Water Recycling System

It's raining here in Melbourne which is terrific because it means the garden's getting a soaking

In fact it's been raining here quite a bit lately and it's been falling in the catchment areas that feed Melbourne. They're now just over 35 percent full, the highest they've been in well over a year.

Anyway, despite the past dry conditions and Stage 3-A water restrictions, our garden's not doing too badly because we have water tanks and this. It may look like a large bucket to you, to us here at Number 10, it's our water recycling system

The washing machine outlet pipe is connected to the pipe above the bucket and all the washing machine water empties into it

The bucket has a hose connection with two hoses attached and they are placed in the yard to empty out onto the grass or shrubs.

It's a pretty good system if you have an old house and you want a simple way of getting the washing machine water into the garden without having to syphon it out of the machine into buckets then carry them around the garden. Oh, it also means you have to be careful what washing powder you use too. I buy one that's made in New Zealand. It's by Eco-Store and I just get it at the supermarket. It's a plant and mineral based powder that has no phosphates, ammonia, nitrates, chlorine or perfumes. Perfect... and I haven't had a fatality in the garden yet!

Bedroom Update at Number 3

Here's the latest instalment on progress at Number 3

Remember the floor of the small front bedroom that was rotten, water damaged and basically, felt like a sponge? This is what was left of it when MONT had finished ripping it all up.

Lovely huh? I can just see my furniture in there now. Not!

Well, the dirt floor was levelled, plastic and mesh put down and a timber frame nailed around the walls just below the floor line to make sure it was all square. Then the concrete mixer rolled up the driveway, stuck it's hose through the window and let her rip.

...and this is what it looks like now. 8 inches of solid concrete. This baby ain't going nowhere.

Keats was right... A thing of beauty is a joy forever. And it's loveliness will increase, as it dries out completely and is covered in CARPET!

Number 3 Progress Report - Lounge

The boys worked really hard last week and got heaps done at Number 3...and they'll be back there again this week trying to get it finished.

This is the old fireplace that had crumbling bricks behind it...hence all the cracks and water damage to the plaster

So it's now been framed up to have a new wall around it so the new gas heater will fit in just right and there'll be no water getting in and making it all damp and terrible.

Pretty awful huh?

But it's all looking very promising now and once it's plastered and some new cornice attached, it'll be perfect. Again. Sort of.

Well, as perfect as a 153 year old cottage can be I guess.

Some more progress photos tomorrow. See you then

Don't Give Up...

We love our pets at Number 10..... Big-small, old-young, crazy-sane...come one come all we say.

I've written about this girl before. She loves the outdoors and the feel of wind in her face.

She's been with us for three years now...but boy, has she been "work".

We got her from the Lost Dogs Home and while she's a wonderful dog now, she was really testing our patience in the early days and we weren't sure if we were going to make it. But we have...and while she still has some "issues", we accept that that's just the way she's always going to be and we try to help her feel more confident.

When we first got her, we couldn't pat her on the head as she'd act as though she was going to be hit...and she had a terrible case of submissive urination. I've lost count of how many times I had to clean up after her. We still have to ignore her for a while after arriving home from work, otherwise she wets herself with excitement and to please us...funny how dogs' heads work. All I can say is thank God we don't have carpet in the house!

Our theory is that she must have been abused as a younger dog because every time a stranger comes into the front garden she barks and yelps as though she's been hit...and when a male wearing overalls comes in, it's even worse, verging on uncontrollable. She still carries on a bit, but is learning to be a little more relaxed.

While she's tested our patience, my advice and plea to anyone getting a mature dog from, anywhere really, is to give them time to settle in and please, not give up on them.

She really is the most loving and lovable girl and I couldn't imagine our lives without her....if only we could work on her bloody awful snoring problem!

It's all happening...

At least at Number 3 it is.

While I headed to work this morning, MONT headed off early to start work at Number 3.

He's not alone. He's got a couple of builder mates with him and they're going gang-busters!

This floor in the tiny front bedroom is now a concrete floor. Wow that was quick.

They've also been plastering, plumbing, removing rotten lattice on the pergola's and getting the bathroom floor organised.

I gave him my camera to take some photos so, hopefully he knows how to drive the thing... I've already had four phone calls wanting to know which button is which and to tell me how good the new floor looks. Can't wait to see the finished product this weekend.

Woo Hoo

Ummmmm...

OK, just go with me on this one...just for a minute

These are just two of the designs from Alexander McQueen's Spring 2010 Ready To Wear Collection. I think the theme was "SEA CREATURES"

Now, while these aren't necessarily what I would consider wearing (maybe the second one if it were a bit longer) and while his collection got a less than rousing review, I still find them beautiful. They aren't really what I call fashion, I consider them more art. Their construction, intricate detail and colour blending is really something.

Sometimes even what can be perceived (by me) as a little strange, can still have an ethereal beauty.

Front Of House

Number 10 is one of those houses that, I think, will always be under construction in some way.


It's an old weatherboard that was originally very small when I purchased it in 1998. Just two bedrooms, a lounge, kitchen and bathroom, with a small lean-to at the rear that housed the laundry and toilet. Since then it's grown considerably....

It also had a very ugly green tin fence at the front...sort of roofing iron with a timber rail at the top. Not pretty. It also had an old cracked, concrete driveway, which was deteriorating each year, with tree roots lifting it and making it dangerous.

So, we decided to actually finish the front and a while back got a new fence, but we couldn't agree on what sort of driveway and path to put in. I was thinking of an asphalt drive with a second hand brick edge. MONT wasn't convinced, thinking it would be too dark. So he came up with this. Sandstone edging with a sandy coloured crushed rock in the centre. PERFECT!

It was a pretty messy job and took a few weeks to complete because we did some of the work ourselves on weekends...

We thought we'd lose a couple of our lovely Silver Birches at the front once the concrete was lifted and the new edging put down, but they're still with us, or at least four are. One has since died, but that wasn't caused by the work being done.

Finally, a front path from the gate to the front door.


...and I love it! with a capital LUV!!

STELLAAAA ! !

More fashion shots today, this time from Stella McCartney's Spring 2010 Ready to Wear collection.

Looks like the colour "putty" is going to be rather big next year. It's a colour I like...almost a grey

Now this is my kinda dress...floaty, big, colourful, big, long, big. Hides all the wobbly bits.

Love the colour combination in this fabric.

This is nice too....more neutrals

...and she had quite a few peplums on her little jackets and a couple of tops. I like a nice peplum.

Ms McCartney always comes up with something very wearable.

Oh My....

These are extremely pretty...

The first two images are from Christian Dior's Spring 2010 Ready to Wear collection, the 3rd is from Dolce and Gabbana.

Come on Down.......

Thank you for commenting this week for the chance to get some of my clear shoe boxes.

Forget the random number search....I like to keep things simple and personal.

So into this small urn went your names for this week's giveaway...

...and it's "COME ON DOWN KELLIE". Your piece of err, parchment was the first to be pulled out. Kellie's blog is Ada and Darcy and I can highly recommend it...there's always something beautiful to see.

Yes, we're nothing if not scientific at Number 10. Nothing but the best here...

Congrats Kellie, email me your details at: toomanyshoes@bigpond.com and I'll get your boxes in the post ASAP.