mulligitawny soup and balcony floor

New balcony flooring...we are making progress, one day at a time. The mulligitawny soup was delicious. Still enjoying the new white walls and playing with paintings. Changing styles every day, painting over old paintings. Waiting for the agapanthas to flower.

ever so slow

Rather than place pictures of the many unfinished areas, I am posting a jolly corner in the open kitchen. My resident electrician thought the fragrance of my exotic stargazing oriental hybrid lilies was bakelite plastic!


He called me at school to ask what was burning as he could smell bakelite!
More jolly pictures coming this way soon as I have to lift my spirits again: the weather is not summery any more. But at least the two skylight windows lighten things up even when it is Belgian grey.

of guests, chaos and bread

Guests have been visiting from afar, from downunder, outwest and from Paris. So even if the place resembles a chaotic tool bazaar, we seem to be reasonably gracious hosts. Well, either that or the friends are more than diplomatic. One false step on the top landing caused a huge leaping crash, guest and laptop both went flying.
Yesterday on Father's Day, the resident father cut through an old 16 cm concrete wall to start creating the new layout for the courtyard.This reinvention of the courtyard will need at least another 20 weeks at this rate.
When I think of the new guests arriving in a few weeks' time; I find my  teeth gripping my tongue and sweat beading my forehead. SO I bake herb bread and guzzle thick slices with Leccino Olive Oil from the foot of Africa.
Today, Whit Monday, the hound needs a walk and the slow-cooker will do the necessary. Black-eyed peas, chillies, tomatoes, onion, garlic, green peppers and celery.... By the time I get back from the walk, another 15 cm of the courtyard may have been designed.

unfinished business

I create quiet corners so that calm can return. I spend time planning and preparing dinner, as that is all I have in my control. Last night we had grilled aubergine with steamed fennel and african bean stew. Tonight it will be butternut and chicken curry.

The hound prefers turning a blind eye; she sleeps in her basket which is surrounded by tools, supplies, building materials and folders with lists to tell us what the priorities are. Deadlines are constantly pushed into the future. What was to be done for the end of May is now to be done for the end of September. Who cares? We have all the time in the world.

the dog cannot fall down anymore

see balcony, see tented courtyard below

The balcony railing is finally up after several weeks of planning, discussing, measuring, fitting and thinking about it. There are tools everywhere; in fact, we can start a hardware shop. We visit the hardware shop every day for more tools and materials. We have every drill-bit in the book, every screw imaginable, every hammer and chisel and electric hand-held wood-cutting device. On Saturday afternoon two good wine-drinking buddies helped us to paint the ceiling in the kitchen-dining area so that we can now fit the light fittings there. (Ha! That the ceiling is not painted is no longer an excuse!) We had so much fun painting and then making dinner, we forgot to take a photo of the two painters perched on ladders. As you can imagine, they refused to pose for photos on ladders (or off ladders for that matter) after dinner of wine and food...

what next you ask?

Too much to do, where to start, what comes first?

the good life