Lucy's Sustainable Home and Permaculture Garden

SUSTAINABLE HOUSE DAY 2009

2009-09-16T07:52:00.000-07:00

We had a fantastic day last Sunday! Sarah and Haruko came and helped us out... and we were VERY glad that they could come because we had about 100 people come!!! This was my official tour guide... I think I pretty much covered every point on the tour. Very exhausting but also very rewarding!

Warnervale – SUSTAINABLE HOUSE DAY 2009
Sunday 13th September 10am~4pm MASTER COPY
Welcome to our sustainable home! This leaflet is provided to help you as we take you on a tour and guide you through the various features of our house and our lifestyle.

FRONTYARD
1) SOLAR POWER SYSTEM - 3kW (50 panels) Kaneko solar panels with 24x 48V battery bank controlled by Sunny Boy Inverter. Backed up by a generator. Generator usage (as a percentage of power production) for the whole time that we have been set up is less than 1%. Wind turbine is quite complimentary - often more wind when there is less sun. Also, a wind turbine can work 24 hours a day if conditions suit and will hopefully further reduce the use of the generator. I wanted a diesel generator but ended up with a petrol one due to a mistake by the suppliers – I didn't get it changed because I thought it was very wasteful... I may live to regret it.
2) Stables/Machinery shed - Used old shed panels and tin for partitions and rooms. The old shed was here in stacks when we came and it was going to be put up by the previous owners but due to the duration of exposure to the elements, much of the shed was rotted. The hardwood and tin was salvaged for building chook/goose house and lab/tack rooms and other garden projects and for firewood. Used old laundry cupboards for laboratory. Aircell insulation for the whole roof and Pink Batt 2.5R insulation in the lab walls. Built stables, yards, crush and mare phantom. Used some new steel but also some scrap metal and recycled (old) conveyor belt rubber. Attached to a 55000L water tank which makes this property just about drought proof.
3) Carport - The land contour and the prior council approval dictated the position of the shed and carport. Therefore, in order to be able to hold up the 50 solar panels, we made the carport strong and high enough not to get shade form the shed. The pitch of the roof is at 30 degrees. Summer sun is at 0 degrees and the lowest winter sun is 60degrees so this 30 degrees is a compromise. Mezzanine floor for the batteries and inverters (out of flood level). Closed off below the mezzanine with sections and roller doors from an old shed. In the 'garage' I keep the left over building material and the firewood.
4) Toyota Prius – we bought ours second hand almost 3 years ago and love it to bits.
5) Growing Your Own - Winter Veggie patch – north side (looking to source an old water tank to make round raised beds in the future). Strawberry wheel barrow; blue berries; lilly pillies (edible berries).
6) Sprinkler system – monsoon sprinklers surround the buildings and is connected to a 22000L tank which collects from the carport. A petrol water pump is used for the sprinklers but we mainly use this irrigation system for the gravity fed taps in the garden.
7) Queenslander style verandah - Wrap around verandah great for keeping hot summer sun out of the house. Open plan design of house also good for ventilation and keeping the house cool in summer. Quite comfortable all summer without ever needing an air conditioner. Large area for water collection into 2 x 22ooo L capacity tanks. All the gutters (even the chook house!) has steel mesh gutter guards. Exterior Hardiplank cladding and aluminium windows was already on the house when we purchased.
8) Catmax enclosure - Cats stay inside 100% of the time to protect wildlife (and themselves!).
9) Clothes line on verandah. Great ventilation and fast drying... all undercover. Dryer never used. In winter, when the dryer may have been required, we often had the wood heater on and we dried clothes around it.

INSIDE
10) Front door – self raising weather strips on external doors to reduce draft. . Crim-safe security screens on the house for security but also required for fire-rating.
11) Relocated OLD house - Most importantly, the actual house is recycled - a 50+ year old hardwood frame house was relocated onto the site. Any walls and timber removed when the house was redesigned has been reused (lots of nails removed) and whole wall sections were moved using pine logs... rolling them along then using block and tackle to raise them... just like the Egyptians!
12) Solar aspect and house design. House faces north. The main living/open area is on the north side. Originally there was a bedroom on this northern wall which made the whole area very dark and enclosed. Made the location of laundry, kitchen and ensuite to be all in the one section of the house, on the southern side.
13) Compressed Bamboo floor boards - it was a toss up between choosing this very sustainable product which was 'shipped' a long way or a more locally sourced recycled timber floor boards. We went the bamboo because of looks, durability (harder than most hardwoods), ease of installation (the base floor is very 'wonky' so it suited the short bamboo sections) and it came pre-finished so in the end Bamboo worked out cheaper for us. See sample boards.14) Timber posts - from site clearing and finished with plant-based Organoil.
15) Camphor laurel slabs - used for bench tops and bench seat/shoe.
Camphor laurel is an introduced tree species and grows as a weed in many parts of Australia – the slabs were obtained locally. The timber is finished with Organoil, a timber oil made of plant oils and liquid beeswax (no petrochemicals). Organoil is made in Byron Bay and is available at Bunnings. Local wood slabs for bench tops.
16) Second hand Furniture - mostly all second hand or home-made furniture. The Central Coast Tender Centre (Berkeley Vale), Recycling yards, ebay and some antique shops in Newcastle are great sources. 17) HEMP Curtains - full length to floor so that it doesn't set up a convection current. Need to cover the top of the curtain rail in the future. Hemp is very sustainable. In production it has low water requirements and no pesticides (unlike regular cotton). Durable and heavy fabric with good insulating properties. Full floor length curtains are the most insulating window treatment (ideally with pelmets). Hemp was purchased from the Hemp Gallery, Sydney (http://www.hempgallery.com/.au) and the curtains made by a local seamstress. The Hemp Gallery is an excellent on-line source of a large range of hemp products and fabrics, including bedlinen.18) Floor rugs - We have chosen floor coverings (rugs) made of natural, sustainable fibres (seagrass – nursery; jute – living room; sisal – main bedroom and study). N.B. Although wool and cotton are natural fibres they are not sustainable in their regular forms due to farming methods used to produce them; organic cotton and organic wool are sustainable, however, as they are produced using sustainable farming practices and without harsh chemicals.
19) Polished floor boards - old floor sanded and polished in the nursery and guest rooms as these floors were not excessively damaged like the other areas of the house.
20) Bathroom – as it was usable we have not renovated it. As the tapware was destroyed by vandals, I just patched up the walls and installed new water saving tapware and changed the 'accessories' of the bathroom. Take a look at our 'little squirt' a fantastic DIY installed device for washing off the babies poo down the toilet. The cats' poo also goes down the toilet and they access the outside cat enclosure through here. 21) Paint - Dulux Envir02 was used on the walls and ceilings – this is a low volatile organic compound (VOC) paint which is 100% greenhouse gas abated through the AGO Greenhouse Friendly Programme. Dulux Aquanamel was used on the architraves and skirting boards. Aquanamel is a water-based enamel (most enamels are oil-based). Biopaint, a plant-based paint, was used in the main bathroom. This is a lovely paint to use and is very environmentally-friendly.22) Wall and Roof insulation - 'eco' pink batts 2.5R. 'Draft-stoppa' vent covers on bathroom and ensuite fans. As this was an old relocated house, there were lots of cracks and gaps filled up with No More Gaps and expanding foam to minimise draft.
23) Powerscape wall boards - 95% recycled gypsum. It is a US-made product but I decided to buy these as they were the end of line stock and the distributors were not replacing this particular model (Ultramesh) by shipping in more. Ultramesh is the commercial grade product so is far more durable than normal gyprock and is more sound proof than actual 'sound-proof' gyprock, is fire-retardant because there is no paper covering, has much greater thermal mass and you can hang objects up to 40kg per hook screwed directly into the wall! Great product!
24) LIGHTS - The downlights are a combination of CFLs and LEDs. GU10 downlights run on 240V, so they don’t need a transformer, unlike normal downlight systems which run on 12V and need a transformer (which usually adds about 10-15W to the power usage). The CFLs use more power (9 – 11W each) than the LEDs (3W each) but they produce a brighter, more dispersed light. They also take a few minutes to ‘warm up’ (achieve maximum brightness), whereas the LEDs are immediately bright once switched on. We have used the CFLs in most areas; the LEDs have been used where a more focal light is desirable and where we want the light quickly. Regular (not a down light) CFLs have been used in the bathrooms, laundry and bedrooms – these are the most energy-efficient, using between 8 – 11 W per room (depending on brightness).
25) Kitchen - revamped but kept all the old cupboards and just fixed up new doors and installed a caesar stone bench top - obviously ceasar stone is not renewable like wood, but it will last just about forever and won't require any treatments (sanding, oils, varnishes etc). 26) Kitchen Appliances - Gas stove top all year round. The 'Early Kooka' 1930s (from Springwood but originally Balmain) Gas oven and stove top for winter-time oven and grill cooking inside if the batteries are low. In summer we will use the electric oven but if it's too hot we will the have Early Kooka outside on the veranda so that it doesn't heat up the house... or we could use the wood fire oven.27) Fridge - Most energy saving model we could find but added a vent (with insect mesh) going through to the sub-floor at the back. Could have used a closeable vent (for winter) but I did not want to be moving the fridge in and out and scratching up the floor. Ask me about a Deep-freezer option. 28) Solatube Skylight - Highly effective (kitchen was very dark before) and uses a reflective tube to maximise light. It is well insulated –and there is no transfer of heat, unlike many conventional skylights.
29) Enjo Microfibre Cloths - We use Enjo microfibre cloths for all our cleaning. These eliminate the need for cleaning products (only water is needed), which is great news for our Biolytix waste water treatment system and also reduces the impact from chemical cleaners, manufacture and transport of cleaning products and packaging. The Enjo microfibre cloths are high quality, durable (they last several years) and work amazingly well. At the end of their life, they can be returned to Enjo for recycling. Although there are many natural cleaners available (home-made or commercially prepared), I have found Enjo cloths to perform much better than these and cleaning is much easier. Since cloths of some description are required regardless of the cleaning method used, I would much prefer to use Enjo cloths, than have to regularly purchase some form of cleaning product (even if just good old fashioned bicarb and vinegar) which comes in packaging and must be manufactured and transported. The only downside with Enjo is that the products are currently manufactured in Austria, however the company plans to start manufacturing in Australia soon.
30) Hemp Roman Blind – back window and also in the nursery.31) Laundry - Slab and recycled wood bench made of local silky oak timber slab (finished with plant-based Organoil).Bench top supported by an old fence post from the property. Miele front loading washing machine - is very water-wise. There is no need to set load size - the washing machine determines how much water to use for each load. The hot water tank was put in here even though there is limited space as this would add to the tank's longevity (and proximity to areas of use – see below).
32) Apricus Solar hot water system with Rheem Instant Gas as Booster– we can't use electric backup... a mistake by our original plumbers, we have instant gas as backup which we can turn on if the winter sun doesn't heat up the water enough. An evacuated tube solar hot water system – this type of system is much more efficient (around 40% more heat output) than the traditional flat plate system. The gas booster can be switched on or off when needed. We only require the booster in the winter months. The solar collector is on the northern side of the house roof; the tank is located indoors in close proximity to its main areas of use (ensuite, kitchen and laundry) to reduce heat loss during transit. The laundry has been getting quite a work out with the baby.
33) Reusable Nappies - We use only cloth nappies (and wipes) for our baby, and have used a range of fitted cloth nappies since she was born. These include organic cotton fitted nappies (Nature’s Child), Bamboo/Organic cotton nappies (Baby Beehinds fitted nappy; Itti Bitti D’Lish) and the Eenee Designs Pouch Pants nappy. We also have some traditional organic cotton terry cloth squares (Nature’s Child) as a back-up.
Little Squirt – a high pressure hose fitted to the toilet cistern (located in main bathroom) for hosing soiled nappies directly into toilet; a cloth-nappy user’s best friend!
See our article on the Shmeco webpage for more cloth nappy information.
34) Slow Combustion Wood fired heater. We obtain all our timber from our property, thereby maximising the energy-efficiency. Local (on-site) wood from deadwood and bush fire hazard reduction is a very renewable and sustainable product. It is important to use a good quality heater with low emissions! Slow combustion heaters are a very efficient means of heating. Ours is a radiant type of slow-combustion heater with a large cook top. When the fire is going, we use the stove top to boil water and also for some cooking. Ceiling fans are used to circulate the warm air, much like a convection type of slow-combustion heater with an electric fan. Convection heaters, however, do not have a cooking surface.
35) TV and TV Accessories recess - a design feature but also done to avoid having to purchase TV furniture.
36) Avoid 'standby mode' power usage by careful power point placements and numbers. You can buy power boards with similar features... they have a 'mother' appliance plug and some 'slave' appliance plugs. When the 'mother' appliance is turned off, all the power to the other appliances are turned off as well.
37) Ensuite - Water saving tapware. Homemade vanity and shelf. The basin stand is made out of an old blackwood table; the rectangular piece of timber which was removed to fit the basin was used to make the bathroom shelf. Caroma Profile Toilet Suite - toilet incorporating a basin on top of the cistern. When the toilet is flushed, water comes out of the tap into the basin for washing hands, then this water fills the cistern to later flush the toilet.

BACKYARD
38) Pond, garden bathtub - many edible plants here as well. Yam, Taro, Ginger, Yacon, Water chestnut, Arrowroot
39) Goats – future dairy products, weeding, manure, 'whipper snipper' replacement, companion (pets)
40) Water tanks - We are not connected to town water and have a total water tank capacity of approximately 120 000L. There are two 22 000L tanks collecting water from the house roof, one 22 000L tank collecting from the carport roof and one 55 000L tank collecting from the shed roof. The chook house also has its own water tank (an old, second-hand one) – this supplies water for the chooks and geese and is a very convenient set-up.
41) Gardens, Veggie beds, Herb garden, Compost bays, Espaliered stone fruits, Green manure crops and Orchard using Permaculture Principles. 41) Chooks – eggs; orchard fertilising; veggie bed maintenance in 'chook tractor'. And alarm clock! 42) Geese - eggs, meat, orchard fertilising and lawn mowing. 43) Bird nesting boxes. 44) Outdoor kitchen - wood fire oven under construction.45) Plumbing - Grey water and Black water all separated during construction. Have a simple home-made system to use to irrigate garden beds around the verandah, but ideally saving up to install a commercial 'approved' grey water system such as Nubian or Perpetual Water. $$$. This is at the moment not priority as ALL our waste water is reused already anyway (see below).46) Biolytix Septic system. Last but most certainly not least: An award winning system, this waste water treatment system is excellent. Will not 'overload' like other septic systems. Does not smell!!! Even with the lid off for servicing, you can stick your head in and its not bad! It incorporates a WORM farm. The worms love small scraps from the kitchen sink and of course the number two's. The cats' faeces go down the toilet too because you can, but shouldn't put dog/cat manure in the compost. The reclaimed water is pumped periodically via the underground irrigation lines all throughout the orchard (700 square metre area). The fruit trees love it and it is completely safe for us. The energy usage for this system is also very low compared to Envirocycle and other aeration type septic systems.

Some Sustainable Lifestyle Tips

Reduce, re-use, recycle. See Planet Ark’s website for information about what is recycled in your area (Recycling Near You). Curb-side recycling; corks – Body Shop; old eyeglasses – take to OPSM for distribution to third world countries; used printer cartridges - Planet Ark collection box at Post Office; Mobile Phones and accessories – Telstra shop (Mobile Phone Muster); e-waste – council services (Wyong council had recent drop-off service); e-cycling online.
Grow your own eg, fruit and vegies, eggs, honey, milk, meat and buy local organic produce (check out Food Integrity Group (FIG).
Obtain second-hand items wherever possible (clothing – including baby clothes; furniture; toys; vehicle; books, etc).
If new products purchased, ensure they’re made from sustainable materials where possible (eg, bamboo, hemp, organic cotton/wool, recycled materials).
Minimise car use (walk, bike, public transport); use fuel-efficient vehicle.
Live close to work – if you can!!! We would have loved to go further 'bush' but this area is very close to our work as well as being close to town, thereby limiting fuel usage.
Minimise waste going to landfill – compost; avoid buying items with packaging (and if packaging present ensure it’s recyclable in your area); re-use – many items can be given a new life as something different (eg, used for potting plants, art and craft, etc; fabric from old clothing can be salvaged and made into something new – eg, baby clothes, toys, patchwork, cushion covers); and recycle.
Minimise paper usage – use both sides of paper; keep paper that’s printed on one side only and re-use (eg, in printer, fax machine, for scrap paper); use paperless methods where possible (email, phone, online banking, etc).
Convert to Green Power – you don’t need your own solar panels to still ensure that the portion of energy you’re using is made using sustainable methods by switching to an accredited Green Power.
Harvest rainwater and be water-wise.
Say ‘no’ to plastic bags – use re-usable bags or old cardboard boxes to carry your goods and make sure you take them with you whenever you enter a place of trade! Also, if you happen to be without your reusable carry bag, hands and handbags can be used for carrying things too!
Use environmentally-friendly beauty and body-care products – organic, biodegradable, minimal packaging, home-made, locally-made, etc.
Read – there are currently lots of different 'sustainability-focused' magazines to suite different tastes where you can pick up lots of great tips.

Cloth Nappies - Cleaning!

2009-09-07T06:34:00.000-07:00

The need for cleaning is probably the main reason most parents opt against cloth nappies. However, if you have a system in place for sorting and cleaning, you will find that using cloth nappies is not that hard at all. Following are a few ideas to make your cloth nappy cleaning as trouble-free as possible.

Little Squirt
I have listed this first for a good reason: it is fantastic and will make life much easier for you. There is a mention of this in my first cloth nappy blog, but basically it is a small high pressure hose that is fitted to the toilet cistern tap (DIY installation). It is used to hose pooey nappies directly into the toilet - most of the poo can be removed prior to soaking/washing. The Little Squirt is available from many of the cloth nappy websites and also some general online eco stores.

Nappy Bucket

A nappy bucket with a secure lid is a must, especially when your baby becomes a toddler. A 20L bucket is ideal. I purchased two, thinking I would have one for soiled and one for wet nappies, but this is not at all practical - I just use one (and use the other for soaking clothes!).

A handy place for the nappy bucket is right next to the toilet, as pooey nappies can be hosed off then transferred directly to the bucket. Alternatively, keep the bucket next to the change table and take it to the toilet after you change a pooey nappy.

Pre-wash Soaker
There are a few environmentally-friendly, biodegradable pre-wash soaking solutions available. One I have used which works well is made by TriNature (http://www.trinature.com/; also available from www.natureschild.com.au). Bicarb and vinegar also work well (about 1/2 cup bicarb and 1/2 cup vinegar to around 5L water in the bucket). Cold water in the bucket is fine (it will become cold anyway). Also, with modern cloth nappies it is not essential to soak (especially if water is scarce) and you can instead sprinkle some bicarb in the bucket to absorb odours. I have tried both but tend to prefer to soak, though it is more of a pain to carry the water-filled bucket to the laundry and put the soaking-wet (and dripping) nappies in the machine!

Out-and-about Nappy Bag
I didn't have one of these initially and used to put the used nappies into biodegradable plastic bags until I arrived home! These nappy bags allow you to store used nappies while you are out, as they are water-proof and smell-proof. I purchased the Baby Beehinds one, which does up easily with a zip and is easy to clean (just throw in the machine with the nappies). It can be kept in the nappy change bag.

General Cleaning
Most of the cloth nappy manufacturers/websites have useful information on how to clean the particular nappies. In general, the nappies are best washed in warm (rather than hot water) - 40 degrees or less - and are best line-dried in the sun. Apart from being environmentally-friendly and causing less wear and tear on the nappy, line-drying has the benefit of helping to sterilise and clean the nappy via the sun's rays. Whether you wash daily or every second day depends on how many nappies you have - I tend to wash every second day. If you left it any longer than two days you would need to change the water in the nappy bucket; leaving more than two days with a dry system would be too long (even two days is pushing it a bit).

Cloth Nappies in Summary

2009-08-20T07:42:00.000-07:00

My experience using cloth nappies has so far been very positive. It is very difficult to say which nappy is my favourite, since the suitability of each nappy has been dependent on Lucy's size and shape, which is always changing. If you were to ask me now, I would have to say I like the Nature's Child organic cotton fitted nappy the best, as it fits well, hardly ever leaks, is very absorbant (with 2 booster pads) and is easy to put on. However, as I mentioned in an earlier blog, this nappy didn't fit Lucy until she was around 4 months old! On the other hand, I have been able to use the Eenee Designs Pouch Pants nappy since Lucy was a newborn (initially she wore the small size; now she wears medium) and it has always fit quite well, with minimal leakage. So, overall, these two nappies would probably draw at being my favourite. All the nappies have their pro's and con's, which I will list below.

Nature's Child Organic Cotton Fitted Nappy

PRO'S
Made of sustainable fibre - very environmentally friendly choice.
Doesn't require a cover.
Very absorbant - can be customised by using 1 or 2 booster pads.
Easy to put on; velcro easier to do up than snap buttons; velcro does up at back so toddlers can't pull undone easily.
Relatively adjustable for size (only 2 different sizes needed as baby grows).
Often only the boosters need changing and can buy these separately (therefore don't need quite as many nappies).

CON'S
Quite bulky so doesn't fit tiny newborn (size 1 fits from around 4kg and would be bulky initially).
Booster pads take long time to dry.
Can be a bit firm against baby's body when done up properly (has never seemed to worry Lucy).

Eenee Designs Pouch Pants

PRO'S
Soft and gentle against baby's skin/body.
Easy to put on and do up - velcro tabs quick and easy to use.
Cost-effective - don't need to purchase as many pouch pants as you would other types of fitted nappies, as the outer pouch pants tend not to need changing so frequently (just the pads/pouches).
Easy to clean - pouches and microfibre cloth inserts are quick drying; the outer pouch pants are relatively quick drying.
Doesn't require a cover.
Versatile - can use with the biodegradable disposable pads or cloth inserts; adjust well to baby's changing size and shape.
The same cloth inserts can be used from newborn to toddler size - only the outer pants and pouch sizes change.
An Australian made version is available.

CON'S
Not made of sustainable fibres.
The microfibre cloth inserts must be folded before being placed in the pouch - not too hard to do but just an extra step (and harder for dad).
Three different sizes of the outer pouch pants are required as baby grows (though they fit very well and are not very bulky for a newborn). There are also 3 different pouch sizes.
Not as absorbant as the other three nappies (fine for younger baby but won't last as long between changes when older).

Baby Beehinds Bamboo Fitted Nappy

PRO'S
Made of sustainable fibres - bamboo and organic cotton.
Very absorbant - great night-time nappy.
One size fits all (though wouldn't have fit Lucy as newborn).
Relatively leak proof (need cover).
Fairly simple to put together and put on.

CON'S
Requires a cover.
Doing up the snap buttons can be fiddly and they make it harder to fit the nappy than velcro.
Takes longer to put on than others (due to snap buttons and the need for a cover).
Very bulky for small baby.
Require quite a few nappies as the whole nappy needs changing each time.
Takes a long time to dry.

Itti Bitti D'Lish

PRO'S
Mostly made of sustainable fibres - the pad inserts are made of bamboo (the outer is synthetic).
Nice, compact nappy for small baby.
Easy to put together and put on.
The outer nappy doesn't need changing every time - additional pad inserts can be purchased.
Very absorbant. Absorbancy can be customised by adding additional booster pads.
Available as an all-in-one (with pads sown in), which is very easy to put on and ideal if baby is in daycare.
Doesn't require a cover.

CON'S
Has tendency to leak, more than the other nappies.
Can be hard to adjust to fit when putting on, due to the snap buttons (velcro easier).
Pad inserts need long drying time.
Quite a few different sizes are required.

The number of nappies you require really depends on which ones you are using, on your baby (how heavy a wetter he/she is, etc) and also how frequently you intend to wash (usually daily or every second day). The websites which sell the nappies (whether they be for a specific brand, or sell a range of brands) generally have advice on how many nappies you will need.

I want to emphasize that the descriptions I've given of each nappy are based on my own experience, with my baby, so I would expect others to have different points of view. However, I hope my points might be helpful, especially when you consider your own baby and your own needs and preferences. Also, the nappies I have tried are only a few amongst the huge range of cloth nappies that are now available on the market (mostly via the internet). If you are going to be a full-time cloth nappy user, it's not a bad idea to have a few terry cloth squares (the Nature's Child organic cotton ones are great) on hand just incase you run out others. My final advice to any prospective cloth nappy user would be to try a few different types on your baby - that way you can see for yourself what they're like, can try them out for fit and also can have a few different types on hand for different situations (eg, the Baby Beehinds fitted bamboo is great at night-time, whereas, the Itti Bitti D'Lish is a more convenient nappy for outings). Please don't do what I did and purchase 9 of the one nappy type before your baby's even born, only to discover they don't fit for several months! Most of these nappies can be delivered to your door very quickly (the quickest delivery I had was the next morning!), so you don't necessarily need to have all your nappies stocked up before baby arrives.

Baby Beehinds

2009-08-05T05:33:00.000-07:00

Baby Beehinds make a range of cloth nappies including, all-in-ones and the one-size fits all fitted nappy made of either hemp or bamboo. Below is the Baby Behinds bamboo fitted nappy. It is cleverly designed to fit from birth to toddlerhood (fits approximately 4-15kg), though it would be quite bulky for a newborn, and would not have fit Lucy as a newborn.

The bamboo fitted nappy is made of 60% bamboo, 30% organic cotton and 10% polyester - together with the Nature's Child organic cotton fitted nappy it's one of the greenest nappy choices I've come across. The outer part of the nappy fastens at the front with snap buttons, and can be adjusted to fit due to a variety of button positions, though I do find velcro much easier and quicker to fasten than snap buttons. It is elasticized around the legs to create a snug fit and help prevent leakage. There are two booster pads that snap in place on the inner side of the nappy outer - you can also get extra boosters. Since the nappy comprises 60% bamboo it is highly absorbant, making this an excellent overnight nappy - this is my favourite nappy to use at night and I've never had any leakage problems. The biggest downside is that it requires a cover, adding to the bulk of the nappy and the time required to change it. Baby Beehinds makes both wool (100% Australian grown) and PUL polyester covers, which come in 3 different sizes. I use the Disana organic wool cover or the Eenee pull-on PUL cover with the Baby Beehinds nappy, as I already had these and I only have one of the Baby Beehinds nappies at this stage. Another negative is the long drying time, though it doesn't take any longer than the Nature's Child nappy boosters or the Itti Bitti bamboo boosters.

The Eenne Nappy

2009-08-05T05:30:00.000-07:00

Below is the Eenee Designs Weenee Pouch Pants nappy (www.eenee.com). It's the most versatile cloth nappy I've used. The Weenee Pouch Pants consist of a soft cotton/elastane outer, which fastens with velcro at the back and a snap in waterproof pouch (polyurethane coated polyester - breathable). A biodegradable disposable pad (it's completely compostable and can also be flushed down the toilet - see website for more details) or a microfibre cloth are placed inside the pouch, to hold the urine/poo. I purchased some of the disposable pads to try initially, when Lucy was a newborn, and used them in the first few weeks when on outings - they work well, are easy to use and also break up very easily when put into the toilet (they need to be torn in half first). Initially I didn't have the Eenees microfibre cloth inserts (I didn't know about them) so Mum bought some small flannelette nappies which she cut in half and hemmed (I needed them quite small for Lucy) and these made great cloth inserts once folded into rectangles. The microfibre cloth inserts are very absorbant, easy to fold and dry very quickly.

The main benefit of this nappy, apart from being able to use the disposable pads if desired, is the waterproof pouches mean that most of the time only the pad/cloth needs to be changed; the pouch needs changing less frequently and the cotton/elastane nappy outer less often again. For example, the nappy outer may last Lucy an entire day, with the pouch being changed two or three times (if it happens to get soiled or smells of urine). Not only does this make this system very cost effective (extra pouches can be purchased separately and the pads/cloth inserts are purchased separately), it also means less washing and drying. Of all the nappies I have, all the Weenee Pouch Pants components are the fastest drying - the pouches and cloths dry very quickly and the outers moderately quickly. Unfortunately none of the materials used to make these nappies are sustainable, unless you use say an organic cotton nappy as the booster (the regular organic cotton terry squares which I have are too big, though they may fit if Lucy gets past 12kg and needs the large size); with the medium size, which Lucy wears now, the Nature's Child Organic Cotton Fitted Nappy booster pad will fit, which is great. However, at least you need less of them, and the nappies also don't require the addition of a cover. Also, the nappies are available as either China-made ($24.95) or Australian-made ($29.95), so you can reduce the transport impact by buying the Australian-made product (most other fitted cloth nappies are made in China or India, generally in apparently ethically-managed set-ups).

The picture below shows the nappy outer (left - inner side showing), folded microfibre cloth (centre) and the polyester pouch (right). The nappy is very easy to put together (even easier if using the disposable pad) and take apart, though not quite as easy as the Itti Bitti D'Lish. It is very easy to put on (it's secured with velcro at the back), adjusts to fit very well, allowing for changes in baby's shape as she grows, and is soft and comfortable against baby's body. I have encountered the least number of leakages with this nappy - and usually then, only if the nappy's been left on for quite a while (eg, overnight).

The Weenee Pouch Pants come in 3 sizes (small: 3-6kg; medium:6-12kg; large: 12-16kg) and I was able to start using them when Lucy was still very tiny (just under 3kg). The pouches that fit the Pouch Pants come in 2 sizes - the small can be used for the small and medium Pouch Pants and the medium for the medium and large Pouch Pants, therefore extending the duration of their use for one baby. Eenee Designs also makes a product for newborns (2-4kg), called a Weenees Pouch Snibb, which works very well. It basically consists of a PUL polyester pouch with ties attached - it holds a pad or cloth and is secured with the ties at the front. It is very simple but great for tiny babies, and is also inexpensive and uses minimal extra materials (the cloth inserts can continue to be used as baby grows and the actual Pouch Snibbs are very small). I had 3 of these for Lucy when she was a newborn and I continued to use them for a while once I started using the Pouch Pants - all I used for the first four months or so was the 3 Pouch Snibbs (until Lucy was a bit over 4kg) and 3 of the Weenees Pouch Pants (+ 3 extra pouches), washing only every 2nd day.

Another excellent Eenee Designs product is the Little Eenee Swimmers. Lucy has been wearing hers (only one pair needed) since she started swimming classes at 6 months old, and they have been wonderful. No insert is required and the swimmers are cleverly designed to adjust to fit snuggly (no leaks wanted please!) as babies grow (small size is 6-12kg; large fits 12-18kg). No need for those disposable swimming nappies! I will endeavour to post a photo of the swimmers! In addition, Eenee Designs also makes waterproof training pants and waterproof overnight pants, for toddlers, and PUL polyester nappy covers.

The Itty Bitty Nappy

2009-08-05T05:29:00.000-07:00

The nappy below is an Itti Bitti D'Lish (http://www.ittibitti.com.au/) nappy. I wish I'd discovered this when Lucy was a newborn! The Itti Bitti range was created by an Aussie mum who had a tiny baby and found there was a need for cloth nappies which fit small babies. The D'Lish type is particularly designed for little babies like Lucy who are lean and small as it is not bulky and is shaped around the groin area. Lucy was only 2.5kg when she was born, and even the ordinary towelling squares didn't fit! This nappy fits a baby from 3.5 to 7.5 kg and there is also a medium and large size (so you would need to purchase quite a few over your baby's nappy-wearing life if just using this system).

The nappy consists of a synthetic minkee (it's very soft) outer cover (left, below) and bamboo booster pads (middle and right, below) which snap in place, allowing them to be removed after washing, to hasten drying. Bamboo is highly absorbant and a very sustainable material. There are also mini-boosters, which snap onto the smaller booster pad to increase absorbency. The snap-on buttons are colour-coded so you can't mistake where they are supposed to attach (especially useful for husbands - Sooj would agree). All of the booster pads can be purchased separately, since the nappy outer doesn't need to be changed after every nappy change, reducing the number of complete nappies needed. The Itti Bitti D'Lish is also available as an all-in-one (mine is technically an all-in-two), with the boosters being sewn into the nappy so there's no need for any removal or replacement - handy if your baby's being left in day-care as it's very easy to put on.

I quite like this nappy for its convenience (it's very easy to put on so I tend to use it a lot when I'm out) and also its fit and lack of bulk, especially when Lucy was smaller. I have had some issues with leakage if Lucy is in certain positions (especially on her tummy or side) as sometimes it slips down slightly, creating gaps for urine to leak. This may be partly because of Lucy's shape - she is quite long for her weight so the nappy may not sit up as high on her waist area as it's intended to - so it will be interesting to see how the medium size goes. If Lucy goes to day care ever (perhaps next year) I will probably buy some of the all-in-one's just to take for that day.

Nature's Child Organic Cotton Fitted Nappy

2009-08-05T05:23:00.000-07:00

This is the Nature's Child (www.natureschild.com.au) organic cotton fitted nappy. It consists of the outer nappy, with polyester elasticised sides to contain leaks, and inner pads, also made of organic cotton (see bottom photo). The nappy can be used with just the one pad, but I have always used it with the two (both provided with the nappy) as it fits Lucy better and is more absorbant that way. This nappy fastens with velcro at the back, which is apparently useful for inquisitive toddlers (I'm yet to find this out). Often only the booster pads need to be changed; the outer only needs changing if wet or soiled. The booster pads can be purchased separately so you can have extras (without purchasing an entire nappy) making the system relatively cost effective.

Unfortunately, Lucy did not fit into this nappy until she was around 4 months old (and I bought 9 plus 6 extra boosters before Lucy arrived!), though it's supposed to fit babies from newborn (around 4kg size) to 12months. There is a larger size (size 2) for toddlers. The nappy is quite cleverly designed to fit baby as she grows. It now fits Lucy well and I quite like it. No cover is needed, though I usually put one on for overnight use, just incase (either wool or PUL polyester). The organic cotton pads are thick and quite absorbant, though they do take a long time to dry. I rarely have leakage problems with this one - as with all nappies, if it's fitted well there's less chance of a leak. Other than the Baby Beehinds hemp or bamboo fitted nappy, this is one of the greenest nappies (for an Aussie to buy) I've come across.

Nature's Child also sells a cloth nappy liner (called a dri-liner) which helps to draw moisture away from baby's skin. It's made of light-weight polyester and is particularly useful for overnight. There are also various brands of flushable biodegradable liners. I have mainly used these when away from home for more than a day, as I don't then have my Little Squirt to hose off poo. They were very useful when we went away on holidays to Queensland recently!

The Good Old-fashioned Nappy

2009-08-05T05:21:00.000-07:00

Below is a folded Nature's Child organic cotton terry square nappy. I've used these several times and they are useful to have as a back-up. The nappy is fastened using a Snappi which works a little like a bandage fastener to grap the fabric and hold itself in place - much simpler and safer than pins. Snappi's are widely available in shops (eg, chemists) and on the internet. There are many different nappy folds - which one you use depends on size, gender and shape of your baby. The Nature's Child website (www.natureschild.com.au) has some excellent nappy folding instructions (with diagrams).

One disadvantage of terry squares is the need to use a nappy cover. This could also be an advantage as I have found the chance of leakage is minimal with nappy covers (compared to fitted nappies that don't need a cover). The cover below is a lovely pure organic wool cover made by Disana. It's a beautiful, soft, comfortable cover. Unfortunately I managed to shrink one of them by accidentally popping it in with the ordinary wash! Although wool covers need to be hand washed, washing can be done less frequently (eg, once a week) - apparently when the lanolin in wool comes in contact with urine an anti-bacterial product is created.

Below is a PUL (polyurethane laminated) polyester cover, by Eenee Designs (www.eenee.com). Its similar to the old-fashioned pilchers however the PUL polyester is breathable. Although not as luxurious as the wool cover, it works well, is easy to wash, quick-drying and still has the bonus of breathability.

There are many other covers available, including both wool and PUL covers from Baby Beehinds (www.babybeehinds.com.au). I would steer clear of the old-fashioned PVC covers as they do not breathe so they create ideal nappy rash conditions.

Wiping bottoms

2009-08-05T04:55:00.000-07:00

We have been very happily using cloth nappies since Lucy was born. Sooj has been begging me for weeks to write some notes on the blog about cloth nappies, ready for Sustainable House Day!

Firstly, I would like to point out that despite what some people will tell you, cloth nappies are a greener option than disposables, even biodegradable disposables . There was a study performed by the UK Environmental Protection Agency several years ago, which compared the environmental impact of cloth vs disposable nappies. In this study, cloth and disposables came out fairly even (though it seemed to disregard the environmental impact of thousands of nappies per baby entering landfill destined to survive for thousands of years). An updated version of the study was peformed and the results released in 2008. This study considered the methods of washing and drying cloth nappies, and found that cloth nappy use consumed less energy in the production and cleaning of the nappies compared to the energy used to manufacture the number of disposable nappies used in the same time frame, when nappies were washed in warm rather than hot water, and line-dried rather than tumble drying (the original study had involved hot water washes and tumble drying). However, the cloth nappy option is even greener if you are using renewable energy (eg, solar power or purchasing accredited Green power from your energy supplier) to power your washing machine, collecting some or all of your own water and using cloth nappies made of sustainable materials (rather than, for example, ordinary cotton which uses vast amounts of water and pesticides to grow). In our case, living in a sustainable home powered by the sun, collecting all it's own water which is recycled for use in the orchard, there was no question that cloth nappies (of any type) would have far less environmental impact than disposables.

Cloth nappy use has changed considerably since I was a baby thirty something years ago. Gone are the days of soaking in bleach, washing in hot water, folding and nappy pins! There is a fabulous and extensive selection of fitted cloth nappies available that make life much easier. Not only are they easier to put on your baby, they also tend to be far more absorbant than terry squares so they don't need to be changed quite as often. Having said that, I have half a dozen organic cotton terry squares (from Nature's Child) to use as a back-up, and they have still been no problem to use.

In addition to using cloth nappies, we use cloth wipes rather than disposable wipes (this includes for bottoms, faces and any other wiping of the body that's needed)! Below are 2 organic cotton wipes from Nature's Child - the larger one on the left is for bottoms; the right one is more of a face wipe as it is ultra soft. I also have some old face washers which I use, and they work fine as well. (The small, white round object in the photo is a biodegradable disposable wipe that is about the size of a coin; it opens out into a cloth with the addition of water. I used them mainly in the first week, at the hospital, then for the first few weeks on outings, but I've hardly used them since. They are an excellent disposable wipe option though.) Of course the other ingredient is plain old water! A much gentler option for baby's skin. I simply keep a dish of clean, fresh water near the change table. There are numerous natural or organic nappy ointments and creams available too. The bottom wipes get washed with the nappies so it's really no extra effort to use them; the face wipes are washed with Lucy's clothes (again, no extra effort).

Below is a cloth nappy user's best friend! It's called a Little Squirt and it's basically a small, high pressure hose that easily attaches to the toilet cistern tap (DIY installation) and is used to hose off poo, directly into the toilet. An Australian product I couldn't live without!

In the following posts I will talk about the different types of cloth nappies I have used, and provide more information about cleaning and general use of cloth nappies.

2009-08-03T02:41:00.000-07:00

We went away to the Sunshine Coast (2000km drive in total!) for a conference for 9 days. All the animals were OK. Yoda got a transient cystitis (from stress) and Bo and Bernadette keep escaping their yards but all in all everyone was well looked after by our friends Fiona and Tam. I promise to not put up too many baby photos... but I can't resist. This is Lucy, happy to be having a posh lunch at Noosa!

2009-07-16T06:42:00.000-07:00

We have lots of excuses for not keeping this blog updated (like how annoying the process of uploading photos on this is etc), but probably our best excuse is the arrival of little Lucy. I say little cos she was born at only 2.5kg but she is strong, healthy and quite big now. She's about to turn 8 months old and we're waiting with abated breath for her first words and first crawls! Today she gave a wave! Here she is wearing a beanie that was sent to her by her God-parents-to-be Rhys and Nina when they were cycling through Peru! Lucy has solids now... all prepared by Annette and she's enjoyed everything so far... home grown organic potatoes and pumpkin, loves banana, carrots and avocado. Enjoys her lentils as well! As for nappies, she uses a verious selection of organic cotton or bamboo nappies which are working really well. I will get Annette to post some information on how we're using it.
Rather than try to go through everything over the last 12 months, I'll just start with some photos. In the background on the right is the goose house and on the right is the chook house. They are situated in the orchard where approximately 25 fruiting trees are planted. You can see Rodney our rooster perched up on the compost bays. In the foreground is a chook tractor which I built to fit exactly a raised veggie bed. The little pullets inside are Jay Lee and Elizabeth. They were hatched and reared by Chloe my niece in Sydney and they are very very tame and easy to catch and handle so they make ideal chooks to put in the tractor during the day. At night they go into their own predator proof aviary.
Our newest arrivals are Little Bo (the brown Boer goat girl) and Bernadette (the purebred white Saanen Dairy goat girl). They are very cute and follow us around like dogs, but we have them either in a stable at night, yard by day or tethered near their favourite weeds! Bernadette will hopefully give us lots and lots of milk next year! Bo is just for company (she is a meat breed but I don't know if I'd be allowed to eat any of her babies!!!). Lucy loves all the animals.

Emy and Denny (the pair of Embden Geese) being ushered back into their house for the night.

I've said this before, but we promise to keep this blog updated!!!!

***STOP PRESS****

We are going to open our house up for the 2009 SUSTAINABLE HOUSE DAY. We had planned to enter last year but we were just too busy and not really ready.... we're not finished yet, but the property is presentable. Its on Sunday 13th September. I will prepare my tour of the property and list our various 'green' strategies and features of the house. I'll use this blog as a notebook and post the tour items.

Bye

OMG 6 months!!

2009-02-23T03:56:00.000-08:00

I can't believe its been 6 months!!!
When I have a bit more time,I will update this very outdated blog!!!

Its Already November!!!

2008-11-23T21:36:00.000-08:00

2008-08-24T02:21:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone!!

Its been a while again! July was pretty much a write off on the house front because we went to Byron Bay for a week then I went to Cairns for a conference and Annette went to Jervis Bay with Sarah for a week. Its going to be a busy year ahead... I'm now NSW State representative for the EVA (Equine Veterinarians Australia) so I'll have more things to organise!

Annette is doing well. She's now 26 weeks and has a quite a bump...but with a jumper on, its hard to see!! So far everything is going well.

The house is coming along at a slow but steady pace....now the kitchen and bathroom to paint and some pictures and things to hang up!

This past week I've been busy outside again.. We've started making the lab and store rooms in the Carport and the Shed... as with the house, we're recycling walls and timber from the old shed that was left stacked up outside by the previous owners.
and after 3days of excavator work, a week of burning off some rubbishy timber that can't be used or cut up for firewood and all weekend unscrewing sheeting and pulling apart timber walls, the area where there was a massive pile of old shedding etc now looks like this!! The excavator also sorted out the rubbishy piles of wood and so I now have another 6 piles of timber to cut up for firewood.
... and this afternoon, Annette planted out the apple and pear trees which will be espaliered on the wire trellis.... but I don't think shoveling a cubic metre (about 1 tonne) of compost and soil would get mum's approval!
Rhys and Nina have been back from the UK and visited us last weekend... they are now leaving again to cycle across the Andes in South America for 2 months followed by a 1 month trip to Antartica!!! bye for now!

Animals

2008-06-29T03:02:00.000-07:00

I dropped into Gordon this week to deliver Gina's (dog) medication. Thought I'd put this up because in the background of this gorgeous Anatatolian Karabash (the dog) is mum's backyard and one of my early DIYprojects. The dog kennel housed two 50kg dogs, and it looks as good as the day I built it 12 years ago! (the MDF floor and walls are struggling but thats due to poor material selection.. I used what was available at a recylcers yard on the way back home from Wagga years ago). It's Gina's winter house... in summer she prefers the cool bushes, but she uses its shelter more in the cold weather. This little snake is a black bellied swamp snake. It was only 20cm long and I uncoverd it whilst making the chook house. Its not very dangerous.... rather cuteactually.

End of the Financial Year

2008-06-29T02:16:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,

I'm forever appologising for the lack of updates! Here's a few photos from the past month... but they're not nearly as exciting as Bjorn's web album! I hired this one man auger for a day so that I could dig a few post holes in a hurry because I wanted to build the espaliared fruit tree trelis using left over concrete from the carport slab. In the background is my finished chicken house complete with gutterguard, gutters, and rain water tank... I'm now putting up a fence around the orchard and chook house...
The bed for the trees aren't done yet obviously... I need to clear the old shed stockpiles (I've spent about 7 hours on it so far and I'm only 1/10th of the way through it!!!) so that the bobcat guys can come in and excavate some dish drains along the boundary fence so that we can divert some of the rain water run off from our neighbours and also fix up the driveway.... then we can plant the fruit trees and train the branches onto the wires between these posts. The finished stable shed from behind... I haven't started inside yet... outside, I'll build a raised garden bed all along the shed.
June 15th was a special day, with Graham's 60th birthday and the birth of a new nephew.... Bjorn Enzo Nordling in Stockholm!
The carport slab which Bernie and I laid... my next job here is to enclose this using walls salvaged from the old shed stockpile... hopefully the wood is not too rotten! This space will be my garden shed... ie. storage for firewood, building materials, tools etc.

I've also finished installing the gutterguards on the new shed, but the real challenge will be fitting them to the carport because the roof pitch is so steep.

My new toy this week is a small MIG welder... I've read up on all the scary safety aspects of welding... I don't feel like dying with heavy metal toxicity, so I'll be careful! My first welding attempt today was a hinged jockey wheel on the trailer. It wasn't neat (and its probably not v strong either!) but it worked and it held up to a fair amount of weight today! I'm practicing welding so that I can make my horse yards adjacent to the stables.

Inside, Annette is still plugging away with the paint brush.. don't worry Tomo, the Low VOC (low volatile organic compound) is OK for her. I'm sure she probably contacts far more dangerous chemical and compounds at work.

ANNOUNCEMENT: We WERE planning on a house warming on the 26th July, BUT, with the latest rains, we've been set back again, so we are going to have to postpone :-(

We'll keep you all posted on a new date!

quick update

2008-06-02T18:11:00.000-07:00

The rain is back! We did manage to get a few things done during the last few weeks. After much dramas, the builders have just about finished with the shed.... now for the fun of doin it up inside! Gerry has also just about finished painting the outside of the house. So now only some doors and bits and pieces, the kitchen and bathroom to paint.... hmmm never ending job for Nettie. Annette is coping well with her pregnancy. The nausea is going but her blood pressure is a bit low so she's light headed. The last week I've been working on the chooks' mansion which should be finished this week. Then next week I'll work on installing the 70m of gutter guards on the shed and carport. Will put up a few photos soon.

Mothers Day Announcement

2008-05-12T03:45:00.000-07:00

The last few weeks have been pretty hectic.... whats new?!?!?! Outside, the rain has let up so that the slab for the shed is now done... just waiting on the builders now.
Inside, we now have the hemp curtains, which just leaves a few more little bits and pieces of painting left to do. We've also started hanging up pictures so the house is looking more like a home. The curtains are heavy and look great and we've made them to minimise heat loss through convection currents past the windows. The house is now fealing much more cozy at night. I've also finished the wire balustrade which looks great (and it was quite simple to put up)and Jerry who is a retired handyman is now painting the exterior of the house for us.
We've had afew guests. Annette's dad Harley and Pam stayed with us for one night last week and all week we had Janet Perry (a vet friend from uni who was locuming on the central coast) staying which was really nice.

Mum's birthday was last week, so Mary, Irwin, Chloe, Dylan , Elise, Mum and Graham came over for a brunch (except that due to a missunderstanding I didn't prepare anything!!! Annette made a quick dash to the shops) to celebrate Mothers Day as well. Dylan tested out how kid-safe our house was... the first thing he did was fall off the chair and hit his head on the bamboo floor... it seems that as well as being fire and water resistant and termite proof, it is impact resistant... good to see the floor didn't get marked! (JUST KIDDING!!!) Dylan sported a nice little bump on his forehead but recoverd enough to lead the Lim Dancing Troupe.... thats an Elvis move!
AND....
Mum is looking very happy 'cos we just told her that Annette is 11 weeks pregnant!

Canberra weekend and Josh's visit

2008-04-23T00:48:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we made a quick trip to Canberra. After having a nice dinner with Annette's dad Harley and Pam, we stayed at Rydges on Friday night. The next day, we went to Clare (Nettie's school friend) and Vy's wedding celebrations which was great. Katie (far right) had a healthy baby 2 days later!
When we came home on Sunday, we fired up the combustion heater for the first time (It was installed on Friday). You can also see my entertainment centre! The living room is now finished (just the curtains to hang up).

And on Tuesday, my mate Josh (ex-flat mate from St George) came to stay. He's on a holiday for a few more days and is going back to Florida where he is doing a PhD.
Nettie made a very nice lamb shank pasta dish. The lamb was slow cooked on top of the heater and it was quite yummy!
Meanwhile, the rain refuses to go!! We've had 140mm in 3 days and its still going! So the concrete hasn't been poured yet and the shed construction is going to be hold for a while which is very very frustrating.
cya!

April

2008-04-12T15:25:00.000-07:00

Just a quick update guys:

- above is a couple of little frogs that grew up in our water garden
- I got myself a birthday present (care of loyalty points from my drug wholesaler) - a home cinema set up
- we found the antique pantry we've been looking for at the local tender centre (silent auction house with second hand stuff - its like going to 20 garage sales in one go).
- the flyscreens and security screens are in place finally so we can leave the windows open!
- the bush fire sprinkler system all the way around the property is now complete.
- the balustrading is done
- last weekend I installed the automatic drip irrigation system for the veggie gardens.
- the fruit trees are in the ground
- the curtain tracks are up and the Hemp curtains are being made.
- the concretors have started on the slab for the shed, which should be constructed in early May.

So, we are just about ready to have the final inspection for the occupation certificate so that we can start getting services like the rubbish collection. But we're still a fair way off finishing everything before we can sit back and relax... and have a house warming on the 26th July!

Our main goal though, is to have the property presentable for this year's national Sustainable House Day. Last year there were only 2 houses on the Central Coast, so we are keen to contribute... but a bit a apprehensive exhibiting our house to lots of strangers... oh well.

The fireplace will go in next week and I have to get busy on clearing the stockpile of deadwood for some fuel for the winter.... just in time as its started to get a little nippy.

cya

Easter Weekend

2008-03-24T04:25:00.000-07:00

Happy Easter !

Hope no-one got ill from eating too much chocolate!
We had a busy, productive and fun weekend...

Good Friday was spent with our god daughter Chloe (Sooj's niece) and Mary at the Easter Show. The Barbie show was fun, then a hands on shearing and milking followed by the usual main arena shows. We went back to Mary and Irwin's when it started raining and played with all the kids (and the Wii) until after dinner!

On Saturday and Sunday, we worked inside and outside to try and tidy up for Annette's mum Anne and her hubby Peter's arrival on Sunday afternoon. We didn't quite get ready before they arrived, but in the end the house was orderly and looking habitable for the very first time! Our next job is getting the termite treatments sorted out after hearing lots of white ant nightmare bed time stories from Peter, who is a professional pest controller and he gave us lots of invaluable advise. We were able to provide our guests with a proper guest room and bathroom minus the wardrobe doors and curtains (oh well... we're getting there) and a proper sit down meal.

Easter Monday. After a leisurley breakfast, Anne and Peter left to go back to Wagga, I went working and Annette planted out the herb garden.

Sail to Brisbane

2008-03-17T02:13:00.000-07:00

Hi all,

This past weekend, I was working again, but we managed to get the North and East house garden beds planted. The northern side is planted with blueberries and the eastern side is planted out with lilly pillies.

The previous weekend, I sailed a boat called Wot Yot on a delivery trip from Newcastle to Brisbane.

Herb and Water Beds

2008-03-04T03:10:00.000-08:00

Hey All,

Had another busy weekend. I'd hoped to get a lot more done but I had to do calls (work) most of the weekend and Annette went away on Sunday to the Blue Mountains with Sarah to visit their ill auntie. I did however manage to finish off a couple more beds in the garden. I made a frame for the old cast iron tub to have as a water vegetable garden which just has chinese water chestnuts, a lilly and some tadpoles at the moment. The other bed is a sizeable raised herb garden which is close to the back steps and will run along side our outdoor kitchen (wood fire oven - which I'll build and a BBQ). Will have this weekend off, so hopefully we'll get more done. During the week this week our aim is to properly move into the house and empty out the shipping container.
cya

Doing the finishing touches on Monday night.

The finished herb bed... the hard part is filling it up now. Its 3.3m long x 1.3m wide x 75cm high and all made from recycled materials (except the screws).
The old cast iron tub which I got for free from someone doing a building site clean up last year. The spikey plant is the chestnuts.

Vegie Beds

2008-02-24T02:37:00.000-08:00

I thought I'd better fill you in on what I've been up to in my new vegie beds (thanks Sooj, they're wonderful!). We had some pretty nice soil to fill the beds with - a mixture of a pile of soil that had been cleared off the future shed site and a pile of horse manure/saw dust that's been settling for months - but I wanted to add some extra organic matter to build it up. Since the beds were made over existing grasses/weeds (recently whipper-snippered) I covered the bottoms w/ cardboard using flattened boxes that I salvaged from work. Then I placed a layer of compost, a layer of lucerne hay then the soil/horse manure mix. I also mixed in some gypsum and sheep poo in the top layer of the soil mix. The gypsum helps to break up clay soil...the soil mix we had wasn't heavy clay (like most of the soil on our property!) but it had a small clay component so the gypsum should help with this.

I planted out 5 beds last weekend (I now have 3 more to do), though there is still room for more plants in each of the beds. I'm waiting on an order for more seeds from the Digger's Club (where I get most of my plants and seeds as they have lots of organically produced plants/seeds and heirloom varieties) so I'll have more to plant, hopefully next week. The first bed has 3 different carrot varieties (including 3 colour purple, which, when you transect it has 3 rings of colour including purple!); next has tomatoes (these are already fruiting as I've had them growing in pots since late spring...it's a bit late to plant tomatoes from seed here now), next bed has daikon raddish, pak choy and rocket; next has 2 different climbing bean varieties (including a purple one again) and sugar snap peas; and finally, sweet corn. (Thankyou Mary...I've planted Chloe, Dylan and Elise's rocket, beans and carrots so they will have to come and sample them when they're ready.) I also have cabbage, cauliflower, mini broccoli and lettuce planted in punnets, to be planted in the beds as seedlings. The nice thing about many of the heirloom vegie varieties is that most of them are unusual-looking (you don't see many in the shops) and they taste better and yield more than the more commercial varieties we're used to buying in supermarkets/greengrocers. You can get carrots that come in reds, purples, oranges, yellows and whites and tomatoes that are green, yellow, purple and striped! Anyway, sorry for rambling on about the vegies, but it's exciting seeing them all sprouting and developing into seedlings so fast. So far everything has sprouted through the soil except for the lettuce I've planted in punnets. I water twice a day and each time I notice new seedlings have come up and that all the seedlings that have sprouted have grown a bit more!

Today we also bought 9 blueberry plants...we've decided just to plant them on the western side of the house...will have to think of something else for the other sides. We will also plant some grapevines on this side. Both should help provide some shade in summer...we also plan to have espalier fruit trees (apple, pear etc) along the western fence to provide summer shade (but since they're deciduous will let the sun through in winter). In addition to the blueberries we bought some other fruit trees...a chocolate pudding fruit tree (can't wait to sample that one!), 2 rosella plants (Kristy should be excited about these...they produce little flowers that are delicious in champagne!), an avocado, a jaboticaba (a tree that produces yummy berry-like fruit), water chestnut (to go in an old bath Sooj is making into a water-plants pond) and a water lily.

We have lots of work cut out for ourselves in the garden but it's lots of fun. I enjoy it so much more than painting!

Nettie

OUTSIDE

2008-02-23T01:41:00.000-08:00

Yay!!! I have a weekend completely off!

I've been playing outside whilst Annette's still going with the painting inside.... somehow I don't think she'll ever undertake a full house painting ever again...

The generator had to be connected to the battery system, but I wanted to have it above the one in hundred flood level, so this was my handywork last Sunday night (took 2 hours) after I came home from emergency calls at 8:30pm.... I used some off-cut steel from the mezannine floor.

Today, I finished building the vegetable garden beds. There are 7 of them, each 1.5 x 2.4 metres insize. I did the first five beds a couple of week ago and last week we hired a Dingo, to fill up all the beds with dirt (I'll let Annette explain what went in... if she ever has time to write on this blog...). So finally we've got some veggies on the way! The beds are old railway sleepers that are set out so they are level and they are screwed together with BIG coach screws.

Today I also got Danny the Bobcat driver to come out for the day and he's backfilled all the trenches. I also finished off the retaining wall around the house and Danny shifted all the dirt and mulch so now we have a garden bed all the way around the house. Once the soil and mulch settle after some rain, we'll plant the beds out with .... blueberry... thats the plan or now at least. The high garden beds around the house was designed so that we don't have to completely enclose the verandah all the way around the house... we will make sure its safe for the kids at least. This garden will be watered with a grey water system (once we can afford it!). Anyway, better get to bed early for another big day tomorrow.

see ya!

There's light at the end of the tunnel on the EI front.

2008-02-23T01:02:00.000-08:00

Another month's gone by pretty quickly and I've been a bit slack on the blog front, but with the rush on EI vaccinations finally coming to an end plus a break from the rain has seen us make a bit of progress outside in the last few weeks!

This past month: we've managed to tick a few things off our 'to-do-list' black board in the kitchen.

We've set out all the built in wardrobes, but haven't unpacked all our clothes yet. We also have been getting quotes for the wardrobe door.

When we originally moved, I broke the glass insert in our dining table, so we ate on teh couch for a month, but I bought a router and modified the table and inserted the left over bamboo floor boards instead of the glass insert so now we are eating in a civil manner..

The ensuite and laundry is almost finished, but there's still a few fixtures to go. I made the laundry bench out of a silky oak slab, got the splash back from Ikea, and the post is a very old fence post which was lying around outside.

Annette made two loaves of organic bread today... whilst I was slaving away outside.... very nice fresh with nutella!

Started the moving-in process!

2008-01-20T05:09:00.000-08:00

We had a busy and productive weekend. On Saturday, I spent all morning filling in the power trenches. The rest will be done by an excavator, but now I can organise sprinkler systems etc etc. Then after a tip run, we went down to Sydney for our friends' Leah and Gareth's wedding at Taronga Zoo. It was a good night out at a great venue! Today (Sunday), we came back early so I could go and vaccinate more horses whilst Annette finished cleaning the kitchen and started unpacking. After I came home, I started bringing in some of the furniture from the shipping container and most of the kitchen stuff, so the house is starting to look like a home! Better go now... will put up photos soon.

Quick Update

2008-01-18T04:26:00.000-08:00

A couple of things happened this week
1. told the Totally Green Plumbing guys to not come back... :-)
2. floor finished
3. moved into our master bedroom
4. Bernie the builder hurt his hand (not at our place) so he's out of action for a while... I'll have to start doing stuff outside.

2008-01-10T02:45:00.000-08:00

Tomo and Vik on our teak day bed... its a really nice piece, but we bought it when we weren't really aware that it was most probably produced from rainforest timber and is quite an unsustainable bit of furniture! After earning their lodgings and breakfast with a morning of cleaning floor boads, we took them out to The Entrance for a bit of pelican-ing.... what kind of 'birds' were you taking photos of Viktor??? All the pelicans are behind you....

ciao

New Main Page Photo

2008-01-10T02:29:00.000-08:00

I've put on a new photo up the top. It takes a bit of time to download because of its size and resolution. Viktor my brother in law from Sweden took lots of great photos on their recent trip back here for Christmas and this is one of them. Thanks Viku!

Here are some more recent photos:

Nettie finishing off the bedrooms' old floor boards.Bernie starting the first piece of the new bamboo floor boards...

Mum, Viktor and Tomo's first visit last week.Zane and Sarah dropped in for a visit on the way through... we chased the cats and dogs with his radio controlled car... funMichael and Kristy came for our first din-din with Tomo and Viktor..

We are in!!!

2008-01-09T04:29:00.000-08:00

Hey All,

Sorry of the lack of updates recently... we will definitely get back into things once we are a bit more settled.

We're a fairway off being done, but things are certainly better now than a few weeks ago.

POWER - The main thing pre-christmas was the power being put on... hurray!!! So, Clint the sparky worked har the week before Xmas and got it all going. The guys from Solar Shop were great and they got the power system up and going in one day. The system is on a supa-mezzaine in the carport that Charlie put up they day before the solar guys arrived. After a few sunny days, the batteries have been pretty much >90% most of the time. All the power points work as well as the lights so now we can work into the night.... yeh...

The Solar Shop guys with the power going for the first time!!!

SEPTIC - this isn't quite finished, but Chris the Biolytix guy came out on Thursday just after Christmas and put in most of the sub-surface irrigation so that we could use the shower, bath and toilet etc..... but the major hicup came before that when the Totally Green Plumbers were slack as. Even though they could have put in the hot water tank and installed all the taps and stuff back in August (we bought the stuff in June but the walls weren't up until August) Mitchell the guy thats been doing our stuff kept saying that they wanted to do everything in one go when the septic and power were both available so that they could commission it straight away... anyway, he kept putting us off until the Friday before Christmas, came at 9:30 and left at 2:30 after only getting the hot water tank in and the taps on the bath tub, then said he'd be back on the 7th January!!! (which by the way has come and gone and he hasn't called us)... I was very pissed off because we still had no toilet and no water in the house except out of the bath taps. Anyway, Nat (husband of Nicole who works at Wyong Equine Clinic) came to the rescue and a couple of days later on the Sunday before Chrissy, came over and put in the toilet cistern and basin taps and fixed the water pump... he'd only accept a bottle of wine!! I also fixed the ensuite shower and the kitchen taps so we were now right to go and move into the house after the septic irrigation lines were in. So, the Friday the 28th December, we unofficially moved in... our mattress from the caravan into the guest bedroom and slept in our new house and used the toilet!

Having a late night Hungry Jack's for our moving-in celebration dinner with some champers!!

The biolytix tank in and ready to recieve..

FLOOR - We sanded back and varnished the 2nd and 3rd bedroom floors the weekend before Christmas and also moved all the bamboo flooring that was delivered into the house to acclimatise, then for the following 1.5 weeks after Christmas, Bernie has been back in action and we've been doing the floors together. The bamboo boards look really good and feel good as well, but the job was quite back-breaking work. Tomoko and Viktor were at least able to visit us a couple of times. Last weekend, they stayed over night after our first 'official' dinner. We also had Michael and Kristy over for our mini house warming. Thanks for the Frangipani! The next morning, even though Annette told Tomo and Vik to 'sleep in as long as you like', we were banging and sawing and being very noisy from 7:30am onwards so they didn't get much of a sleep in... then they helped us rub off the glue marks and finger prints off the new floor with metho!!! Thanks guys. The bamboo flooring has now been finished!

The timber slabs on teh counter...

THIS WEEK - Charlie came back yesterday and finished off hte mezzanine in the carport with a gate and ballustrade so its now all safe and we'll take photos for the solar shop guys to be able to claim the government rebate. Annette has been busily painting the skirting boards before they get put into position later in the week. We also picked up our new toilet for the ensuite.. the Caroma Profile Suite with the handbasin on top!! Itwas a couple hundred dollars more than I was expecting ($870), but since we've been waiting for it since September, I'm not complaining :-)

Now the dilemma.... do we let the plumbers that let us down back into the house and touch our special can (toilet)?

Will put on more photos later..

cya
Pete

Solar panels

2007-12-10T00:54:00.000-08:00

Here are the photos we promised of the solar panels. They've been in for a couple of weeks now but are still not hooked up to batteries...any time now. We're waiting on the mezzanine to be built in the carport, for the batteries to be placed on.

A grid was installed first and the panels were fixed to these. The guys spent most of the day installing the panels.

The panels look quite good on the carport roof. They are in a prime position (facing north) to collect the sun's energy.

Most of the electrical fittings are in (just a few lights and power points) and the waste water treatment tank is in but we're still waiting for the dispersal lines (which the treated water empties out through, underground) to be installed. Have had A LOT of rain over past week (each of our 22 000L tanks is full!) which has held things up.

Also waiting on the arrival of our bamboo floorboards...another hold-up with these.

Progress

2007-11-26T05:28:00.000-08:00

I promise to put up a few photos as soon as I can get home whilst still light!!!
The solar panels are up but the mezzanine for the batteries still have to go up. The trenches for the power and phone have been dug. The biolytix septic tank is in but there's another council hiccup with the evapotranspiration area and I'm about to building the retaining wall all the way around the house so that the balcony has a garden bed surrounding it... its the only way we can use stainless steel wire for the balustrade. photos soon!

Progress (or lack of) Report

2007-11-19T03:15:00.000-08:00

Things have slowed down incredibly and we're currently waiting on the solar people, the Biolytix waste water treatment system to be installed and the electricians to come and finish plus the plumbers. Everyone is slow and no one comes when they promise!

On a happier note, I was very excited last week to find my first strawberries growing. They are alpine strawberries (yes, Tomo & Viktor, just like the wild ones in Europe which we taste-tested in the Stockholm Archipelago!) which I have growing in some pots. Delicious!

Walk Against Warming

2007-11-11T02:30:00.000-08:00

Here are some photos of the Walk Against Warming which Sarah and I took part in today. There was a fantastic turn-out, with around 30 000 people joining the walk in Sydney. Apparently there were about 50 000 for Melbourne's walk and thousands more people participated in other walks across Australia. We heard from Bob Brown and Peter Garret who were both welcomed enthusiastically by the crowd. (I was stoked to get such a close-up pic of Peter!) A very well spoken young boy, about 8 years old, also gave a moving speech. Typically, the so-called Federal environment minister, Malcom Turnbull, refused the opportunity to address the people on the day, even though he had been kindly invited to give his point of view. There wasn't even a representative from the Liberal government present, however the Greens, Labour and Democrats were all represented by party members.

Please take a look at the pics. Sarah and I had fun and I'll definitely be turning up for next year's walk too!

Before the walk and speeches.

Young boy urges people to take action, for the sake of his, and future, generations.

Greens Senator Bob Brown

Peter Garret was so enthusiastic he almost broke into a dance.

Sarah the protestor with placard.

Nettie with placard...pretty appropriate since we're fighting the Korean coal mine project on the Central Coast and Sooj and I are about to get our solar panels so we won't be relying on the horrible stuff.

Turning out of Macquarie St, to walk around Hyde Park.

Walk Against Warming

2007-11-06T23:17:00.000-08:00

Well, I finally finished the major part of painting last Sunday. I had a little celebration inside as it's been such a painstaking job. Still waiting to hear from the electricians as to when they will be coming to do the final fittings.

Just on a non-house topic, I thought I'd mention the Walk Against Warming that is happening all over Australia, this Sunday, 11th November. It's a day to show politicians (just before the federal election) and fellow Aussies that there a plenty of people who are concerned about global warming and also that there is so much that can be done to try and reduce it...if only everyone would act now. So, if you're concerned too (and you live in Australia), come and join one of the many walks that are taking place across Australia this Sunday. Sarah (my sister) and I will be joining the walk in Sydney, which begins in the Domain. There will be talks from Senator Bob Brown and Peter Garrett, and lots of music. The website for the walk is http://www.walkagainstwarming.org/ - it has details of where the walks will be taking place (even in country towns) and all sorts of other information. You can even purchase a 100% organic cotton, Aussie made, Walk Against Warming t-shirt. Please come and join in!

Nettie

(BTW, I'll be catching a train to Sydney, rather than the car...more enviro-friendly!)

Painting Nearly Complete!

2007-11-02T04:04:00.000-07:00

This weekend should see the completion of the painting (not including the architraves, skirting boards and exterior though!) which has been a daunting task. Only 1 more coat to the main room walls and 2 on the kitchen walls and I'm done. Yay! The electricians will be in some time from next week, to do all the light fittings and switches and the solar and waste water treatments should go in in the next couple of weeks.
Nettie

Biotop Swimming-Teich / Natural Pool Release 4

2007-10-20T23:42:00.001-07:00

This is one example of the kind of natural swimming pool that we plan to build. I'm just starting to plan the layout now.

Letter Box!

2007-10-17T22:05:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I made our letterbox... even though we opened a post office box at Wyong, we were still getting mail delivered and the letters were being left on the ground, even in the rain! I had elaborate plans for constructing a mega-sized letter-box, but opted instead to follow the theme of using as much of the timber lying around as possible.

I cut out the opening in a rather large tree stump with a chainsaw and chisel and hammer then fitted the steel letter box inside.

Solar Power Rebate Approved!

2007-10-15T18:53:00.000-07:00

Hello all you bloggers!

Sorry about the lack of updates the previous couple of weeks. Workwise we've been getting steadily busier and a couple of weddings to attend to have stalled our house progress somewhat... still, we're now about 2/3 of the way through the painting of the walls and ceilings.

The next 4 weeks should see a lot more progress because I just got told that our application for the remote solar power grant has been approved.. I think we're only the 3rd apllication to be approved under this new grant.

SO, that means that we'll get the full solar system in 4~5 weeks which will cost around $62K but the government will fund $31K of that. hurray!

This weekend we're off to Thredbo for Annette' friend Alison's wedding, so I'm looking forward to that.. I've had a super-busy weekend and a couple of late night, stressful 'DPI Community Information meetings' that I spoke at so I'm very much hanging out for that motel shower and a good unwind!

cya

Carport Warming!

2007-10-02T03:59:00.000-07:00

We had our first BBQ yesterday! Grandad had arrived from Japan on Saturday and since it was a public holiday, Mary and the two nieces Chloe and Elise, Sarah, Mum and Graham all came up to have a look at the progress on our house. Unfortunately, Irwin had to stay home and look after Dylan who was sick!

It was the easiest BBQ ever for me because mum brought up everything.... and it was all very yummy!

This is my grandad Yozo Asakura. He's looking very sprightly for his 90 years!
A building site isn't all that kid friendly, but I spent all weekend tidying up and I was very happy to avoid any incidents with the girls... just a couple of dislocated elbows :-)

A New Home for Our Caravan!

2007-09-28T02:01:00.000-07:00

This week saw the completion of our carport and the relocation of our caravan. We're much more comfortable as the caravan is now well sheltered from rain and from the heat of the day. There is plenty of space (as you can see, the carport is HUGE) and we've set up a little 'entertainment area' outside the caravan, which will be very useful as the weather warms up. We've also improved our caravan grey-water drainage system so that the grey water now runs through 20m of Nylex grey-water hosing and empties directly onto the ground well away from the caravan and amongst grass/bushes etc. Previously we had it emptying into large buckets which we had to manually empty every day. If we want to collect the water for watering our plants we can still do this easily.

On the house front, we are still plodding along with the painting though it seems like it will never end. We've finished undercoating, the laundry is painted (other than the trims) and 2 ceilings are complete...still plenty more to go. Painting ceilings is not much fun! However, the Dulux EnvirO2 and Aquanamel paints make things much more pleasant as they are relatively odourless and easy to apply. Our ensuite and laundry are now tiled (we will post photos later) and the showerscreen is in. We are waiting on a new toilet from Caroma (see below) called the 'Profile Suite', which should be available in October. It has a hand-washing basin built-in on top of the cistern and uses the hand-washing water to fill the cistern, so the water is effectively used twice (go to http://www.caroma.com.au/ for more info). It costs around $500 and will be available from stores such as Bunnings. sooj says ... "my grandma and grandad have had these for 25 years in their unit in Tokyo... its about time Oz caught up..."

We are quite enjoying actually living on our property now (even though we're in a little caravan) as there's plenty of space and it's quite pleasant pottering around in the morning with lots of different birds going about their morning routines. Sooj recently discovered some Eastern rosellas nesting in a tree hollow and I've been enjoying bird-watching in my own backyard. Apparently (according to the ecological assessment guys who did the initial eco reports on this property about 5yrs ago), there is a large population of ringtail possums here, and there are also antechinus; some koalas were also seen when they did the original assessment. I plan to go spot-lighting soon to have a look for myself!

Must go and have dinner which Sooj has cooked on the barbie. Have a look at the pics below.

Bye for now,
Nettie

The carport provides a perfect shelter for our caravan (no more leaks) and fits both cars as well. When the shed is built, it will be connected to the carport on the side which is furthest to the right on this photo (northern aspect). The solar panels will sit on the north-facing side of the carport roof.
We have a nice little set-up outside the caravan, with gas barbecue (sitting alongside the outer caravan wall) and tables and chairs. There will be no more issues with mud when it rains as the floor of the carport is crushed recycled concrete.
Sally-Ann doing her book/computer work for Wyong Equine Clinic, just outside the caravan.

The new Caroma Profile Suite...see http://www.caroma.com.au/ for details.

Carport construction

2007-09-26T04:53:00.000-07:00

Last week the carport construction was begun and Charlie finished the job this Tuesday!
Its a pretty gigantic 'carport' and it will support all 50 solar panels.
These past 2 weeks, Sally Anne has been coming to work at my place... and doing lots of washing because we need to wear fresh overalls at every call. The number of infected properties is steadily increasing so we are pretty busy all day long... the phone is driving us mad!
This is the view from the top of the scissor lift which was hired to build the carport.

Next time I'll put up photos of our new arrangement with the caravan safely underneath our new carport... hopefully no more leaks!... and just in time too because I can hear some heavy rain on the roof! The roof has also been connected to another 22000 litre tank so we now have 66000 litres of rain water capacity.

cya!

Outside the house

2007-09-17T15:15:00.000-07:00

The balcony is now a lot safer as the balustrade is up. We had to add an extra post in between the existing posts so that the maximum distance between them was 1.5m. This is apparently required for the stainless steel wire which tends to loosen up abit and can become prised apart by adventurous little kids... but the council guy is still not happy with it. He might be happier if we raise the garden bed right around the house so that the drop is less than 1 metre, which I was already planning to do anyway.
The pic below is our back yard... the evapotranspiration area. This area is the required 700square metres but we need to have it filled (raised to the 1 in 20 flood level). This pic was taken after about 27 truck loads of topsoil from a nearby development site.. probably another 200 tonnes needed...

Update at last!

2007-09-17T14:49:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the lack of updates! We've been having dramas with the internet link and our email address, power issues, late nights and this bloody Equine Influenza... Here's a quick update on progress.
We're about 3/4 through the first (of 3) coats of paint and filling in gaps around architraves and bumps in the walls etc. I think the preparation bit takes the longest and once this undercoat is done, the final two coats should be quicker. We are using Dulux EnvirO2 for the walls and ceilings and Aquanamel for the trims. These are low Volatile Organic Compound paints and are also carbon offset during production. The Aquanamel is a water based enamel.
Our laundry arrangement. We plug up the washig machine and the water pump to the generator and we have a couple of usable taps outside for the water. The detergent we are using is the AWARE powder which you can get at supermarkets. Its quite environmentally friendly.
The cats have been living these past 2 weeks in our guest bedroom. Its much bigger than the cage at boarding but they're a bit scared with the noise from building activities and the smells!
Nettie sanding away. Sarah (her sister) also came over a couple of weeks ago and gave us a hand with the wall sanding.
A view from the front door. The raised bed behind my car (white 4WD) is the site for the carport which is being delivered tomorrow. Charlie Britt (a horse trainer friend) is putting it up for us. The carport is 9m wide and 12m deep and its roof will be pitched at 30 degrees so we'll use its northern roof section as the site for the 50 solar panels.

What a week!

2007-09-01T05:43:00.000-07:00

We have finally moved onto our property and have just finished unpacking into the caravan and the storage container. Now we can entertain in style so please feel welcome to pop in for a cuppa! The only hiccup at this stage is that the fridge is not working as it should. Its a 3-way fridge and we want it to be on gas the whole time but the gas is not working, so everything that we brought from our old house had to be thrown out :-( We'll try and fix the situation this week.)...actually it was at least added to the compost so won't be totally wasted ;) (Nettie)

Our caravan is quite spacious with a double bed, a full kitchen and a separate bathroom with a shower, vanity and a toilet. We are emptying the toilet canister into the porta-loo which we have had here on-site for the last 3 months for the tradesmen. But generally, number ones are in the bush and we try to use others (eg shoping centres) for number twos!! :-P

The water from the kitchen and bathroom sinks and the shower water is piped outside, where I've placed a bucket to collect is and we are using it to water the pot plants.

This is my car as discussed before. The battery is in a case (on the right) and the 1000W inverter (red box) is easily accessible from the side windows of my canopy in the car. The system is working out really well. Its powering everything is the van except the freezer which had to be disconnected because of the huge load the compressor draws when it is first starting up.
Oh yeh, this week has been quite stressful, with the house moving, caravan setting up, house building and now the Equine Influenza outbreak!!! At this stage we are quietly confident that we will get on top of things here and life can go back to usual. I hope I don't have to look this riduculous for much longer....

On the house front: the fixing out is complete and so now we have to roll up our sleeves and start painting! Outside the house this week we will HOPEFULLY get the shed and carport site excavated and the piers for the carport formed and the evapotranspiration area for the septic system can be prepared. Due to Council headaches, we now have to bring in about 200 cubic metres of good quality topsoil to create 700square metres of septic irrigation area ABOVE the 1 in 20year flood level! We're getting quite used to budget blow outs and unexpected costs.... We will also pay the deposit for the 50 panel solar system this week and get the application in for the government rebate, once that is done, it should be only about 7 weeks before we have power to the house!

cya

Semi-sustainable caravan life.

2007-08-23T05:40:00.000-07:00

Tonight I am logged on for the first time using a Telstra USB wireless modem on the nextG network and its working surprising fast even up here on the Central Coast. I've set this up in preparation for moving on the property in 2 days where we will have no power, phone or septic for another 2 months.

As we have will not have our solar power for another 2 months ( at least) and the caravan can only be powered by 240 volt cable, we were faced with the prospect of having to run a generator every night for a couple of months to power the water pump (shower/toilet/sink), the laptop for internet access, charge the mobile phones etc etc. Even if I re-wired the van and set up a battery, the battery would have had to be charged for a few hours each day to use each night.... not only is the generator noisy, it seemed like unnecessary carbon emissions.

So, I've done what I'd always wanted to do for work... carry my own power source for Xrays, Ultrasounds etc just in case the power was unavailable at the horse. We've been meaning to do it for years, but this seemed the right excuse... I've installed a large 90amp 12V second battery into the work car with a 1000W inverter which will convert the 12V into 240V. The batteries will be wired so that as I drive around all day for work, both batteries will get charged. When I get home, I can plug the caravan directly up to the inverter in the back of the car. Although the battery won't stay charged for very long if a lot of appliances are used, if we are conservative, it should last each night and be useful for the laptop, phones, light and water. This way we will only use the generator occasionally for tools, vacuum cleaner etc. The first battery in the car will be protected so that it won't be used for the inverter and eliminate the risk of having a car with a flat battery in the morning! This option definitely eases my conscience when it comes to the amount of driving I do each day (~250km).

The Protector 1000W inverter cost about $420 and the lead acid battery was $187 (a gel battery or a fully sealed one is around $330). Add another couple hundred for the battery case and wiring by the autoelectrician. Will report on how it works next time!

Plastering Finished and Making Arrangements to Move onto Property.

2007-08-16T02:56:00.000-07:00

This is our new arrangement: The shipping container for us to move ALL our gear into this week. And the caravan on the right which we will call home for the next 2 months (no more I hope!).
Nettie starting to move things from our old house into the container.
The plasterers finished off the walls and cornices today. We will start fixing out (thats architraves, door jambs, doors etc) and the balcony balustrades tomorrow!!
The living room...
We've bought a few bits of furniture from the Central Coast Tender Centre, which is like a gigantic garage sale where you bid on items like in a silent auction. They have some great second hand stuff and we also bought these timber slabs from there this week. These slabs will be used in the house and laundry. The narrow ones are Camphor Laurel (which is an invasive, undesirable, introduced tree) and the laundry bench will be made with the silky oak slab (we like silky oak because we already have some antique furniture which is made from them) from a private local property.

The new 10m x 12m carport has been ordered and it will house a mezzanine on which the power system (inverter, batteries etc) will be located. The carport is going to be next to the shed/stable... but more on that later.

An update from Nettie

2007-08-14T17:15:00.000-07:00

You'll be pleased to know Sooj is recovering well but he still has a nasty shiner! I on the other hand have had to take the past two days off work as I'm sick again with a nasty cold.

We have bought a caravan (complete with toilet, shower, oven/stove, microwave, fridge and freezer!) which we'll be living in on-site once we move out of our home at Berkeley Vale (by the 28th August...not long to go). This is going to be interesting but we can just pretend we are camping and I think we'll be fine.

The plasterers are doing their bit this week; they started last Friday and should be finished by Thursday. Then we can start the fit-out (or Bernie the builder can) and think about starting some painting...yes we have decided to do it ourselves, since I'm working part-time and we have the time to do it as the main constraint on moving in to the house is the power, which will take a while to complete. I've been looking into some paint options, including the various biopaints (non-toxic plant-based paints). I think we will probably end up using the new semi-enviro-friendly (ie, compared to regular paints that are available) Dulux paints (EnvirO2 and Aquanamel) rather than biopaints due to the big difference in price-tag. The new Dulux paints are low-VOC (volatile organic compounds that will contribute to air-pollution in the home), have reduced solvent emissions and are 100% greenhouse gas abated through the AGO greenhouse friendly programme. The Aquanamel is more enviro-friendly than regular enamel paint as it is water-based rather than oil(petrochemical)-based. Anyway, I'm still looking into paint options so might even change my mind on this one.

We are looking at about 8-9weeks before our remote-area solar power system will be ready. The panels (I think around 60 or so) will be placed on the roof or our carport (which is yet to be built) and the plan is to put the large battery system on a mezzanine in the carport (so will be well above the required flood zone level). The other essential which seems to be taking forever to sort-out, is the waste water treatment system (Biolytix) which hopefully will be in before the power. We just need to prepare the treated water dispersal area by clearing some scrub and levelling it with good quality soil (this is an area of 690m2 by the way, which is quite massive). Anyway, the dispersal area is going to be the site for many fruit trees (which should thrive with the high nutrient water) so at least the site will be semi-prepared for planting.

We have hired a 20ft shipping container to store everything from our house, on-site, until our new home is ready. I'm not looking forward to the whole moving process but it will be nice to be able to say goodbye to our old house and not have to worry about looking after it anymore.

Until next time,

Nettie

Gutter guards

2007-08-12T01:28:00.000-07:00

I finished installing the steel gutter guard on the house today. When it came to gutter guards there were quite a few options but since we are in a fire threat area, the choices were narrowed pretty much to steel or aluminium products. There are a couple of different brands out there. We got the gutta-arma which is a BP Colourbond steel product which is basically a sheet of metal which is perforated then stretched to produce the grid-like openings. This system is supposed to be better than the aluminum mesh... but who really knows? Any guttering system on this colourbaond verandah roof (which is actually quite flat) would collect leaves and will need a regular blow-vac.

Shopping around I found a good metal mesh-type gutter guard called Guttershield (John 0412415581) , from as little as $11.90 p/m supplied only and approx double that installed, up to the Gutta-arma which was originally quoted to me by The Leaf-Man for about $31 p/m installed and supply only at ~$23 p/m. However, I also found a wholesale building supplier on the net which was selling the same Gutta-arma for $16.58p/m (Gutta-Arma 96345509)! So, when I quizzed The Leaf-Man about this, he sold me the colour-matched Gutta-arma for $17 incl. GST delivered....hmmmm

Installation is pretty damn easy (but uncomfortable!!!) and the saving of $13.50 p/m was well worth the effort (for ~80 metres of guttering, thats $1080.00)! The actual installation took me about 8 hours (thats about 5~6 minutes per 1.2 metre sheet) but cleaning the gutters took about 6 hours (Annette did about 4 of those). It went through about 1100 little hex screws (which were spplied) and 6.5 tubes of clear gutter silicone tubes (about $7.50 each).

Owner Builder in Action!

2007-08-11T16:39:00.000-07:00

Doh!

The ceiling went in on Friday and the insulation bags were only delivered on Friday afternoon due to a delay, so we spent an hour or so pulling up the bags into the roof cavity. Just as I was preparing to come back down, I found a quicker alternative!! I unbalanced backwards and fell backwards through the ceiling and 3m down onto the masonite floor and landed on the side of my head... my right wrist, shoulder, hip, leg and left side neck is a bit sore too. Annette took me into hospital straight away and xrays and a CT scan on my head were all clear :-)

I don't recommend it. Its not long enough to even enjoy the free-fall experience...

We're back!!

2007-08-01T01:19:00.000-07:00

Hello blog and blog readers!

After 16 days away, followed by a week in court on jury duty, I'm back! We've just finished off the internal walls and next week, the plasterers will be in to finish off the ceiling and the walls. We have sold our Berkely Vale house and have just 4 weeks until we have to move in! We are probably going to hire a caravan to put on site because the power is almost certainly not going to be up by then..... maybe by the end of September...
I will take some photos soon and post some up. cheers

We're off to the UK for a couple of weeks!

2007-07-03T08:42:00.000-07:00

For a touch of Australiana, these are the logs which I pulled out of the piles and put up inside. They should look good when finished. Annette looking glamourous just as we are about to start putting in the wall insulation.
Walls done... it was a bit fiddly in spots because the stud spacings in the house are all over the place...

The powerscape boards starting to go up.

Since we are off to the UK and Sweden for a couple of weeks, there won't be too much more progress for a few weeks, but at this stage, the plumbing is complete, the electricals are ready and the walls just about done. So when we come back we should be able to quickly finish of hte walls and ceiling and then we can get to the architraves, balaustrades, floor etc whilst we get the Biolytix septic system connected and the power (solar) installed.... getting there!

Weekly Update

2007-06-25T05:23:00.001-07:00

Heya,

Have begun putting up the walls today. The Powerscape boards arrived last Friday. They are so heavy!! And they are a bit harder than normal plasterboard to put up.... BUT, they seem to be a great product and I'm very happy to be using them. Follow our link below for POWERSCAPE. We are installing the Powerscape Confidence Ultra-mesh. Its been used in luxury homes, gymnasiums, schools and high density buildings because of their acoustic and fire ratings and most importantly their durability. We also like the fact that its made of 95% recycled material. The plumbing is almost finished. Annette spent a very tough weekend using a jack-hammer to remove the old laundry slate floor o that we can continue work on the new ensuite. All the grey water has been separated out from the black-water so that we can install a grey water system... we are still trying to decide what type of system to use.. just a system for using the water on the garden OR a proper treatment system for reuse inside the house.... hmmmm

cya

Insulation

2007-06-20T05:48:00.000-07:00

Today we stared insulating the house in preparation for putting up the plasterboards on monday.

The recommended insulation for our climate is R1.5~R2.0 fibreglass batts for the walls and R2~R3.0 for the ceiling.

We've put in R2.0 Bradford Gold Wall batts from CSR (these are basically the same as the Boral Pink Batts) into the external walls and will use Boral R3.0 Pink Polybatts in the ceiling. The poly wool batts aren't quite as eco friendly as the fibreglass ones which are up to 70% recycled glass content, but they are a lot nicer to handle (not itchy and irritating), and since I'll probably be in the roof from time to time, I prefer the polybatts. These types of insulation generally work out at between $3.20 and $5.50 per square metre. Our ceiling and external wall areas are about 300 square metres.

We aren't putting in extra sound insulation batts because we are using a really good wall product. The gypsum-type wall is called POWERSCAPE and it is thicker than the usual plasterboard, denser and more compressed and is therefore stronger and more sound proof. Unlike normal plasterboard, you can fix screws into it and it'll hold up to 20kg. It has the impact resistance of masonry, so it will last much longer, it is low allergenic and just as easy as plasterboard to install. Even though it has a higher embodied energy compared to Australian made plasterboard - probably from the transport cost (therefore, not as good ecologically), it is actually certified to be composed of 95%recycled material, which is much better than the plasterboard. So, yes, this wall is more expensive (normally about 4 times more expensive than plasterboard) but the Australian distribution of Powerscape is changing hands as of the 1st July, and they are going to discontinue the 16mm product and only sell 13mm boards so I've been able to buy 400 square metres at $8.50 +GST per metre instead of ~$18 +GST.

Anway, our next week will involve getting termite treatment, putting up the powerscape and finishing the ceiling insulation and plasterboard. Then, whilst we are in Sweden for Tomo's wedding, we 'll get the plasterer to finish off and maybe even get in a painter!

cya

Instead of putting

Weekly update!

2007-06-17T06:08:00.000-07:00

What an eventful week! Sad to say that there are still some horses and livestock missing (probably dead) and we have been busily patching up others that were hurt last weekend. Unfortunately for us, the heavy rains have taken its toll on our progress. The electricians have pretty much finished until we board up the walls and the front and back stair cases have been 80% built. I just have to finish the handrails and today I dug some holes for the feature posts. We are waiting on the plumbers before we can fully line the walls, but given the weather, that might be a while. This weekend was spent pretty much 'playing' in the mud. We dug trenches right around the house and have lined it with shade cloth, installed hte ag-line and have started covering them up with blue metal. The rain alows us to see the water flow, but the thick mud and being doubled over under the verandah makes for back breaking work! It didn't help that I got the tractor bogged too! I hope I can dig it out tomorrow...

Over the last couple of weeks, we've been busy sourcing lighting, researching tiles, choosing flooring, bathroom and laundry fittings etc. We are using downlights throughout the house. The downlights are all on GU10 240V fittings. This means they can take new energy saving down lights which draw only about 11W and are nearly as bright as the halogen bulbs. Unlike all the 12Volt systems they don't need a transformer either. Transformers use up 10~15W on top of the energy for the light bulb (usually 50W halogen). A 12V system can take the new low energy 12Volt LED lights, unfortunately they just aren't bright enough compared to the CFL (compact fluorescent) or the halogen. We are however going to use a few 3W LED GU10 downlights (callled LUXEON) as well. These aren't that bright, but at only 3W energy consumption (plus no transformer) they are a must!

On the energy front, we have had a few develpments. It looks like its going to cost~$25000 for us to get connected to the grid! So we said bugger it. We are going to go full solar on a stand alone system.... ie batteries, no grid connection etc. Normally, a system to cater for a family would cost around $58000. The current NSW government rebate is only $8000, so we were a bit hesitant at first... but wait! There's more...

From July 1 this year, there will be a new rebate scheme in NSW that was previously only available in WA and other very remote areas. Under the new funding, IF it is going to cost $30000 (or there abouts) to get connected to the grid, the government will subsidise 50% of the costs of installing a stand alone solar system so that you don't have to get connected. The only down side is that we wouldn't be allowed to connect to the grid for at least 5 years if we want to keep the rebate.... but after the last weekends events and power outages.. and the predicted future power problems as the population and demand on the grid increases, we don't think we'll be plugging-in in a hurry!

So the bad news is that we'll still be spending close to $30000 for power, but the GREAT news is that it will be all solar and wind (plus back up generator.. just in case) and we'll never pay another cent to energy australia. The only down side for us is that the new scheme is not in place yet and it may be August before we get set up..... please send us all your used/unwanted candle wax for us to recycle!

cya

Flood Photos

2007-06-10T02:40:00.000-07:00

View from the freeway.. our house is around where the arrow is.

The road leading to the driveway (arrow). It got to around 1m deep - just a tad too deep for my car.

The people opposite us weren't so lucky. They had a tree and power lines down over their driveway so they left the cars on the driveway overnight whilst waiting for emergency services. The next morning.... all three cars are ruined.

The view of the next door neighbours property shows the water coming up well...

But the water was also rising up in the bushes all around the house. This view is to the east side of the house... the water was about 50cm above the base of the water tanks (I hope all the substrate below the tanks didn't get washed away!!)

Water, water and more water!!

2007-06-10T01:50:00.000-07:00

What an eventful week!

We've just been reconnected to the cyberworld because we've just gotten power back after about 60 hours. If you haven't seen the news, there's been a lot of rain on the east coast of New South Wales and there's floods galore! Maitland are in real trouble and the water is expected to peak there tonight. Most of the rain on the Central Coast was over the last 3 days and have now just about stopped. The death toll is at 9 and there are still 110000 homes without power.

Our new home was relatively unscathed. Its just that the road in front of the property flooded and we still can't access the house by car. We can however still get to the house via the neighbour's property. I took some photos on Saturday morning, but the water rose quite a bit more after that.

Anyway, last week, most of the carpentry was finished and the electricians have started work. they were going to be finished by the end of this week (but that may now be a bit delayed) and we were going to put up the walls on Monday week.... fingers crossed.

On the work front, lots of horses have been hurt in the floods but as far as I know, I haven't heard yet of too many losses (but I'll be on call tomorrow and expect a busy day).

I'll post a few photos of the floods next.

Pete

Internal works begun!!

2007-06-03T03:18:00.000-07:00

Last Monday, much to our pleasant surprise, the DA for the alterations was approved (we had been told 8weeks, but it was only 3! bonus!) and so we began internal works. Originally, we had been looking at another builder, but when they failed to give me a quote/estimate after 5 weeks, I thought.. here we go, someone else who'll put us on the back burner... so I've enlisted Bernie Maloney, our trusty old guy.. he did our reno's at Berkeley Vale for us and is very accomodating and good. So these firt pics are from the kitchen area looking to the (future) living room. It was filled up by the third bedroom and made no use of the best (northern) areas of the house. So its coming down. Last Thursday, Berney started demolishing and (with my help) he is now already ready for putting up the new wall for the main bedroom and the laundry... except that the wall isn't exactly new. I wanted to recycle every bit of timber from the house, so we are building all the new stuff with the old... I've just been spending a lot of time over the weekend pulling out nails from the old hardwood... very tough job... Because of the labour involved and the increased difficulty of putting it back up, its more costly in labour, but we can save a little bit on not buying the new timber (which is pretty cheap ~$1.2 p/m for structural pine). I've stayed in the house overnight in my swag.. it was just like camping!

Soil condition and preparation

2007-05-27T05:47:00.000-07:00

There are quite a few large stumps on the property (11 in total) for which we used the services of a professional stump grinder to remove. This took 2 days. The stumps were first cut close to the ground using a massive chainsaw and then ground down to below ground level with a special grinding machine. The picture below shows just how large the stumps were! We could make some lovely furniture out of this beautiful timber! Sooj had already removed 17 stumps himself (using his chainsaw and a hired stump grinder).

Here are some of the stumps post-removal.

Last Friday I started the massive task of soil improvement on the property. The soil is silty clay and moderately acidic - my pH measurements ranged from 4.5 to 5.5. A low pH impedes the ability of plants to take up nutrients and so does the clay nature of the soil. Most fruit and vegie plants will be more productive with a slightly acidic soil (around pH 6.5). To help break up the clay I've added gypsum (I started with a rate of 0.5-1kg/m2, which I partly based on the geotechnical report recommendations and also from books) and to increase the pH I've used dolomitic limestone (roughly 0.2kg/m2 - this is probably a bit less than what's needed but I'll add more later if necessary). I had my first experience of driving a tractor and discovered that using the bucket (to transfer loads of soil etc) is actually quite difficult to coordinate (for me at least). It was quite hard to get a decent load size. We also really need to add lots of organic matter to the soil, which I've started in the form of some well-aged horse manure (combined with stable sawdust bedding) from a nearby horse stud. We need lots more organic material which is difficult as it's expensive (well compost is to buy and it takes time to make). We have started a compost heap but this will be a slowish process. However I also plan to plant a green manure crop which will help to improve the soil structure as well as adding nitrogen to the soil and helping to suppress the growth of weeds. I have some perennial ryegrass, oats and also various legume seeds (chickpea, lentils etc) which will be planted directly into the soil as a mix. I'm just waiting on some rain (or the forecast of rain) so the seeds will have a chance to germinate!

Starting Clean Up

2007-05-27T05:38:00.000-07:00

Rivetting title this one! Nettie was away all weekend for a vet course and I was in Sydney on both days so we haven't done that much more. Annette struggled with the tractor a bit on Friday but she'll chug along all day getting things done slowly but surely, whereas I struggle with hard work and labour full stop... I go hard in spurts of 10~15 minutes then rest and day dream and get distracted for 30minutes!!!

Oh well, have started cleaning up the piles of wood from the clearing... it is much simpler to burn it, but we're going to save it all for firewood, mulch and compost.. so it'll probably take many weekends.

cya
sooj

Rainwater Tanks Are In

2007-05-24T02:07:00.000-07:00

The rainwater tanks arrived on Monday at 8:30pm. On Tuesday, the plumbers re-assessed project (hence previous irrate post) and yesterday they began work.

The drains all go under ground now to the 2 tanks which are 5000gallon each. Therefore we have 45000 litres of tanks connected to the house. The third 5000 gallon tank will go the shed.

The down pipes USED to curl under and UP under the verandah into long pipes that were suspended and had lots of bows in them so that there would have been lots of puddles of water in the pipes all the time because they couldn't drain properly. So, all the down pipes were cut and have been extended straight down into the ground where we laid new pipes right around the house 50cm deep.

They all go to a first flush device, which will stop the first 30~40 litres of rainwater from going into the tank. Instead they will drain away into my future wetland/pool.

As for the future wetland, I'm talking about a Natural Swimming Pool.... see the link below. They've been big in Europe for 20 years and in the UK for a few years and they're just being found out in the US. I want to do something along those lines.... they rely on aggregate and planted out shallow sections as well as water cirulation in order to have a swimming
hole that is clear and clean without the
need for artificial chemicals such as chlorine. Which also means that insects and fish and frogs that eat mozzie larvae can also live there. The water cirulation further deters mosquitoes.... anyway, I digress...

I cleaned out the gutters today and Nettie
has started work on the soil (I'l let her post about that) and the Stump-grinder guy has come. So no more big stumps... and we have to find uses for the large logs that are left. Maybe a few garden benches and coffee tables and chairs...

Anyway, all good apart from the usual challenges and frustrations!

CYA

Work Commencing FInally!

2007-05-22T02:43:00.000-07:00

ARRRGGGHHH... so frustrating... and its only just starting. One of my main stresses planning this is that we are working with new trademen. We aren't dealing with any of the guys that I've developed relationships and raport with over the last 6 years, doing renovations and repairs on our properties. I'm stressed because I don't trust these new people. Maybe I'd be happier if we had lots of quotes.... hmmm maybe I will get more quotes.

Anyway, on the weekend, I worked at clearing things around the site so that the tanks could be installed. I had to put the plumbers off again because there were no tanks! They were supposed to be at the property during the settlement process, or at the very least on settlement, but they weren't there. We requested them 2 weeks ago and were told 'in a few days', which came and went. I rung them (previous vendors) again a few times until they told me 'Wednesday', which came and went and then they promised me 'Sunday'. On Sunday, after numerous calls and messages, they returned my call at 2pm and said they would be here in 1~1.5 hours. Again, no show until I heard back at about 5pm when they said that it didn't fit their truck so they've hired a semi and it'll be there mid-afternoon the next day. I got to the property in the afternoon (again, a couple of unreturned calls) and surprise surprise, no tanks... I got hold of them this time at 5pm and they said they were on their way up to get the tanks... ... I waited for them for a couple of hours but went home in disgust at 7:45pm after not being able to contact them at all. Mobile ringing out and being ignored no doubt. I finally got the tanks at 8:30pm last night.

This morning the plumbers came. Alas, the job was bigger than the guys thought... or at least bigger than what they were told by their boss. Also, the existing stormwater drain system is crap (which I had thought, but the guy who inspected it and quoted the job didn't mention anything or have a problem with it)... So to cut a long story short, the job to install the tanks and finish the rain water drains have been re-quoted and its over double. From $1975 to $4213.5 !*?!*?! Anyway, needless to say, I'm peaved off. I'm still going to get them to do the job, because its ready to go. Tomorrow I have to run around and sort out valves and stuff which should be with the tanks but aren't...Arrrggggh! But unless Annette can convince me otherwise, I'm not going to get them for the remaining work which they've quoted about $7000 for.. who knows how much I'll have to spend! We were also going to get them to put in the solar hot water system (~$5000) and the greywater system (~$7000)... again, I don't want to use them at this stage... which is definitely a bad omen considering they haven't even started any work yet.

Oh well, lets see how it pans out. Catchya

Pete

The Grand Plan

2007-05-19T03:06:00.000-07:00

WHAT WE HAVE SO FAR:
3 Bedroom, 1 Bathroom with Large Living, Dining, Small Family Room and Laundry. The house is clad in Hardiplank with Colourbond Roof on trusses. The site is a mess!

WHAT WE NEED TO DO:
HOUSE
Re-arrrange some internal walls once DA for the modifications are approved.
Renovate and complete the bathroom.
Make a new ensuite bathroom off a new main bedroom.
Make a new Laundry.
Gyprock the ceiling and install roof insulation.
Wall insulation and all gyprocking (though we are looking into some greener alternatives for wall lining) and finishings (doorways, doors, cornice, skirting etc)
Finish flooring:
- sand and polish (there are some green options for this) old floorboards in bedroom 2 and 3 and the kitchen.
- main bedroom and living area needs a new floor (marmoleum? or ideally, bamboo florboards).
- tile entry-way, ensuite, laundry and family room.
Electricals:
- modify existing electrical wiring.
- install low-energy lighting fixtures throughout and outside the house (~$?).
- install plenty of power points so that appliances can be switched off at the wall (there is a new technology that can help shut off whole areas etc, but its a bit complicated for simpletons like us).
Do the plumbing:
- complete plumbing and allow for grey water separation and install water saving Aqualocs (Totally Green Plumbers ~$7000).
- install the water tanks (2 x 22,700 litre for the house$2000).
- install grey water recycling system ('Nubian' at this stage ~$7000).
- get solar hot water system (Apricus ~$5000).
- install metal gutter guards (~$2400 installed).

- septic system to be installed (Biolytix ~$10000 installed).

Power to be connected:

- power to be brought to the front of the property then to the house (~$18000).

- get 20 panel solar system with 2940watt inverter to be connected to the grid (~$10000 after the $8000 government rebate).

Install skylights.

Install combustion heater. We thought we would use this existing one until our massive stack of firewood was depleted, but that will probably take 5+ years. Firewood on-site has no freight or mining costs, so even though it still produces emissions, it is preferable to gas or electrical heating devices. We can't use concrete slab heating.... no slab! Hopefully we shouldn't need much extra heating.

Paint! Bugger of a job.

Windows:

- dress them.

- metal mesh insect screens required by DA.

Put up balaustrades and stainless steel wire around the whole balcony.

Build the staircases up to the verandah.

OUTSIDE

Clear the stockpiles - dead wood, topsoil, brick and building rubble, massive logs (some >1m diameter), weeds, hardwood from old shed and house and old fencing.

Get rid of the many smaller stumps (hired stumpgrinder today $170 and hard labour!).

Get rid of the large stumps such as ironwood stumps up to 2m diameter ($1000 next week).

Landscaping.

Set up fire prevention irrigation system (DA requirement) for the whole building envelope.

Put up and set up a new shed (9m x 20m).

Get DA for and build 2 large wetland systems (properly vegetated dams).

Fencing - for the dogs 'PT' and 'Daisy' and the horse 'Santa'.

Catmax enclosure outside for our spoilt cats Obi-won and Yoda.

Entrance Fence and Gate (Solar powered automatic gates).

PERMACULTURE GARDEN

Lots and lots... Annette will post information on the existing soil type and conditions and what we are doing to set it all up!

Set up chook pen and house.

Set up a bee hive... yep I've joined an apiary club!

Small pond for some water veggies and our turtle 'Buddha'.

The amount of work wouldn't be so bad if it wasn't for all the red tape ( surveys, geo-tech reports, plans, designs, etc etc ) and the need to have to deal with the Local Council... I HATE GOING INTO THE COUNCIL... its such a waste of time! I'm anticipating that we'll be spending about $100K for all of the above... I've put down estimates only... there is definitely a price for going green but we all know its worth it! OK? Right! :-)

Anyway, this is our GRAND PLAN... so for those of you wondering where we are..... look no further... we'll be at home.

BEFORE photos continued

2007-05-19T00:24:00.000-07:00

Front Yard - will have a pond and a horse paddock on the right.
Future Shed Position - 9m x 20m shed approved.
Back yard - for veggie gardens, fruit trees, chook and another pond.
Stockpiles of rubbish to sort through - bricks, mulch, dirt, massive logs, dead wood etc.

BEFORE photos

2007-05-18T23:20:00.000-07:00

These are the inital photos before starting any work.

The Front Entrance. The Driveway is about 50m long.

Approaching the house and building envelope.

2007-05-17T08:40:00.000-07:00

This is the house on the day of settlement...
...and inside...
... and us later that night, celebrating with a modest fire, nibblies and some bubblies.

And so our journey begins...

2007-05-17T07:49:00.000-07:00

This is my first ever blog... for some reason never got into the whole thing. Anyway, we thought this was a good way of keeping everyone updated on our progress... but I'd better start with an introduction:

We are Peter and Annette Tazawa (nee Lockley) and we got married last year. Annette and I have now been working on the Central Coast (NSW Australia) for about 6 years. I am a partner at Wyong Equine Clinic and Annette is now a part-timer, working at Tuggerah Vet Clinic and Long Jetty Vet Clinic.

For the last 5 years, we have been living on a small (450sq.mtr.) suburban block. Annette's always been very environmentally conscious and responsible (she even drives a Prius and before that she rode the bicycle to work) whilst I on the other hand grew up with a great appreciation for nature but my actions never really matched my well meaning intentions... hopefully that's starting to change!

We started getting itchy feet last year. We'd been cooped up in our little house for too long! Annette wanted to really let her green thumbs go wild (not enough food could be grown out of her 6mx2m veggie patch) and I'd always wanted to move onto an acreage (aka waterfront block with a boat rampa and jetty)....

Even though I'd seen this block of land for sale for some time, we'd never thought it was what we wanted. I thought I wanted a waterfront; Annette wanted a quiet bush block. This block is a bush block but its right near town. It gets a bit of noise from the freeway, but we can live with it if it means being closer to town etc, so that we are not driving so far (which is obviously a no no). We had both been reading about sustainability so much, that at some point in the past year... and I don't know exactly when.... we came to the realisation that we both wanted one thing... to have a sustainable home and apply permaculture and organic principals to our own plot of land and be more self sufficient. This block definitely had heaps of potential! So we thought we'd give it a go.

So this is our block: 25 acres of bushland with about 10 acres of it (at the back of the block) being wetland (swamp, alluvion, marsh, etc etc). The building block is only about 1~1.5 acres. It is flood prone and is in a high bush fire danger zone... (what are we doing?!*?) and the house is about 2/3 finished with no services connected and lots of unfinished areas.

Anyway, its getting late... more on this shortly!

Pete