Mountain Stream

This stream is a few k's up river. There are usually a few trout to be found here.

Craigiburn Range

You can see these mountains from the west coast road on the way to Arthur's Pass. Not many people get to see them from this side though.

Shooting Contest

Nigel and I had a shooting contest, can't remember who won but it was a lot of fun.

Rush Hour

Tracy hoons along the Avoca River.

Timber

We did the traditional hike up to Lake Lillian. James is old enough to do a bit of walking now which is great. At the top we stopped to enjoy the view of the valley.

James played at pushing me over and shouting 'Timber!'

Bambi's Mum Has a Bad Night

Alex was busy last night. He and Dougal went out for a hunt and bagged a deer.

A carcass chopped in two, hanging from a tree is quite a sight to wake up to. I reckon Nigel must have wondered what he had got himself into especially when Dougal started butchering it! Anyway I got a couple of nice steaks to take home.

We also had a great breakfast courtesy of Alex. Eggs from his chooks and sausage and bacon from the pigs he reared. He found the piglets while hunting last year in the Marlborough Sounds so they are about as free range as it is possible to get.

Back at the Farmhouse

We are back at the Avoca Valley for the weekend, staying at the 'Farmhouse' (that is what James calls it). The weather is great and my old friend and colleague Nigel Smith is visiting. I intend to show him a real kiwi time.

Splashing About

After lunch and a paddle we went for a drive long the river valley.

Throwing Stones

James is really into throwing stones at the moment.

Out for a Stroll

Today we went out for a drive to the Waipara river with Stuart, Christine, Garry and Joy.

Now for a Bath

Finished!

Almost Done

All that remains for me to do is to replace the window sashes. Tracy and her dad are going to tile the shower area.

Walls Up

The walls are up and plastered. After a lick of paint this project will be on the home straight.

Plumbing and Insulation Done

Insulating the walls should make this room much warmer in the winter.

The plumbing is done (I got a professional to do that!) so things are progressing nicely.

As you can see from the time of this post, I am doing some late nights to get this finished before xmas.

...and New Floor Goes Down

I bought some second hand floor boards from Musgroves reclamation yards. They are made from rimu like the rest of our house and so they should fit in well.

Tracy's dad helped me lay this floor which only took a morning. Once it is sanded and varnished it should look great.

Old Floor Comes Up...

I had hoped to save the old floor but it was rotten in many places so up it comes. At least it makes it easier to route the plumbing.

New Ceiling

The new ceiling is up and the heat/extractor fan unit installed.

Good Riddance

This is our old bath. It is actually a shub (short for shower-tub). I really hate it and can't wait to rip it out. Unfortunately it was quite difficult. In the end I had to use a circular saw to chop around the plug hole.

Sink Gone

Everything must go. Not just the sink, toilet and bath. We are replacing the walls, floor and ceiling as well. This is a messy job but fun. I used a crowbar and claw hammer to remove the walls and ceiling.

World's Ugliest Bathroom

When the electric shower died, it spurred us on to do something we should have done a long time ago: replace the bathroom. This is the existing one. It is cold, damp, mouldy and the colour scheme is hideous.

Little Gardener

The new veggie patch is a hit with James. He likes to help Mummy water the tomatos and potatoes.

East

To the east is a view of the Canterbury plains and the Pacific Ocean. The patch of clouds in the distance to the left is Banks Peninsula.

West

From the top the view to the west is dominated by the southern alps. Mt Cook can be seen if you know where to look.

Skiing

Before Sarah leaves I had to go skiing so we spent the afternoon at Mt Hutt.

Bath Time

Back home and we have no hot water in the bathroom. Until this is fixed we are enduring cold showers and James is loving his 'special' bath.