Sunday, June 30, 2013

Stone and Light

Hello Friends ...

Whew! It seems like years since I was last on-line and connected to anything. It's scary how days and nights slip past so quickly - the only way to create the illusion of slowing Time down is to live in the moment - not an easy thing to do.

It wasn't my intention to stay away for five months but, in February, because of an error of judgement on my part, Tumbili, one of the two remaining Fur People in my care, seriously injured herself - I had no choice but to stay with her until she'd healed. I'm still too distraught to write about the incident.

I hope that you're all well and happy. Physically, I'm in good shape but I have been in turmoil for many months now. It seems that my life progresses in roughly 12-year cycles; at the end of each cycle things fall apart and then, gradually, fall back together again - right now I'm in a process of renewal and, despite recent setbacks, I feel wiser and more confident about who I am and the path I've chosen in life. I'm thankful to be alive to enjoy the wonders of Creation.

Recently I met an 84 year old farmer who I hadn't seen for awhile. He asked if I was retired. I replied that I'd banished the concept from my mind and that the day that I Croak I'll be "retired" - he just gave me a wry smile in return. I hope my words were not ignorantly arrogant and that they won't come back someday to bite me on the butt.

One of the first things I did in January was to erect three Rocks from the Bullsport area in the Fern garden.


I started work on the Guest Room - 'Nadine's Room' as it's known because my daughter claimed it for herself many years ago. I painted it 'Morning Clarence' ... Nadine was not overly impressed with my choice, she calls it 'Pink' and prefers Yellows.

I laid the shower floor and the slate floor of the en suite bathroom to Nadine's room, and installed the basin and toilet. I only painted the top half of the wall 'pink' because it was my intention to tile the bottom half - Nadine suggested that I only tile the shower area and paint the rest of the wall ... I'm still thinking about it.


I had enough 'Morning Clarence' left over to paint the Main Bedroom - I like the colour, it's peaceful and pleasant on the eye - I've been told that 'pink' is the preferred colour in psychiatric institutions, I don't know if that's true ... :)

The door in the centre of the pic is the entrance to the en suite bathroom, which is also fully-functional now.


I chose the colour 'Foothills' for the lounge and Nadine did the painting (she calls it 'Orange' and refuses to commit herself to liking it, preferring only to say that it complements the Rock work) ... sigh! ... I was trying for a Sossusvlei Sand Dune effect but I must admit that it does seem a shade too dark, it appears much lighter in the pic.


My major task was to break down and rebuild the old kitchen and bathroom which were always two dark, dingy holes - seen in the pic is the back door to the old kitchen and windows to the old bathroom, the last walls remaining of the old house ... the door in the distance is the door to the new main bathroom.


After rebuilding the walls and creating a passage and pantry I contracted two local builders, both named Lazarus, to plaster the walls, a task requiring skill and experience and which I could not do myself.


The two Lazaruses did such a good job of the plastering that I invited them back the next week to place a 40mm topping on the floor.


The almost-complete new Kitchen after I'd installed the ceiling - it must still be painted and a tile floor laid.

The new kitchen has five windows and is light and airy the whole day and has already become a favoured gathering spot - (as kitchens often are).

I dug this old metal bath out of it's concrete enclosure in the old bathroom and was delighted to find that it still had it's legs'

I decided not to buy a new plastic bath and to use this old one - it has a few dings in the enamel and the legs need fixing but it's big, great for wallowing in and can comfortably accommodate two people at the same time ... :)

The bath and toilet are functioning but I must still do the floors and install a wash basin.

Nadine stayed with me for two months and did a lot of painting, including the passage through to the kitchen. The passage walls were in a bad state and she did a great job of patiently repairing and painting them 'Glow-worm', (her choice), a happy shade of yellow which lightens the inside of the house considerably.

Thanks for all the hard work Nadine, you're a Star - and it was great to spend some time with you again.


I haven't done any Rockwork on the outside of the house for quite awhile now and the top of the en suite bathroom still awaits a Crown - I've been agonizing for months about how to finish it off but can't form a clear picture in my mind - I decided that I need a starting point so I've lugged a long Bullsport rock onto the roof where it awaits installation when I feel inspired again.

I've worked hard these last five months, rising and going to bed with the Chickens - sometimes I was in a frenzy where I paid little attention to safety and was lucky to escape with only a few cuts and bruises.

I'm satisfied, even surprised, at the amount of change I made to the inside of the house. After twelve years of concentrating on the outside walls of the house, everything is coming together, all of a sudden it's more spacious and Light and feeling more like a Home.

... oh how I miss my darling Stoffel ...


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28 comments:

  1. I must tell you the new appreciation I have for the phrase, "cut and fit like a jigsaw puzzle." Your interior improvements are appealing to the eye, too.

    It seems to me there is little to retire from but life; the work is what we make of it.

    Peace

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    1. Thanks Joanne - I've always hesitated to try new things for fear of failure - now I know that I can probably do most things I set my mind to ...

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  2. The house is coming along beautifully!! I've missed you & hope you & your Fur People stay well!!

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    1. Thanks Lisa - there is still much work to do ...

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    2. Hi Graham, I wanted to add that the princess room looks magical and mystical and your discussions with Nadine are adorable. Things are fine in this corner of the world, although we had a really bad haze. Yesterday I really had a long day but the sky on the way home was really gorgeous. Fazlisa

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    3. hehehe Fazlisa ... Nadine and I see eye-to-eye on many things, colours being the exception ...

      I saw your sky and yes, it was gorgeous ... :)

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  4. Hi Graham .. it just seems so right - love the way you've created it .. and am glad to read your daughter has been sharing with you .. sorry about the Tumbili upset - but now healed ... then Stoffel .. but he'll be so chuffed with you looking down and seeing your creation - your home ..

    Loved seeing it .. so very well done ... cheers Hilary

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    1. Thanks Hilary - I do hope that some of my blogging friends will make it to Namibia someday and get to see the house in the flesh ...

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  5. Great job on the house, the pink is very similar to what I have in my sewing room...kind of a salmon pinky/orange. In my living room I have orange and blue walls...very intense. Since my windows face north I felt it needed brightening up. I can't imagine life without my dog Aurora ...I understand your loss, as well as the tearing down / collapse and then restructuring/rebuilding . I am in a peaceful lull right now...enjoying it while it lasts.

    If I win the lottery , its good to know that Nadine's room might be available

    Monica

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    1. Hehe thanks Monica - I'm glad I'm not the only one who likes 'pinks' and 'oranges'. though I must admit I find it difficult to imagine orange and blue complementing each other ... I'm thinking of turning one of the two remaining unfinished rooms into a 'Man Cave' so that I can paint it violet or lime green or something shocking ... but it would be a waste because I don't know what else guys usually use man caves for ... and besides, the whole house is my cave ...

      ... and you don't need to win a lottery to visit ... a 'plane ticket will suffice ... :)

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  6. Watching the improvements and additions through the blog is fun and it doesn't hurt my back. I'm wondering if you ever posted before pictures. Great to read new post from you and hope to see more soon.

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    1. Thanks Bill, I've learned to work carefully so as not to hurt my back ... I don't have many pics of the old house but I'll try to dig some out and post them sometime ... I have a few thousand images to work through and hope to have some regular posts for awhile ...

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  7. Graham, it is good to see you back! It has been awhile. I'm happy to see your home is looking so great and that you've made a lot of progress. It must have been so nice to have your daughter spend so much time there especially when you are missing Stoffel. Wow, it would be great if you invite your blogging buddies to your house ;-)

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    1. Thanks Penny - yes, it's been awhile ...

      It was great having Nadine stay for two months - in August my other daughter Megan will be visiting from England with a friend and I hope to take them on a tour of the back-roads of Nam ...

      ... and in case you didn't know: there's an open invitation to visit to anyone who can get here ... :)

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    2. It's wonderful that your other daughter will visit. It's also wonderful that you have an open invitation to all who can visit. You never know who will show up ;-)

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    3. hehehe indeed Penny - I'd better get to work on my planned Tree House in case everyone shows up at the same time ... :)

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  8. Hi Graham, so pleased that your back for a while and we can catch up with what has been happening to your house. It looks amazing you must be very pleased with the result. Great to have had Nadine with you for a couple of months it must have been good to have her company. Sorry about your furry friends, these sort of things are always difficult when they are so much part of the family.

    Plastering is so difficult, I did a small amount around a doorway, I don't think I would try to take on a whole room, the two Lazarus's look as if they did an excellent job. Tell Nadine that we have a yellow spare room if she wants to visit France :-)

    Hope the life cycle is now returning to normal, I miss you when you are away. Keep well Diane

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    1. Thanks Diane - someday I'll get a reasonable internet connection at home I hope - though I must admit that after a few days I begin to enjoy my primitive communication status ... maybe I'm a wannabe Hermit ... :)

      Yeah, plastering is one of the few building tasks I can't do myself ... besides lack of skill, I don't have the upper body strength to do this kind of arduous work ...

      Hehe ... I'll tell Nadine ... she'll feel at home in your yellow room I'm sure ...

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  9. You really have worked hard Graham and the end result is amazing. Yes, time does sometimes pass without us knowing where it went.

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    1. Thanks Joan - I made it my goal to re-shape my world every day ... it's satisfying going to bed each night knowing that I've created changes every day ...

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  10. Hi Graham, your house looks absolutely amazing,all the years of hard work are finally coming together!Your comment about retiring is quite true, we may retire from one job/career but keeping interested in hobbies/pastimes even building your own house gives us a new sense of direction, life does'nt stop it just goes off at a tangent we did'nt foresee and sure is'nt that the beauty of living?!

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    1. Thanks Peggy - yes, it's been a long slog ... now that it's all coming together I'm filled with new enthusiasm and energy ... the house will probably never be 'complete' because I'm always thinking of new things I'd like to do ... :)

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  11. What a beautiful house! It looks so comforting. My house's walls are pretty close to the "foothills" color too. :)

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    1. Thanks Elisa - sometimes I stop and wonder at what I've created, it seems like I built it in a dream ... :)

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  12. WOW.........................that's all I can say Graham you have done an absolute stunning job with the renovation of your home sjoe it look beautiful. Well done!!!!

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