The Garden: Driveway and Pathway

There are more cement blocks made. Some for the driveway and pathway leading to the pergola.


In teory, this is how a pebble block is made.... Mix the base material with cement and rough sand. Make the cement block. After its dried overnight, then, mix pebbles with cement and lay a coat on top of the cement block which has been dried overnight. These pebbles can be purchased from the nursery. It ranges from RM12 - RM22 per bag. I bought a total of 10 bags. Which was more than enough.

Cement blocks for the driveway. Good for one car. The other one can be parked
outside the house. Everyone in the neighborhood does it too.

The cement block had pebbles with papaya leaves printed on it. Some
turned out nice but others were not as good as expected.

This is how it looks after the leaves were taken away

Decided to just use pebbles without the Papaya leaves. This pathway starts from
the front door and leads to the Pergola in The Garden

After this, the pebbles need to be 'washed' with acid then polished with shellac. The real beauty of the stone will be seen. So much of work, huh?

The Garden: Privacy Fence

Few weeks ago, I posted about The Garden.


There was this and that plan.


A privacy fence was one of the idea. The reason is to block and separate the back portion of the house from the front.


The Resak Wood was purchased from the local hardware store. The sizes of wood was 2 x 4", 4 x 4" and 1 x 4"

4 x 4" pillars as foundation

4 holes of about 1 feet wide and 1.5 inch deep was dugged. Instead of digging up the hole in a day, bit by bit was dug up over a period of few days. Just as I was ready to mix the cement to put the foundational pillars, the Indonesian worker was available to assist for the next few days. Hooray! So, he helped to fix the foundational pillars.

2 x 4" was fixed on by Joel and I, when he was off from
school during the recent Public Holiday

The foundation was allowed to dry for about 2-3 days. Then, I solicited Joel's help. Both of us took the late morning and most of the afternoon to cut the 1 x 4" plants to exactly 5 feet length with the circular saw. Then we measured and cut to appropriate lengths, the 2 x 4". That was hard work. Galvanized bolt of 3" was used to fasten the 2 x 4 " to the 4 x 4". We used the drill to make the holes.


Apparently (after everything was done), according to Hubby (who is the actual Engineer and Expert), we used the wrong drill bit size. It should have been smaller hole. Never mind, a learning process. That day, I used the drill for the 1st time in my life. Not bad.

The privacy fence and there is a plan to make a Pergola
using the same pillars

The next day, Joel had to go to school. So, I was left alone to do up the fence. All geared up and gung ho, I proceeded to fix the fence. How hard can it be? After all, I have researched in youtube and internet.


After taking 1 hour to fix 2 planks and realised that the bolts were not aligned and the drill holes were too big... As a result, the bolts was not strong and the plank begins to fall when knocked. The Engineer and Expert stumbled upon me, the Gung Ho, youtube educated Fence Installer.


A quick lesson ensued.


Oh.. I see. That's how its done.


Eventually when Joel came back from school, all of us fixed the fence together and I must say, it turned out beautifully!


It was great fun for me... I am a Handy-Woman... by accident.

Tree House - Part 1

The Tree House is up and running!


After talking for about 1 year, planning for a few months, its finally been realised. Watch the youtube movie.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlCGa_02xpA


Will update as and when more stuffs are added to the Tree House.

The Garden

Eventhough I titled this post as "The Garden"... actually it should be "What Garden?".


It was basically a disgraceful heap of mess. A real eye-sore to the inhabitant of the home-dwellers.


Therefore, no one was invited over to our new house, unless they insisted to invite themselves (No one will be named here).

In April 2010, it was a heap of mess. About 4 cars of dump was needed to
get rid of all this mess

View of the rubbish from another view

In May 2010, it was getting better but works were still going on here and there.

So, it was impossible to totally get rid of the mess. Please note that
by then, we had moved in (For info, the One Big Mess in white shirt and
black shorts, above, is still around. Don't think I will be able to rid of him for the next 30 years or so ;-))

Then "The Garden" was just there.


Yes.


Just there.


Mess and all.


The initial plan was to plant grass for the whole 2000 sq ft. Then, it was stalled.


Did I want to spend RM5,000.00 to plant, just grass? The guy was charging RM2.50 per sq ft. Its probably reasonable. It would have been more worth it (according to me) if it was lettuces or pak choy or kai lan. But then again, no one actually ask a grass planter to plant vegetables instead of grass on their lawn. Also, the kids might have difficulty walking on it.


So, I sat on the idea.


And sat.


And sat.


Then suddenly.... Yes. Suddenly.


... I was finished "sitting on the idea"!


(I can hear the family members screaming from the background, "Its about time!!!")


So.


1 week ago, I got 2 workers to clear all the mess and filled a whole load of dump truck with all kinds of rubbish from The Garden.



... The Garden is *drum roll*



Cleared!!!


No more Rubbish!!!

See, I told you... clean... desert...

Full... of rubbish

I will let you know what we are going to do with "The Garden". Its going to be a family project. Its a DIY thing. I am so excited! Just thinking about it (makes me tired), er, I mean adrenaline rush.


Stay tuned.

Moved!

On May 10, 2010, Monday, was probably one of the happiest day of my life.

Eventhough…..

Boxes everywhere.

Sandy porch.

No cabinets to put my clothes.

No kitchen cabinet to hold my plates.

No stove to warm my food.

No curtains to dress my windows.

Only one properly working toilet.

Yet.

The joy of staying in our new place.

The anticipation was fully realized.

The expectation was met.

The discomfort of the pest infested rented place is forever left behind…….

The beginning of a wonderful journey….

… for my family and I.

Probably the last time I will ever have full view of the floor

Excitement!

The Movers recommended by a friend was truly reliable and up to expectations.

None of my goods was damaged or missing :-)

RM350 per trip for a 3 ton lorry. More pricey than normal
but worth it since my goods were handled well

Renovation Update: Day 22 to 27

Sorry for having very little update lately on my Renovation. I have been really really busy. At the end of everyday, I am so pooped that when I reached home at about 8pm everyday, I just hit the bed. Literally.


I have decided to put more photos on my update on my picasa online album so that you can see more photos of it.


To read and view photos of my house update from Day 22 to 27, click here.

Mission Possible

The house is almost completed. Yes, almost.


You know, the feeling when you get at a meal. When you think you are almost full but you can still stomach something. A dessert for sure but also something else (like the food the person sitting next to you is enjoying).


Well, the house is almost completed.


Its still a work-in-progress.


We don't have much of a choice but to move in soon. Our current rented place has new owners who would like to take possession by 15 May 2010. So, just like how urgent we were in taking ownership of our property, the new owners here also are looking forward to "do up" their new home.


So, ready or not, we are moving.


Hooorrraaaaayyyyy!


There are bits here and there to be done but we do have 1 perfectly working toilet.


Kitchen cabinets to be coming in on Monday (hopefully).


Air-cond to be installed on Monday or Tuesday.


The modus operandi is....


Clean up the house....


Pack. Pack. Pack.


Move the house in stages .... maybe one lorry load a day....


Totally out by Friday, 14 May 2010.


You will see Mission Possible unveiled before your eyes.... Ta Da!

Father and Son at work... Mostly Father doing the work...

My New Neighbor

Guess who came by to say, "Hi" today.... I wonder if he left the whole clan behind and how many more of them who might pay me a visit...

Our Home

As of yesterday, Tuesday 9 March 2010 - we have received the keys to our new home.

*dancing around the house*

My family and I are now proud owners of our house.

Our home ......

Our very own nest.

A place we can go to unwind.

A place of solace.

To come away from the stress of traffic jams and work stress.

A place to wash our tired bodies and fill our hungry stomachs.

A place to churn out all kinds of culinaries and maggi mees.

Where laughters will be created and tears to be wiped.

Childhood joys to be imprinted on the little hearts.

Where toils will be worth the while.

Where future generations can look to the past.

And they sit on the seat of their forefathers.

This I long to dream.

For you my Sons and the Sons of your Sons.

This is home.

Phew! No Need to Rush & Vacate

Guess what? I received information that I don't have to leave my current rented home by 1st April *dancing around the room*


I was pretty stressed due to the short timeline for renovation and moving out. But now, at least I have a little more time especially for unforeseen hiccups (hopefully none).


I also have news that The Tenant currently renting my new house will be leaving before the end of January 2010. Looks like everything is slowly but surely falling into place.


Now, I just have to sort out the Contractors and MBSA Approval for the house renovation. Quite a hassle, I must admit.

New House Update

Wild cockatoo on the beach in Batesman Bay, South Coast NSW, Australia

The status of our house? Nothing much, honestly.


The lawyers mentioned that we should be getting the keys by Chinese New Year, which probably means sometime in mid February 2010. But I wouldn't bet on it. The Tenant is still there. I hope he will leave soon...


There are heaps of preparation before that for the purpose of renovation.


I have been contacting contractors, getting quotations, making out designs and blah blah blah.. A lot of hard work. The cost seems pretty scary too.


I bet the birds does not have to worry so much about renovation when they build their nest.


Now, I am envious.

Seagulls at Mornington Peninsula, Victoria, Australia...
Bet they didn't have to spend loads of money building their nest

Latest Update:


I wrote the above post a few days ago and just received information from my current Landlord's Agent. She is also a friend. Apparently there is a buyer for this house and we are requested to vacate by 1st March. Which I said, was impossible! We might be getting our keys in mid Feb but there is no guarantee. Renovation should take between 1.5 - 2 months. Which means, it should be roughly completed by mid April. That is if there are no hiccups or delay. Wow, such short timeline. No wonder I can feel my blood pressure rising.... After some negotiation, 1st April. I have to vacate by then.


This is beginning to get very stressful.....

Shots To Remember New Old House

I went to see our new old house in Kota Kemuning. Apparently, the Seller still have not told the Tenant that we have already purchased the house. She kept asking the Agent to inform them, when the house is sold. For whatever reasons, they still have not.

This is the land just across the house. Many papaya trees and lemongrass planted. The tall trees further up is where the children's tree house will be, hopefully.

The Tenant has been staying there for 5 years now and have done a tremendous job of turning the extra land on the side and in front of the house into a farming ground. There are papaya trees, lemon grass, chili, lady fingers, long beans and various other plants. I emphatize with them. After all their hardwork, I am going to harvest those yummy papayas. But most of it have to go especially the ones in the compound of the house. It looks too messy.

The side of the house... too messy now

Took some photos of the place. Nice to see the before and after shots. Like... "This is what the house used to be like and now it looks like this"... kinda thing.


I am undecided if I should start a new blog on the new house plus the renovation or just fit it together with this current one. After all, its part of The Journey of My Life... a new season but still "in the journey". What I am afraid of, is running out of photo space. Google has limited space per blog. I feel too lazy to start a new blog. Oops, the truth has come out. Maybe I just stick to the current blog and label it accordingly like "new house", "renovation"... when I run out of photo space, then, just start another blog. Will worry about it when the time comes. Today has enough worries of its own.

The surau (mini mosque) is the one with red roof. Its a stone's throw away from our place

House Hunting - Part 3

I told my boys that if I have extra cash after the renovation of the house, I will ask the carpenter to build them a tree house in the piece of land, just in front of the house. What a joy to be able to play in a treehouse whilst staying in the city!


You see, when I was a small little girl, we had a tree house. A make-shift one, with few pieces of wooden planks plopped on top of the tree. I remembered those times when I used to climb trees. It was great fun. I had often wished that for my 2 boys but it was difficult to get such opportunities, especially when we stay in the city. Now, it seems that God is granting my wish for my boys. The joy of childhood.

How about a simple little tree house?

Nice tree house... A great design

If I have this tree house, I wouldn't even want to go back home!

Joel, my 13 years old son is so excited with the idea of moving to the new house that he tells me EVERYDAY! He has plans of playing BB gun wars in that small little jungle! Both of them have drawn up the plans for their tree house and fantasized about what they will do there.


Well, not only the children have been fantasizing and planning, so, have I. Thinking of ideas to be done to the house has taken quite a portion of my time.


With limited budget for the renovation, I will be busy looking for bargains. Well, I will have a few months to compare prices and to continue to look out for bargains.


Lastly, I want to thank God for providing a miraculous house to us at a great price. I hope to be able to pass on the house to my grand-children. Haha. Such long term planning, eh? It would be great to see my grand children playing on the same tree house, their daddy had. Here I go dreaming again......

House Hunting - Part 2

At one point in time, it was so frustrating that we almost purchased a house which was a whopping half-a-million and it was just a double storey link house of 24 x 75!


We made various mistakes in the purchase of our previous home that I didn't want to repeat the same mistake this time round. So, I seek counsel from various people e.g. real estate agent friends, personal friends, my Pastor and his wife, my sister in law and even my Mother. Eventhough it was really confusing hearing many different comments/views but there is safety and wisdom in the multitude of counselor, as written in the book of Proverbs in the bible. I know that at times, our arrogance and pride stops us from wanting to hear what others have to say, especially if it contradicts what we want. Humility is the way to go!


There were various times when I went 'house shopping' with my friend, M. It was cute, 2 homemakers sitting in a car driving around, calling Agents, staring into houses, undecided where to go and even ended up at another friend's place chatting for 2 hours!


There was a particular time when I was talking on the mobile phone and an Agent asked me, "What is your budget?" and I replied, "Less than RM500K", knowing full well, that most of the properties were ranging RM400K and up. Even with half a million, it wouldn't be "the best" they have.


M gave me a nudge and said, "RM350K!!!".


I gave her a passing look. Not daring to stare in disbelief. But in my heart, I thought that she obviously have not been shopping for houses as long as I have. I have not heard of a corner unit house that cost RM350K. Its ridiculously silly to even have suggested it! But of course, not wanting to offend her, I kept that thought to myself.


Unknowingly to me, not her, this woman spoke out of faith. It was an impression that God gave to her. Obviously my faith was not up to her level. I couldn't believe God for a miracle... "Forgive me, God". Well, that's the reason why I asked her for help. So that eventhough this little "hard ears" of mine is unable to hear God, I will still not miss His best for me. Everybody needs help now and then....


A few days later, I contacted an Agent that took me around to view some houses. He brought me to 2 houses which I felt, I could shortlist. The 1st one, was a fully renovated corner house at RM500K. It was renovated to my taste but it was slowly breaking down, being almost 10 years old. The next house was an endlot with land but was a basic unit. A little rundown because it is 10 years old and has been tenanted all these while. The disadvantage to this place is the surau which was diagonally situated in front of the house. Will it be noisy? But its an affordable RM360K. Hmm.....


It took us another 1-2 weeks to decide on purchasing the house, after viewing another dozen or so houses, sitting outside the surau to 'test' the sound of the 'singing', if its bearable.


At last, I think that the house by the surau was what we were looking for and a good price to go with it. The Seller also reduced the price of the house to exactly RM350K, no more and NO LESS (we tried).


We paid our downpayment on 11 Nov 2009.


You see, that house by the surau (mini mosque) had all the criteria which we wanted. Not only that, it faced a piece of land which will not be developed because it is neither big nor small. I enjoy the view of the huge trees and the many papaya trees planted by the current tenant.


To be continued .................

House Hunting - Part 1

We have been house hunting for many months now. Its been tiring and frustrating!


We couldn't decide where to live!! We were shopping mainly at Putra Heights, Subang Jaya and Kota Kemuning, Shah Alam. Well, there were no shortage of houses to choose but unfortunately, we had a budget to stick to.


Honestly, the price of houses were almost ridiculously expensive, in my opinion. A double storey link house was going for RM450K to RM580K. Let's not even mention about corner units. The funny part was, people were buying them like hot-cakes!! If you take more than a few days to decide, its gone! Taken! Purchased!


I used to drive around these housing area, looking at "For Sale" signboards and would have spent hundreds of ringgit calling up Agents. It was a tiring affair but yet, I persevered knowing that there is a house specially stacked away somewhere by God, just for our little family.


I had my little "wish list" ....

1. Quiet area, away from city buzzing and traffic jam
2. Convenient to major destinations for children activities and Hubby's office
3. Guarded, for safety reasons
   
4. With heaps of greenery
5. Ample parking space
6. Not facing another house
   
7. Housing area which is children friendly e.g. playground, not many passing traffic
8. Preferably a corner or endlot with land
9. Not overly large or small but comfortable for a family of 4
   
10. Good buy and affordable
    

Is there such a house tugged away somewhere?



To be continued ........