Further external works happening as the plasterer continues on the inside. This is the site for our future BBQs along with some associated drinking. The BBQ will be at the end of the decking (to the right of the brick pier) and you can see the pond intruding into the deck space with the rain water spout above it. I hope one is above the other and that the rain water lands in the said pond!!!

Further developments on the outside of the building. The external render has advanced and now we are waiting for the weather to apply the final coloured coat (around the front door and windows) The blueboard on the right hand side of the door is to be clad with sandstone, the fascia and eaves lining will be painted monument (to match the capping), the left hand "white" wall with corner window will be painted steel rust and the upper sunshade tothe window is tobe rendered shale grey. Note that we now have a moat at the front door and the draw bridge is currently being fabricated.

The central courtyard with its bricked pond ready for the waterproofing. There will be a chain downpipe off the mid roof that feeds the pond. A steel and timber bridge will extend over the pond from the doors (do I hear you saying "build a bridge") The upper white wall is to be painted steel rust and the lower white wall is to be coloured render. The foreground will be paved with a japanese style pergola over.

The rear decking and pond has been done, the lounge room (right hand side) is rendered with the final coloured coat to go and the "white" piers are yet to be painted and will be the rusted steel colour finish. The roof soffit will be flush jointed villaboard. That big thing hanging off the fascia is the rainwater spout which falls into the pond - wow. Stay tuned to see the render colour - we are even wondering how it will look. Needless to say it is not a light colour.

Now you just have to imagine that the blue will not remain blue. This photo shows that the white has been painted "near black". Some of the blue will be painted iron rust, the sunshades over the windows will be painted to match the eaves lining (colorbond Shale Grey) and the extreme right hand side blue wall will be lined with Sandstone and the extreme left hand wall will be rendered in a grey/green/brown - all in all it will be a virtual painter's palette

Colour is added to the external finish - the wall colour is the same as the roof sheeting - Colorbond "Monument".

Our carpenters have been newly christened "Luigi" and "Mario" as they turn their hands at some concrete work. They are screeding the base slab for the "cement pond" in the central courtyard area. Luigi on the right (Andy) and Mario on the left (Chris)

A view from the kitchen and meals area down into the lounge room. Something tells me that the fireplace is a little small. There are bi-folding windows in the walls on each side of the lounge plus highlight windows - so plenty of light in there. Not like the walk in robe - it is pitch black in there. I always said that some days it looks like Mike got dressed in the dark!!

Looking up from the lounge room to the meals area and the kitchen at the rear. Highlight windows face east and there are plenty of changes to the ceiling levels to drive the plasterer mad mad mad. We are not game to tell the painter that they are all to be painted different colours and shades!!!!

Looking from the lounge area towards the back wall - lounge windows on left and bi-folding doors to meals area on the right. Don't worry, your eyes are not fading - the outside is blurry as there is a temporary film on the glass to protect it from scratches etc during construction - all will become clear on completion - at least I am hoping that will be the case

A view from the back room (meals area) down the passge towards the front entry. Plenty of light floods in from the central courtyard and also eventually from the stair well once the scaffold is removed. A few drop ceilings, bulkheads and varying passage widths reduce the tunnel effect from the long passageway

After much grunting, struggling and hard yakka - the steel frame for the stair is in place - and it even fits too. Well done to all. The treads will be stained (Japan Black) timber screw fixed to the supporting steel work.

Currently a stairway to nowhere as the upper scaffold is still blocking off the stairwell

A view from the entry foyer into Mike's future office - plenty of light in there in case of power failure - pity his computers won't work in a power failure though!!!

The temporary scaffold across the opening of the double height stairwell to allow the plasterers to install the walls and ceiling in the upper area. We await the unveiling.............

Lee half way up the ladder (with her ladder licence in her hip pocket) to do an inspection of the progress of the work on the upper level. Not bad for a person not keen on

ladders

What Lee saw when she arrived at station number one (head poking through the scaffold) - a small section of plaster ceiling in the upper level bathroom has been installed - looks good so far Lee??