Countdown to settlement day begins...

Well, here's the exciting news ... our SS has casually mentioned that PCI will be around August 20, which means that we're in our last 2 weeks of finishing, then a week of fixing, and settlement should logically have no problem by being the start of September!

Here's Bay standing guard at the house last night. They've taken down the fences and done a minor site clean. But then I looked inside and screamed...

CARPET!!!

You'd think they'd clean the friggin floor before laying it, wouldn't you! I'll go off my rocker if there are marks on it. (highly unlikely though that i'll need to do that)

We're anticipating our outdoor colours showing up in the next week. They really only have to put taps in the benchtops, patch fix what they've stuffed, (they need to re-do the splashback where the rangehood is going as that is supposed to be tiled) and then complete the balcony, and just make sure that it's all correct and lovely.

In other news, I have the bestest hubby in the world. I got a new coffee machine today (tomorrow is my birthday) and I can honestly say I never ever dreamed that much money would be "justifiable" to my husband ... but well, he bought it without a worry in the world. I tell you now, I never saw THAT coming.

So now, when you come to my beautiful new house to visit, I don't have to stand there frothing milk for yonks. YIPPEE! (and yes, the coffee that comes out is stinking hot, as soon as we figured out that would be the case, we were happy to purchase the machine!)

Packing has begun. The house is currently littered with boxes.

We've decided we're not going to wait for a concreter to decide when they can do our driveway, we're just going to move in, stuff it. After all, we just want to move in. It will be easy enough not trampling mud in the house provided we have heaps of rock down.

And that of course has brought on a new reality ... we have to change the boys schools sooner rather than later. It has it's own advantages and disadvantages no matter which way we go, really.

Move them now, and Damo has a term of grade 6 at the new school, then goes to another new school for year 7... but move them later, and Jake is all alone at his new school, and all next term while they remain at Baden Powell, they are on either 3 buses home, or a bus and I pick them up from the plaza every night after work (but I know they'll get sick of this quickly)

Currently they are in their element of responsibility riding themselves to and from school - and I'm bummed that they didn't start it earlier. They are being FABULOUS with each other, protecting each other and making sure the other is safe. I am so proud of my babies.

So after we move, the boys are going to change schools very quickly, Bay will start at Werribee High on his own, and Damo and Jake will start at Werribee Primary. Even though it will only be 1 term, Jake will really do well adjusting if his big brother is there for a bit to help him settle in. Then next year, Damo will go to Werribee High with Bay. After school, the boys will all be able to ride home again - Bay can just collect Damo and Jake on the way.

I'm so looking forward to getting in to this gorgeous house, and starting my vegie garden. I now work upstairs (changed roles) and I'm sitting next to the farm chick of the century. She is vegie, chicken and plant queen and is currently offloading all her volumes of gardening books onto me (and they are gratefully received!)

Hubby is a bit concerned that i've gone from reading Cosmo to reading Gardening Australia but I assure you, it's all in the name of beautification. Yes I'm trying to psych myself up to overcome my fear of chickens, but I really don't think the dogs would tolerate them (read: I'm too wimpy to bother with that crap)

But all the same, I'm certainly loving the daydreaming that one day I'll be coming home from work to a garden abundant with fresh fruit and vegies that I can offload to family when they come to visit - just like Grandma and Grandpa used to do for us. Heck, who knows, the amount of time we're in this house, hopefully one day I can do that for my boys and their children too!