Back from Townsville

I've had a quick trip back up to Townsville in order to take the house up there back off the market (which has currently crashed through its boots and the only "kind of" offer came in $50,000 less than what we paid for it) - hence it needed to go back onto the rental market to get let out.  At least that way we are only having to pay part of the mortgage on it each week (as well as our own morgage here of course).  So a trip was needed by either Pete or myself to assess what really needed to be done and get it in order for a condition report.  Unfortunately the very cool cubby house had white ant damage, so it was deemed to be knocked down.  Weeding of gardens, small repairs (like washers and reseating of some taps, smoke alarms have to be changed over with new tenants, the dishwasher was removed, the skirting board that Pete had taken off to fit in the fridge was put back on, the pool was turned back to blue - and apparently due to awesome red tape - needed a new pool safety certificate, including a new latch for the pool gate; the carpets just couldn't be salvaged and so some rental style cheap as possible carpets with "give me the choice of what you have on stock so you can lay them before I fly out" choice was made.   Jaron took 2 days off work to give me a hand, and we had our old neighbours from over the back come to give a hand with cleaning and fixing of things when they realized just what a big job we had to undertake in just 4 days!  The row of tiles that the "tenants from hell" had removed during the first 6 months we had the house for rent back 18months ago or so needed attention????? 

The answer lay in a couple of bags of cement - the "just add water, yes you can mix it in a plastic bucket with a garden trowel if you are very careful" kind of cement - which Jaron was able to seal in the tiles and did a great job - especially when you consider his tool was a tiny bit of wood left over from doing the skirting repair job! 

It was great being able to spend time with my grandchildren in between and at the end of each day.  I had taken up a crochet hook and couple of balls of yarn to do up a little scarf for each of them and managed to get all 3 done while I was there!  Little Jarryn (LJ) was so excited with his he took it to school and became the highlight of the classroom!  Nay (my DIL) was quite taken in watching how quickly the scarfs took shape, so I suggested I could teach her - if I got the chance to get some ordinary type of yarn to use (in order to see what you are doing).......... Nay had the wool ready for me the next evening LOL   I am soooooo proud of her, she had mastered both chain and double crochet within 15 mins and was "hooked"!  You know the drill girls, staying up to enjoy a bit of hooking LOL   Before I left - actually about an hour or so before I was to leave and get on the plane I taught her the Treble stitch (these are the Aust/English versions).  I should have grabbed some photos but forgot to!!
And on another note........... before I headed to the airport, whilst in Melbourne I managed to get to a packaging plant to check out some containers for my other soap products.  I really do want to give my little business a go - you can see the latest at my business blog (which I'm trying to revamp at present- in between everthing else) www.hazelmerecottage.blogspot.com  and I've also got the page attached to my name on facebook- which I'm trying to work out how people can find it???  I'll keep you updated on that one LOL............. but right now, it's time to head off to work at the hospital, pray you all have a great day, Hugs Sharm