Latest photos on Picasa ....

A few of the latest photos are now on the web album
http://picasaweb.google.com/mattsgoode/PoloWayConstruction#

Nearly the final countdown

If I said that we were chomping at the bit to get into our house, that would
be a slight understatement. Things are progressing but time seems to be
dragging in epic proportions.

This will be our final visit to our soon to be home before we get the keys
at the end of February, hopefully. Leaving Jo'burg early and heading south
to Underberg is as always a breath of fresh air. Yes it is a long 8 hour
trek, at Mufasa's flank speed, but with the prospect of disappearance into
the empty spaces of the Berg the journey ticks by nicely. We seem to have
done the journey so many times now that we have a plan of where to stop,
where to feed Mufasa, and what time we will arrive in the village. With 4
nights camping at Cobham up in the mountains and then a week at Castleburn
resort, at least we had a roof over our heads and a base to work from.
Camping was great, place to ourselves, leaking tent cover. Yep our tent
cover is ready for the tip, hope to pick up a new one tomorrow. The tent was
a wee bit soggy inside on opening but thankfully at that point the sun was
shining and all was well again soon enough. It has been a bit soggy
recently. Thankfully this week we weren't camping, been chucking it down for
3 days!

Our aim to blend into village society took a step further this trip. Mufasa
is now officially a local and not a damned tourist. After several visits to
the extremely busy vehicle registration office, total in queue 2 including
us, we had the paperwork done and a new registration for Mufasa. It took
several trips not because of any real problems, but either 'the system is
down' or 'we have no electricity and the system is down' was the only order
of business the first 3 visits. On the 4th we were in business, well except
for the lady behind the desk refusing to do the work based on Sue's SA
passport as opposed to a SA ID Document. Sue has an ID number, as per her
passport, but no actual ID Document at the mo. After several confusing
conversations on the basis of 'if it can't be done then how is it already
registered', we got the paperwork done. Sigh of relief. He still sports his
old tags at the moment but the new NUD ...... plate will be on as soon as we
lay our hands on a new tax disc holder to put the expensive little disc of
paper on the windscreen. The new plates were obtained at the village tyre
place, ordered one day, ready the next. Been carrying them around for a
week!

Our real aim this trip, apart from seeing what is going on and sorting out a
few issues, was to reclaim the jungle back to some recognisable garden.
After several months of summer rain and sunshine the grass was at least knee
high in places and the weeds nearly shoulder high. Honest. Armed with our
new shiny lawn mower, fork, spade, trowel, and bush cutter, we set about it.
To say that we have sweated blood and tears over the last 2 weeks doesn't do
it justice. We couldn't bring ourselves to spend a large wedge on a petrol
strimmer so me my gloves and the swish of the bush cutter was the exercise
routine of choice. I look a bit like tennis' Nadal with my right arm twice
the size of the my left! Sue has been mighty busy with weeding and stealing
plants from next door. The guy who bought the 3rd part of the subdivision
has been clearing the site so Sue had a chance to relocate a shed load of
plants. It's a start for us and hopefully they will not die like our poor
relocated roses. She is well pleased with the acquired greenery. We will
leave with some good work done but the garden is by no means a show piece
for Chelsea yet. Oh, and when we get back in March it will be time to start
again.

Now, the house, as this is what it is all about. Getting there, as BR used
to claim. I guess we will now miss the real progress of the finishing off.
Paint, tiles, kitchen, bathroom etc. The build is just coming to the end of
the heavy work phase. Our few problems with windows and other things have
been corrected and all is on course. The guys have been digging the holes
for the septic tank and the drainage tanks for gutter water. You kind of get
an idea of how the pyramids were built when you see a couple of chaps dig an
almost perfectly round 7ft deep whole for the septic tank with a spade and
pic. The down side of all the digging for sewage pipes etc. has left the
place a tad muddy with the daily downpours. Dries out quickly but gets muddy
very quickly too. We chose paints before we came down and with samples
applied and approved painting started. Looks good in and out. The
electricians have started to wire up and hopefully by the end of next week
tiling will have started, final glazing will be done, and doors and kitchen
fitted. I guess the problem now comes as everything is in the finish and
with not being on site we can't control it. Oliver (Mr Builder) knows how we
want it and if it isn't done properly then it will have to be redone. A
pain, but unless we camp for the next 5 weeks that is the way it will be. We
might descend on the house again with a week or so to go to get to grips
with it.

As soon as possible some photos will get posted.

Roll on March!!