Here slabby slabby slabby....

This is as close as I can get to posting a piccie of our slab. Why? Evidently there's a massive backlog in slab world due to the bizarre weather. I can accept this - to a point!

Our permit was received on January 12.
According to the BOM website, we had rain on 5 other week days for the month of January. Our block sat idle.

February to date has had 13 non-rain affected work days, and all we've had are a handful of pegs, some white paint, a swish of concrete and a few pipes. In total, they've been on site for 3 days in the month.

I understand that Carlisle use an independent contractor to prepare and lay their slab, but they could not have possibly done any of the preparation until last Friday as Carlisle hadn't completed the plumbing.

We're now being told that our pour MAY happen on March 3rd.  We are less than impressed!!!!!

Screen scene

Came across this little gem of an idea at the MainVue display in Point Cook.  Check the way they've framed the TV - nothing but laminate.  Awful photo, great idea!

Oh Danny Boy...

...the pipes, the pipes....

Can you believe the progress??  Not just on our site, but I swear that our left +1 neighbours didn't have that frame when we were there 2 days ago.  Our immediate left neighbours are now scraped, and our right neighbours have commenced framing.  It looks suspiciously like a double storey to me.  They'll get a lovely view of our master bedroom, ensuite, pool, all the good bits!!!!!

Do you know Alf Resco?

Last seen at the Saltwater Coast display village, MainVue Homes...

If anyone happens to see him, please deliver him to Fieldstone Crescent - in about 20 weeks from now. Thanks in advance!!!

A herd of Sea Elephants

Last weekend we found ourselves over at the new Saltwater Coast display village in Point Cook and discovered a real life example of a sea elephant glass splashback. Not only that, it was paired with Laminex "Wenge" (snap), "White" (double snap), Blackbutt floors (yep, snap again), Osprey waterfall edge island bench too!  I love it, love it, love it!!!!!

And I'm totally borrowing stealing this idea; they've painted the entire kitchen alcove in the same tone to match.  Clever way to blend a darker splashback without making the kitchen look like a patchwork quilt!

If anyone's interested, the builder is MainVue, a division of Henley.  Their two displays were really well done, and I'll post some more of their ideas another time.

Look what's a-pier-ed...

An incredibly gorgeous temp fence;

And if you peer really hard through the fence, you'll see...

...that our concrete piers have been poured.

Extreme pier close-up;

Who would have thought that holes drilled into dirt and filled with concrete could be THIS exciting?????????

A load of rubbish...

No, this isn't my usual "nothing's happening" rant, because....

...we have a bin.  (and a couple of spare tyres - never know when they'll come in handy!)


But wait, there's more....

Pegs too.  They've begun the set out, with plumbing and piers underway early this week, slab prep later in the week, and the pour expected next Tuesday (weather permitting!).

It's getting exciting!!!!!

We made it...

after nearly 4 hours on the road, countless road closures, traffic jams, flooded streets, even a set of boom-gates down at a railway crossing...just in time to see...

...my little brother exchange rings with my new sister-in-law. Congratulations Mrs & Mrs little Reinsey. S, you looked so beautiful & handled the whole event with complete calmness. N, I couldn't be more proud of you. Your speech was sensational. "I now get to spend the rest of my life with my best friend". Reinsey was a mess!
As for the bouquet... my darling Daughter & I didn't get the showdown we'd been talking up all week. The rain kicked in again and she had word that the roads were about to closed around her house again, so my Son jumped to action and took her home.

But I wasn't expecting to be out-played by...

MY NAN!!! Ha ha ha. Hilarious!!!!!

Loz, you were amazing yesterday, not only negotiating some pretty intense traffic situations, but a VERY highly strung Reinsey.  You managed to find a way through to pick up my daughter and get us to the church (almost) on time.  I love you so very very much. xxx

Swimming pool inspiration

If you follow our blog you'll know that we live on a VERY steep block backing onto the Ferntree Gully National Park. Not an area you'd equate with flooding!

Check these pics I've just taken of our road taken from the front windows -  over a two minute span;

I hope that everyone we care about is safe and dry.  And please stop raining... my little brother gets married this afternoon and I'm not sure we're going to be able to get there.