Holy moley - that's house prices for you

It must have been sixth sense, whilst cruising the internet I decided to have a peak at what's happening in the UK village we lived in. Imagine my surprise to find that "our" house was up for sale.

On closer inspection it seems that there is daylight robbery going on. We loved the house and the location but it seems that the price has shot up by about 42% in 2 years. I am reliably informed that's just inflation and how things are in the UK. I don't believe it!

It was very strange to see the house which has hardly changed at all. New flooring in the hallway and new paint job on the front door. Otherwise it looks pretty much as we left it, except of course there is different furniture in.

Described by the real estate agents as "outstanding" with "flexible accommodation". The house "boasts" and is "immaculate". I guess you need lots of superlatives to justify asking such a high price.

More muck and raking

We're living on a building site again. In fact, as I write this blog there is an enormous truck delivering metal (that's road gravel) moving past my window.

After months of waiting the ground works people have returned to finish of the drive and spread the top soil back on the land around the house. It's typical, it's also raining too so it will be a case of raking mud and moving it around. Hmm, just think of the mess that the bassets will make in that.

Despite the impending mess it's an important part of the building and landscaping jigsaw that's finally coming together. Hopefully the southerly that's going to blow through today (that will bring the temperatures down by at least 5 degrees) will dry things out and we can prepare for tree planting next week.

It's been a long time since Fortnum and Mason have seen a digger so they spent a fair amount of time last night barking at the stationery machinery parked by the barn. They weren't at least as worried as my neighbours girlfriend who thought we were putting up more buildings.

In the couple of hours work they've done the area behind the barn has been flattened to the same level and created a much more useable area. Keeping the bassets off the newly turned soil is going to be a battle I'm just not going to try and win. I'll just have to get reaquainted with my trusty mop and bucket every day to wipe their muddy paw marks away.

Gardening for style

Great excitement this weekend - we've planted our hedge that will in time grow to be a stylish surround for our herb and salad bed.

Our hedge arrived by courier in two banana boxes - 120 Buxus sempervirens (English Box). The aim is to make an ornamental design which will not only look good but keep out the pooches from our lettuces and parsley. We've got a while to wait though, they are only about 3" tall at the moment.

As you can imagine Fortnum and Mason took great interest in the planting and had to be banished to the barn out of harms way. Mason thought it was great fun to put his nose down every hole dug for a plant to go in!

It didn't take long to do the planting - mainly because I have my own mathematician to work out the spacing. We were left with a few extra plants which I've potted on and will be grown for specimen topiary for the veranda.

The most exciting thing about the gardening this weekend was that I could wear my birthday present - a stylish pair of Hunter wellies. I've never been outdoorsy enough to warrant anything so flash in the past but now I'm Domestic Executive I thought it only right to have the right foot attire. As you can see from the pictures I'm wasting no time in getting them worn in!

Box in a box!

Ready for action!

I fear my hedge is bushier than my lawn!

Hedge laid for future delight.

Oh yes, protective barrier to be installed at earliest opportunity. In meantime Fortnum and Mason will be supervised and under strict control in this vicinity!

The land and house that never was

Loyal blogger readers will remember that our house building dreams haven't entirely run a smooth course. For new readers, here's the crux of our story.

Anyway, we were out yesterday with the bassets walking the Rimutaka Incline Trail which is a recreational path that follows the line of the old Rimutaka Train Line. Lo and behold as we doodled along and opening in the hedge gave us full sight of the land we were going to buy but never did.

Little did we know at the time that there was a perfect viewing point straight onto the land (and possibly our bathroom) had we proceeded with our intended plans. It was interesting to see how the land has developed.

Funny how life turns out - although this is still a beautiful spot I reckon we did get some luck with the land we now have and the home we've built.

Access road to flat land (plot 7, we were going to buy)

The bridge that has been the cause of much environmental strife

Dead ahead is the building platform that never was with the paddocks on the low lying area

Drought to floods

New Zealand has weather warnings today that we're about to be deluged with rain with a threat of tornadoes. Just as well we managed to get the rain collection from the barn roof connected to the main water tank today. This means we'll now be able to maximise the rain amount of we collect.

We were planning to install another tank to avoid the water shortage possibilities next year but the costs were much higher than we imagined so we'll see how we go with just one tank but more water collection when it does rain.

High excitement too that we've had another tap installed outside by the barn. This will come in handy for watering the trees and save on the feet when refreshing the basset water bowl. It's a great sense of satisfaction when I tick things off my list. After a slow and frustrating few weeks it's good to be making progress at last.

If we do get the projected rainfall this week there's a danger that parts of New Zealand that were suffering the most with droughts will be dealing with floods which I am sure bring their own brand of difficulties for those in weather dependent industries like farming. I'll keep you posted.

Here's a satellite image taken last night shows the thunderstorm in the Tasman Sea heading towards New Zealand. Looks grim.

Autumnal colour at last!

It was another mini milestone this week with the arrival of some autumnal colour at last. This was in the shape of our first delivery of trees - 42 in all - about 50% of the first tranch of planting to be done.

It was quite a sight to see the HGV delivery them without a hitch. This was because the fencer and I have been in dialogue as to whether the gateway he's just built would be wide enough for trucks, diggers and the like. We now know that it is!

The delay in getting the ground works men back to finish the drive and spread the top soil means we'll be tending our trees in their pots for a while yet. To give them the best chance of surviving our winds we've lined them up and secured them to the fence and barn.

It's exciting to see the next part of the landscape plan coming to life. Now we just need some fine weather in about two weeks so we get the drive finished and the top soil spread ready for our tree planting extravaganza.

Just for Ruth: a chicken coup to go with the book

When I was a kid I always used to be slightly embarressed that my father was capable of over engineering most things. For example, we couldn't just have a rubbish bin - it had to be a grit bin which was one of the products that we manufactured in the family firm. There was a long list of other DIY projects that were highly specified and in the event more than fit for purpose.

Still it was a wonder to have a DIY Dad who can turn his hand to most things and has served me well in my home improvements over the years. In the true tradition of my father I think we've now got an over engineered chicken run. It will however last for a long time and there's no skimping on the space or the appearance. Look and and see!

Now the coup is ready I'd better get on with the next bit of my country life dream. One of my favourite leaving presents from my dear friend Ruth in the UK was a book about keeping chickens. This has been my inspiration for some time and now we have a home in which to put the chickens it's time I started learning what I'm suposed to do with these feathered things.

Next step is to get a house for nesting and some chooks and we'll soon be scrambling our own eggs for breakfast - how amazing is that!

Residential definition

It's been months since I started my search for a fencer and after a couple of false starts with two people I finally found a fencing contractor that would come to take our hard earned cash.

Hugh and his mate finally turned up a week late but in a few short hours they've reinstated the deer fencing from the side of the house up the drive, put in the posts for the new gate and created a door through the fence to the soon to be chicken run.

It's amazing how a bit of fencing can give such definition to an area. It is of course not just aesthetic benefit when complete the house area will be secure for Bassets to roam a little more at their will.

They've loved having the fencers on site. New feet to get under, smells to sniff and something other than me to stare at from the veranda. Little do they know that it's these entertainers that are to contain their wanderings which I am sure they won't like at all!

More work to be done but here's some interim photoblogging for you to enjoy!

Oooh, those legs are going to hurt

With two beautiful sunny days we set to again this weekend to see if we could reveal more of our land. The main challenge was to clear the area where the fencers are coming to build the chicken run but MT couldn't help himself to test out his mower again.

The Bassets were not best pleased to be losing yet another basset alley - a long grass area where they can run and play without being seen (or so they think, their white tipped tails are a bit of a giveaway!).

Slowly but surely we're starting to reveal more of the land but its a small dimple in the overall area. Still you've got to start somewhere and if we keep plugging away we'll get there in the end.

The conclusion after two days of strimming and mowing is that those legs are going to hurt in the morning!

Crop circles do you think?

Chicken run alley

Site of future kitchen garden

The sun dipping down behind the trees at the end of a long hot day

A man and his mower

Last weekend MT set to with his new lawnmower bought in the sale. It's not quite the ride on mower he dreams about but with a lawn that's refusing to grow and thistles growing on most of the land we figured it was too soon to be investing the amount of $s it would be at this stage. I think he's more inclined to get a quad bike and trailer instead so we can go off roading in the forestry!

Still, what little grass we have in the lawn felt so much better after it had the snip. Glowing in the success of that he thought a little trim elsewhere was in order. Complete with Bassets in tow he set off to mow his pasture. Fortnum and Mason were not too sure about the red, noisy moving thing (all the things that send them scuttling) but they braved it to get a bit closer to the action.

As for MT, he got a good garden workout pushing the mower through the long grass up and down the hill. Good job that the mower is designed for tough stuff as it needs to be.

Although it's only a small dent in the land it does make it much nicer to take the dogs down the garden for a potter. I'm not sure that the bassets agree as they like nothing better than running through the long grass.

This weekend we've got to get the strimmer and bush cutter in action to clear the area where the chicken pen is being built next week.

Slow progress for Mike and Andrea

It's hard to see from the outside the progress inside on Mike and Andrea's place. There aren't many white vans visiting that often so you have to wonder how much progress is being made.

From the outside some stone cladding has gone on but the main render seems conspicuous by it's absence. Having spied through the windows it seems that first fix, insulation and gib boarding is in progress but it seems a long way from becoming a habitable dwelling.

They are due to get handover at the end of May so it will be interesting to see if the white vans start multiplying soon.

View from the Pylon Loop Track

Neighbourly views

At the bottom of the valley there is Tunnel Gully Recreational area. It's about an hours walk along the Rimutaka Trail to get there and a welcoming picnic area to rest before starting the hike back up the hill.

Bob and Sheila did this walk a week or so ago and took a picture that shows a completely new view - our house with Mike and Andrea's. Admittedly you need a good telephoto lense or bionic eyesight to see it but thought it was interested neighbourly views.

Can you see in Sheila?

A close up on our house with the new build behind on the hill.

Houseblogging - end of an era

Today I closed down my companion site - Kaitoke Grand Design. A blog designed to chronicle the build of the house. You can check it out.

Plants are thriving

Despite the hot weather the garden is starting to thrive with the plants in the beds around the house really setting down roots. It is starting to look like a real garden should. The bees are loving the plants close to the front veranda which makes it difficult for maintenance during the day. Best to wait for the bees to go to bed.

Only another 20 plants to put in this week and then that's it for this growing season as the remaining plants we need are simply not available at the nurseries at the moment. Still, there are plenty of thistles to be dug up so that will make a change from putting plants in the ground!

January 2008

End February 2008 - not bad eh!

Click for more garden blogging

Love thy neighbours

I've never been hugely lucky with neighbours apart from a lovely older couple in Ouston, Chester-le-Street, who had the downstairs flat. Although they fought all the time and I could listen to what they watched on TV they were really friendly and always concerned for me. I like to think that I reciprocated this neighbourly friendship (well not the arguing and loud TV).

Here in New Zealand I think we may be luckier with our neighbours. Last night we held a neighbourly get together with 10 of the neighbours around for drinks and a nosey in the house.

Here's the roll call so you know for future:

• Jim and Kathleen - the people who sold us the land, a wonderful Irish couple . Jim is a self confessed nosey neighbour when it comes to house building and kept a close eye on development during the build. Kathleen is a very useful person to know, she works at the local council!
• Ross and Janet - the people who own the first section off the road, parents to our immediate neighbour Doug. They keep sheep that keep escaping and the beef cattle that lived in Doug's paddock for a while.
• Mike and Andrea - he's from Essex and Andrea's a kiwi. Their house build is underway on the middle section of the sub division.
• Doug and Shilo - Doug's a real country boy and spends hours hunting wild boar in the Rimutaka hillsides. He's currently living in a bach (looks more like a garden shed) until he starts building his house at the end of this year. Shilo is is long suffering girlfriend who puts up with his wild hunting ways.
• Lee and Keith - the neighbours whose trees set on fire a few weeks ago. Keith's parents are British, from Redcar and London.

Jim and Kathleen took some pictures of our house from their section and brought them with them to the neighbourly soiree. I thought this was a deeply thoughtful thing to do as it would be rare that we would otherwise be able to see this view.

I know I am biased but I do think the house looks really cool - nestled amongst the landscape in a sympathetic way. Good to know that they can't see into our bedroom windows!

Weed warfare

This week I declared warfare on the weeds on our land. I know that I'll be fighting a losing battle for years to come but you have to start somewhere.

This decision followed a rather painful lesson in weeding - make sure that your teeshirt meets your shorts at the back. After spending several hours digging up thistles and dandelions that were establishing themselves on my lawn (Ok, the place where the lawn should be) and in my new flower beds I found to my pain that my teeshirt didn't quite. Still I've a lovely patch of tan which looks faintly ridiculous but gives me renewed determination to get rid of the weeds.

After clearing the flower beds it was time to use blanket amoury in the form of bark mulch. After a big truck deliver 5 cubic metres of the stuff it became a family affair to get the beds covered. I have to say that credit goes to my father-in-law for the most mulch shifted from the pile although the rest of the Treanor family got in at the end of a long day to finish up the last bits.

Long may this mulch keep down the weeds. However, I suspect that they will be back soon in another part of the garden!

Can you tell who didn't wield a shovel all day?

The master learning the finer points of mulch shifting

Now doesn't that look nicer!

Local shopping

Part of the idea of moving to the country was to be able to source our food and produce from local suppliers or ideally from our home grown land and stock. We started with the honey and have now moved to getting our firewood from a local source. Our neighbour.

Or rather I should say our neighbour's friend. The deal was he would cut the trees and then could sell the wood. Seems that the initial thoughts of reaping about $30,000 through the sale has ended up closer to about $3,000 after the outlay on the equipment to cut it and the trailer to sell it, not to mention the time to cut the darn stuff up.

We were proud to be his first customer although half way through stacking it in the barn it didn't feel like such a good idea. They always say you get warm twice from firewood and this was no exception. It did seem very strange to be working up a sweat in 25+ degrees shifting wood for the winter. There was method in our madness. There was a huge rain cloud heading our way.

We managed to shift the lot in about 90 minutes which was pretty good going. We're now stocked ready for next winter and there's plenty of time for the wood to be drying out. We've got a "wet-back" on our wood burner so we'll heat our water as well as heat the house. Pretty neat eh. Local supplier of sustainable product to add to our energy efficient house!

Our wood came from here

MT hard at work

Tadaaaaa (I'd just like to point out that this pile is three layers deep - the picture is very deceiving!)

On the subject of wood and fires, this was the view out the back window the other day. I got quite a shock to see that the forestry block over the back was actually on fire. I called 111 (our emergency number) and was relieved to know that they were already on their way to put it out. We had helicopters too to check that there were no other outbreaks.

It makes you realise how quickly forest fires spread. I was digging out my insurance policies, passports and other precious things to pack in case it got much closer to our very dry grass and bush. Luckily the wind was blowing the other way and the rural fire folks did a fantastic job and put it out very quickly.