Rounding the corner

Well it looks like we are rounding the corner in getting the house finished. The painting has been done and the tile work has commenced. We also had some good news about the "problem" the land developer said about our a/c unit being visible on the roof. After numerous follow ups by our builder we finally got a response last week to say they sent someone else out to look and now it's all ok and doesn't need to be moved!! Success as if it did need to be moved it would have caused a delay which we really don't want. However we did have another thing come up Weds which was that the laminate wood flooring we had picked was no longer available and hadn't been for 8 months!! They aren't sure how it slipped through the net but we did do our colour selection sooooooo long ago that I'm not surprised. Still they were so keen not to cause a delay that the floor guy came out to our current place yesterday with all the samples for me to pick a new one. Now that is good customer service in my book. So really there is only the electric (putting in plug sockets etc),carpet, laminate flooring and appliances left to do. They don't do certain things until the very last minute though because unfortunately people break in and steal things. Even gas meters for some reason (cannot figure why for that one!!!).

In the mean time we have been really busy getting other stuff sorted out. Purchases include a clothes line, garden lights (solar), all the remaining light fitting we need for the house (have gone with ceiling fans/light in all bedrooms in the end), bedding, mattresses, speakers& amp for theatre room, outdoor in ceiling speakers for the al fresco, door number (the dreaded "13" for the letterbox) and of course a letterbox. Yes we have to have a letterbox in order to move in (more land developer rules) but have found out that Australia Post will not actually deliver mail yet due to not enough demand. Oh the irony!!! Turns out until enough people are living there all post is being held at the local main post office and you have to go and collect it. You may remember that the other thing we must have is "proper" curtains on all windows at the front of the house and I am going to make them. Well I have started and so far so good. I actually started on the curtains for the kids rooms (even though at back we need curtains or it will be too light for them to sleep!) and have finished Jordan's and even made a couple of matching cushions. I've become a VIP at Spotlight and saved over $250 on material with special vouchers they had before Christmas for further discounts. it's just as well I've done ok with the curtains because unfortunately my parents are no longer coming to visit in March now as my father has been diagnosed with stomach cancer and requires treatment. They hope to come later in the year so unless I can live without the other curtains till then I'm on my own or will have to get them made (which I hear is REALLY expensive). Mind you I like a challenge so I reckon I'm up for having a try at a roman blind. We bought a roller blind kit and the vinyl to make a blind for the main bathroom so if that works out there'll be no stopping me.

Other things we have organised are screen doors for all the sliding doors in the house (laundry, al fresco and master) and have even managed to get one made with a woooden frame for the master as per, you've guessed it, the land developer rules that all windows and doors on the front must be wood!! We also got a quote for the driveway and some concrete outside the laundry which was must more than we would have liked but seems to be the going rate unfortunately.