some holes in it so we could nail it into the main struts on the porch, then we filled the holes, then we painted it (after matching the existing colour and buying similar paint). We reckon it adds 5k onto the house value ; )

Speaking of which, Jo continued her 'what the buyers will see first' project and sanded down the flaking fence posts ready for re-painting and made our gates close by screwing in the hinges.

We went and bought some underfloor insulation and started with the worst corner which Jo described as a coffin to wriggle into to try to fit the polystyrene tiles. Technically we can now take up some of the carpet above to see what the floorboards look like underneath. (we've been waiting for either summer or the insulation before taking up the disreputable threadbare brown shagpile carpet).  We're hoping for some lovely rimu floorboards ready for sanding.... fingers crossed.

Next up - curtains, fences, and furniture...