If you didn't know, 'reno' is short for 'renovation' in Australia. We all know what it means, and it's rare that someone uses the actual proper word. We're all too busy doing reno to bother with that.

This time it's removing the old door and window so that we can instal a picture window and have the wall space inside for the laundry section of the kitchen - I suppose a Euro laundry in style.

From the outside it looks like this. Without the door, the bricks need to be duplicated on the left hand side, so Jamie went mining under the house for more bricks, which are part of a staircase under the deck that was covered up when the deck was built. He's teaching himself to lay bricks so we don't have to pay the builder. We did have a builder round to chat to about it, and in the end he realised how Jamie was so savvy he could probably just do the whole job himself. He was a super nice guy and problem solved a few things with us. IF he comes over again we'll buy him a six pack as thankyou.

The problem was the lead time for a new window - it'll be a double glazed picture window - is about six weeks. We'd like to get the laundry done before then, and because we found a single glazed window the right size from the side of the road (you know we love free) we thought we'd whack that in whilst we were waiting, and Jamie'd get the bricks and laundry done, so all we need to do is swap out the window.

Side note, we did get a quote for some sliding doors and together with the window, we were quoted over 10k AUD. By doing it this way, along with the kitchen window, it should cost around $3k, especially because Jamie's doing the labour. Winner.

I do like this window, and I love the casement opening, so I'd make do with it except we do want double glazing on that side against the hot northerly and the winter chill. Plus, a single large picture window instead of the divided frame will be better, and we don't really need it opening. Jamie takes the flywire off anyway for a clearer view.

Luckily a mate owed him a favour so he came over and helped get the window in place.

As I said, I do like the look of it - and honestly we'd probably hack it for another winter but it's pretty old and rotten, even if it looks good from a distance. Still, it felt like progress on the old reno, so we're happy!

It'll match the window we're putting in kitchen side as well, and gives us a view of the trees. Two streets up is the Otways National Park and hours and kilometres of walking and bike trails. Incredible! I wish the neighbour would ditch his aerial though - so many of us have switched to digital internet tv that they're unnecessary, but I think people just don't think to take their aerials down. Never mind, I'll jsut have to look around it and pretend it isn't there.

Now to design the 'laundry' - off to the Ikea Kitchen planner tool, which I'm becoming more deft at. Meanwhile Jamie's on Youtube learning to be a brickie. The builder did ask how Jamie knew all 'this stuff' - on joists, struts, window installation, sanding floors, installing kitchens, wiring up electrics and so on, as if he couldn't believe how skilled Jamie was when he was merely a science teacher. Thirty odd years ago we didn't have Youtube - books helped, and learning by talking to people and observation I suppose. But also once you get a few skills, you apply that to another job, and so on. Your brain just starts wiring itself that way. And now there's Youtube, there's barely an excuse for not learning something yourself.

A Post Script

I did post about this last night but if you missed it, Jamie's been doing the bricks! Ain't he clever? I'm quite impressed.

He had to go 'mining' for more bricks under the deck, smashing up the old stairs. They're longer than usual bricks and there's no way we would find any the same. I'm so impressed - that's a whole new skill he's learnt! I mean, it's not perfectly lined up pattern wise with the old bricks, but he felt understandably nervous about removing bricks. This area will have an outdoor day bed in front of it anyway so it's not as if you'd be able to tell..

Also, we designed the laundry and spoke to the Ikea planner people and it's all ready to buy next Thursday when a ten percent off sale is announced - yay. Poor Jamie has to do plastering before then - his most hated job. Back to Youtube for more tips.

ANNNND another side note - just found this in my drafts. Entirely forgot to post it, but I'm sure some of you will be interested. It'll be another few weeks before the window is ready and the cupboards are delivered, so I'll be sure to update you then.

With Love,

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