News from Nelson - February 2010

Hi all,

Windows are in except for the big sliders, and we still haven't finished painting the soffits - I might get some of that done this weekend while Jan is swanning about in Wellington, watching the rugby & going to Street's housewarming.

We had a quality issue with the zincalume; the tension when it was run meant that the leading edge was all frilly so it had to come off, be re-run, and be redone. It is nearly finished now. The cedar cladding has finally arrived, as has the gib, the woolblock and our external doors. The moisture test was great & so was the lintel check. Once the sliders are in and the cladding goes on, then we will be weather-tight at last.

All plumbing gear is here, all appliances, the garage door is ordered, the photo voltaics' contract about to be signed. The German joiner, Michael Bender, from the Riverside Community is making our living room wall unit and all our bathroom joinery, for about $5k all up (a bit of a difference to the $12k quote that we originally received). He has taken a pile of macrocarpa off to start fashioning the bathroom vanity, and Jan has to get the mdf to him for the wall unit. The kitchen is finalised at Cooper Webley, although we still have to deliver the rimu for the work tops to them, once they are ready for it. I have also managed to get all our drawer handles for less than half of the price of the quote, so its all good. We have even got down to ordering the towel rails & robe hooks now, so I think we are pretty much done.

We picked up some outside lights when we were down in Chch on the weekend - sorry for those of you whom we didn't get to see, but we were down predominantly to see Warren & Trace about their requirements for their wedding (27 Feb). We came down on Saturday morning, and Jan had a course to go to on Monday, then drove home in the afternoon.

The drainlayers are here this week getting the septic tank sorted, so that's all good too. And the housewarming is still going to be on 3 April (Easter Saturday), ready or not :-)

Fleur & Neil with their entourage of short people have been out to visit, as have John & Jo, Nikki Rae, Dawnie and Bob.

Tonight we have the NSO BBQ at the Nelson Croquet Club (!), and tomorrow night a BBQ at Dawn's. This weekend Jan is in Wllg, next weekend it is my folk's 50th Wedding Anniversary, then two weekends after that we will be in Chch for Trace & Warren's wedding.

Then we go nowhere until our housewarming. Invite attached for you all - let us know if you can make it.

Take care & alles liebe!

Sam & Jan