Casa mia e blog

Catalina Island and other travel

2011-05-25T19:42:00.001-07:00

Spent a week in Dublin Ireland this month - nice and sunny not. The subsequent week was in Avalon on Catalina Island in Los Angeles.
Lovely island, great hotel.

Blast from the past

2010-12-07T20:27:00.000-08:00

Spider cat?

2010-11-14T02:28:00.001-08:00

Wall paintings while driving in Chennai

2010-11-12T00:14:00.000-08:00

Too cool!

2010-11-08T02:53:00.000-08:00

Driving in Chennai

2010-11-07T02:53:00.000-08:00

Celebrating Diwali while in India..

2010-11-05T23:49:00.000-07:00

We purchased about 10,000 INR of fireworks equating to several boxes worth and were allowed to let those off at the hotel (ITC Sheraton) - haven't been able to shoot fireworks since I was a kid and they were banned in Australia - this was awesome fun!!

Currently traveling to China, Japan, Korea and India

2010-11-04T04:21:00.000-07:00

Spent a week in Japan, a few days in China and a weekend in Seoul. Am currently in Chennai, India and will be here for 2 or three weeks. Some pics here. View from hotel room in Tokyo, a Church in India and Indian painting on the street

1.6KW solar installed and Satellite dish

2010-10-20T23:40:00.000-07:00

Deck finished

2010-10-01T22:41:00.000-07:00

The deck is complete and looks amazing now that it is oiled. I just have to finish the exterior sides and decide on whether to put some kind of fencing or privacy on the perimeter.

Decking almost done..

2010-08-29T20:06:00.001-07:00

Back breaking work I tell ya....

Decking moving along...

2010-08-14T17:56:00.000-07:00

Decking coming together..

2010-07-25T03:06:00.000-07:00

Laying the deck...

2010-07-21T21:27:00.000-07:00

World cup, time off and decking

2010-07-14T19:43:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since my last post. I took a month off for the world cup and enjoyed watching that. During that time I also started work on the decking in the al fresco and outside area of the home. Building the deck has been an enjoyable experience, and have found that I really love the hands on work. It has also proven quite cost effective - the cheapest quote for building this was in the $9K range. In total, this won't cost me more than about $2,500. $2,000 of that is just the Merbau decking, so overall it is a very low cost project to do yourself. Check out the pictures. I will spend the next 2 or 3 week ends nailing the decking on.

Have been in Dublin this week.. will be back in Sydney on Tuesday

2010-03-27T03:19:00.000-07:00

Pictures from a famous restaurant - built some 400 years ago.. we dined in one of the dungeons below... :)

In Seoul for the weekend

2010-03-20T16:10:00.000-07:00

Photos from my hotel room at the Grand Hyatt

Back from Eugene & Springfield, Oregon

2010-03-08T20:00:00.000-08:00

Just spent last week in Oregon on business, glad to be back, unfortunately will be traveling to Dublin in Ireland on the 20th March again...

More pain awaits

Home theater completed part 2

2010-01-28T05:05:00.000-08:00

Home theater completed

2010-01-28T05:03:00.000-08:00

This is the entry to the theater with curtains - white on the outside black on the inside

Putting some art up.. these pieces are from Italy and look great!

2010-01-16T13:55:00.000-08:00

The pictures don't do them justice though

Kitchen & dining rooms all done

2010-01-16T13:43:00.001-08:00

Kitchen update

2009-12-18T00:29:00.001-08:00

I've been busy with work so no updates in nearly a month.. anyway, it took nearly 3 months but the splash back is installed and looking nice.. purchased some mactching stools as well.. overall looking pretty nice

Not much happening...

2009-11-22T23:50:00.000-08:00

As I was in Eugene Oregon last week and San Francisco this week.. will be back home on Thursday.
Anyway, kitchen splash back, remaining blinds and main bedroom furniture will be delivered all on Friday. Lounges and dining table will arrive I am told maybe second week of December.....

A picture from outside one of the Apple campuses in Cupertino I was driving by today...

Landscaping done..gates in (I love these)... time to move in!

2009-10-30T00:09:00.001-07:00

Landscaping looking great... couple more days of work remain

2009-10-24T01:07:00.000-07:00

The yellow concrete path colour will be changed next week to a more suitable colour..
and finally you can see the infrared security cameras doing their thing at night!

Landscaping begins...

2009-10-21T01:30:00.000-07:00

Security around perimeter up as well!

2009-10-20T02:22:00.000-07:00

A/C, Stove, Oven, Hot water system and controller installed...

2009-10-20T01:57:00.000-07:00

Looking good

Laying path around the house...

2009-10-07T22:52:00.000-07:00

Getting ready for that as you can see from the pictures. Concrete will be poured tomorrow and sealed Saturday! Phone line has gone in as well as you can see on the top right side. In an ADSL2 area so looking forward to the high speeds here.

And btw..

2009-09-28T03:52:00.000-07:00

I settled last Thursday.. final payment made and collected the keys... :)

Lighting in the family and dining area..

2009-09-28T03:40:00.001-07:00

I love these things.. :)

Second walk through with Site Supervisor...

2009-09-21T00:05:00.000-07:00

... has gone smoothly with most issues sorted. Some minor stuff remains that will be addressed in the coming days.

Some rough spots, stains on the kitchen stone bench (requiring polishing/buffing and dodgy lock on the laundry door. Plus a broken window thanks to some jerk throwing rocks...

Will settle on Thursday and have keys Thursday afternoon.. :)

Traveling... hence no updates

2009-09-16T08:57:00.000-07:00

I've been traveling the last two weeks.. between India, South Korea and China and so updates have been non existent. I do have an on-site meeting on Friday with the SS to check that all the issues raised in the previous walk through have been fixed. Assuming they have been settling will be on Monday.. :)

Inching closer and closer.. Kitchen remains the biggest outstanding job at this point..

2009-08-29T00:56:00.001-07:00

Driveway and stairs done.. portico prepared for pavers

2009-08-25T02:53:00.001-07:00

Finally some action..

2009-08-24T02:24:00.000-07:00

Garage/laundry stairs starting to go up..

No activity..

2009-08-23T02:43:00.000-07:00

There was no activity on the site this week other than a half pallet of bricks being delivered. The bricks are for the stairs to the laundry and garage. The stairs had been built previously but had to be removed so the term guard could be fitted properly which was overlooked previously.

The new pallet of bricks that had been delivered a couple of weeks ago for the job mentioned above was mistakenly taken to the tip by the rubbish removal people... what a waste!

Anyway, site "walk-through" with the site supervisor is schedule for August 31st. Meaning the driveway, general cleanup and other loose ends should be finished this coming week. With the walk-through, any minor issues that remain need to be brought up for correction. And so, this 2 year project is just about complete.. we are looking forward to moving in!

Driveway pavers going in...

2009-08-14T03:47:00.000-07:00

Tiling done! Toilets in!

2009-08-12T16:39:00.000-07:00

Nice rainbow near the house

2009-08-07T21:49:00.000-07:00

Tiling continues...drive way concrete base laid in preparation for pavers.. and cat prints!

2009-08-07T21:23:00.000-07:00

Stair tiles laid

2009-08-06T00:17:00.000-07:00

Floor tiling going in, getting ready to lay drive way and pavers..

2009-08-05T20:18:00.000-07:00

And a rear storm water drain that they charged $12,000 for..... WTF.. what is the world coming to.

Stink? pipe added, external power points installed

2009-08-04T02:45:00.000-07:00

Alarm, remaining lighting fitted, range hood and door bell

2009-08-04T02:39:00.000-07:00

Switches, aircon, etc

2009-08-02T21:22:00.000-07:00

Looking great

Aircon, lighting, etc going in!

2009-08-02T21:19:00.001-07:00

Bathtub, Termguard installed

2009-08-01T05:45:00.000-07:00

Bathrooms almost done - just waiting on toilet installations

2009-08-01T05:28:00.001-07:00

Bathroom tiling complete.. looks great!

2009-07-22T19:03:00.000-07:00

Master bathroom about done.. water tank and chipped front door brick.. which they had better replace!

2009-07-18T19:45:00.000-07:00

Master bedroom doors in, water tank pump in, and concrete stairs to launfry/garage in

2009-07-14T20:37:00.000-07:00

You can also see the cabling for the A/C at the rear.

Bath/shower sealing and the water tank installed!

2009-07-14T20:29:00.001-07:00

Shower niche has gone in as well!

Issues in the prior post have been corrected

2009-07-14T20:22:00.000-07:00

Here you can see the new 40mm stone tops to the vanity units as well as the laundry and completed tiling there.

EB screws up..

2009-07-07T22:38:00.001-07:00

So.. the stone benches on the vanity units in the bathrooms/powder rooms are supposed to be 40mm.. they had put in 20mm units.. they offered to give me $350 for the trouble to leave them as is.. I told them I want want is in the contract.. so they're replacing them this week hopefully..

The niches in the showers are non existent.. so that needs to be done as well.. I'm glad that I have been keeping an eye on all this.. the EB supervisor needs a supervisor.....

As a result of the above, the tiler hasn't been on site all week.. I guesstimate this has caused a two week delay at minimum, possibly three.

Garage door motor in.. Energy Australia meter in..

2009-07-01T23:07:00.000-07:00

Bumped into the tilers today.. and they are starting work today.. :)

2009-07-01T22:46:00.000-07:00

The caesar stone tops have been installed in the bathrooms, and kitchen.. looks very very nice. The kitchen under mount sink as well as the under mount sinks in the bathrooms have all been installed as well. The gas meter has been installed as well. No gas has been hooked up yet though.

Stone tops for bathrooms and kitchen going in...

2009-07-01T03:47:00.000-07:00

Bedding for tiles in the wet areas has been laid as well. Electrician has started work and the garage door is in. A decent clean up outside and around the site has been made as well.

Gas has been installed as well. Really progressing rapidly, I am going to take stab and say all work will be done within 4-5 weeks.

Ghostly eyes.. is it a cat...?

2009-06-29T19:13:00.001-07:00

And more updates...window frames going in..

2009-06-27T16:49:00.000-07:00

Showers sealed..

2009-06-24T13:13:00.000-07:00

Ensuite shower window will be changed to an obscured one by Airlite soon I am told..

Doors, and some cupboards in.. :)

2009-06-23T15:28:00.001-07:00

Some more pictures..

Doors, and some cupboards in.. :)

2009-06-23T09:51:00.000-07:00

Doors, and some cupboards in.. :)

2009-06-23T09:48:00.000-07:00

Cornices going up!

2009-06-22T16:13:00.001-07:00

More gyprock work.. looking good

2009-06-16T15:01:00.001-07:00

Walls & ceilings in...

2009-06-14T01:15:00.000-07:00

Say hello to Fefe

Walls & ceilings in...

2009-06-14T01:06:00.000-07:00

Thanks to mum for getting these snaps for me.. I'm in Hong Kong on business at the moment

Walls and ceilings in... nice!

2009-06-14T00:59:00.001-07:00

Insulation, walls & ceilings going in

2009-06-13T06:29:00.000-07:00