Happy Week-end!

Happy Week-end!

flowers pool quote summer

Miami Beach

School finished today for my daughter....my son finishes next week.

The academic year that I thought would never end....did.

I made it. She made it. We made it.

To say it's been quite a year is an understatement.

So much has happened....ups & downs.

Good and Bad.

A tentative start, a very fraught & unhappy middle....the ending of the year has been slightly happier....thankfully.

As always, the holidays have arrived at just the right time.

This week-end we will be basking in the glorious sunshine, spending time outdoors as much as possible....and tomorrow I am meeting up with my oldest & much loved friends, my University girls....I cannot wait. Good times await!

And I wonder if the Royal baby may arrive this week-end, I think he or she might, exciting!!

You know that I love a good movie, but it seems like ages since I've seen a really good film at the cinema. 

I recently discovered the Gallo Film Club - free to join up online & when you do they recommend films, wines & other fun accessories for your movie night.

We took up their recommendation for "New York, I Love You"....

Andy Garcia, Bradley Cooper, New York City, the concept of "everyone has their own love story...."

what's not to love, as they say?

Our wine recommendation of a Gallo Cabernet Sauvignon was perfect :)

They have a great range of film suggestions and trailers,  along with wines to go with & facts about your movie.

Check it out here....

Happy Week-end! 

strawberry mint tart

I'm Back & the House is Becoming a Home!

I'm Back & the House is Becoming a Home!

Builders Building progress flowers Gardening landscaping plants pool privacy screens tree ferns

I can't believe it's been two months since I last posted and, not only that, but the house is still being worked on!! Since we moved in we've had tradies here pretty much the whole time - whether it's working in the garage, making gates, putting in mozzie screens, touching up paintwork, putting in glass balustrades, handrails ... the list goes on.

Right now the landscapers are finishing up and although I still don't have a washing line (!) the garden is starting to come together. Even just having some grass helps make the place look less like a building site. But I can tell you I'll be very glad when they've all gone. I'm sick of looking at builder's cracks, finding cigarette butts in the garden, listening to power tools, having issues with sub-contractors and just trying to get stuff done without being interrupted.

Having said all that, the house has turned out fab and I don't regret a minute of it. It may have been a long and, at times, frustrating journey (sorry to use that word!) but it's been worth it and may I never have to move house again for a very long time!!

So, finally I've taken some updated shots to show the house being turned into a home. These are views from around the deck ...

The pool was finally completed two weeks ago much to the girls' delight! For those who are interested, we used a metallic blue mosaic tile for the top trim and seat and a product call Gemtex - which is a mix of coloured glass and concrete - for the inside.

View showing roof pebbles, a feature Yucca and the louvre screening.

A bit of my own gardening - succulents on the table and six different herbs on the railing. Star jasmine will eventually climb up the back fence.

Another view of the herbs and the rebuilt rockery, where the barbecue is (just out of shot to the left), and the transplanted tree ferns which amazingly survived.

We've got cream cliveas and cycads, star jasmine along both fence lines and on the top part is my mini vege garden which has a tomato plant, strawberries, a perpetual lettuce, rosemary and rocket which is still to sprout.

So now that I've finally got my blogging groove back, I'll return with shots of inside!

Take care
Jx

Fancying ...

Fancying ...

Bathrooms Home Office inspiration pool

Image via The House that A-M Built via House and Garden

Summer and lazy days by a pool

Image via The Design Files

An ergonomic desk chair

Image via Desire to Inspire

This shower (but no close neighbours nearby!)

Image via All Women's Talk

Chocolate cake ... mmm, yum

What are you fancying right now?

Building Progress: 9 weeks to go!

Building Progress: 9 weeks to go!

Building progress Floors Painting pool

With only two months to go (yes, that's right, we have to move out of our rental on September 10th!), things are moving full steam ahead. It will be tight but I'm positive we'll do it!

The outdoor sandstone wall by the pool is being built ...

And the internal sandstone wall that spans the entry down to the level below is underway.

The 'floating' stairs leading from the entry up to the living have been erected.
 

The timber floors are going down (pictures to come), the gyprocking is nearly completed, the joiner has begun making his 'bits', we have finalised the curtains and blinds and now, we have to decide on paint colours and pool tiles. Bring on those test pots!