King of the hill

[abaddonxi]

I've spent the past few days battling the bushes.

This is a month or so before we moved in -

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2009/08/750.jpg

And a couple of days ago -

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2009/08/751.jpg

Bum, really doesn't look dramatic enough. You can't quite make it out, but in the first pic the entire family is standing in the bushes that have been cleared in the second pic.

The pile of leftover bits is about 10'x6'x4'. I called the council and suggested that since it all came from the nature strip it's their responsibility. I also asked them if they'd build me a retaining wall, now that all of the green stuff has gone.:angel:

It's funny how a patch of land can be a tip if no one takes care of it. I found steel beer cans, plus an otto bin or two full of bottles and cans, road base from the recent rounds of maintenance, someone had recently used it as a toilet, and a park bench that had been almost buried in weeds.

[p38arover]

It looks a bit different, Simon!

[JDNSW]

If you look carefully you can see the difference - different lighting and the larger area covered by the first photo make the comparison harder.

What was the council response?

John

[Scallops]

Looks like a cool old house. :) And I can see you've been busy. We can see it a little better now the fog has lifted. I can see my cousin better too. ;)

[Phoenix]

and here I was expecting a thread about corvettes!!

Looks like you have been waging war more like!

[abaddonxi]

Two burly blokes from the council, managers mind, turned up on the doorstep, told me that I'm a very bad boy, the verge is not my land, I could have been hurt, they have my street on their list of things to do, they don't know when they might be actually going to get to my street, even though it is on the list, they really wouldn't have poisoned the class four noxious weeds, the English Scotch Broom tree 12 feet tall they would've cut and painted the stump.

Pant.

They might get around to picking up the pile of cuttings sometime soon, if they had time.

I mentioned that the verge hasn't been seen to since I started looking at the house in early December of last year, and having found steel beer cans in my clean up I wasn't confident that they were planning on getting to it any time soon.

We came down to Sydney almost immediately after. On driving off I saw two council guys walking down the street towards the house. I'm hoping they were coming to take the stuff away, but I'm expecting on my return home to find tickets on the Land Rovers. The council has to pay for all of the work that I've done made for them.

[Pedro_The_Swift]

are they winter and summer shots??:p

That tree on the right is BIG!:eek:

gunna cut THAT one down Simon??:angel:

[dobbo]

are they winter and summer shots??:p

That tree on the right is BIG!:eek:

gunna cut THAT one down Simon??:angel:


very impressive in real life, if I were Simon I wouldn't cut it myself. To close to the front verandah

[abaddonxi]

are they winter and summer shots??:p

That tree on the right is BIG!:eek:

gunna cut THAT one down Simon??:angel:

Top pic is summer, bottom is last week, although as soon as we got the gas on the weather heated up and it started to feel like sprng.

That tree is about four trees, all huge, all on the northern side of the block. Also all on a main road, and I'm still fighting the last round of traffic control charges because we're next to an RTA road not a council one.

Good thing is next-door-neighbour but one is an arborist, so you never know. The house needs a new roof, and the quotes are way out of my pocket.

Any excuse to buy a chainsaw.

[clean32]

Looks like a cool old house. :) And I can see you've been busy. We can see it a little better now the fog has lifted. I can see my cousin better too. ;)

GOD you are an incestuous bunch. would like to say more but there are mods

[Pedro_The_Swift]

no,, you go right ahead,,
I've met Scallops,,
he can look after himself,,,:bat:

[Pedro_The_Swift]

Any excuse to buy a chainsaw.

OH NO!
NOT ANOTHER CHAINSAW THREAD?!?!?!:rocket::rocket::bangin:[FishSlap]

[abaddonxi]

Bracken


https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2009/08/294.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2009/08/295.jpg



https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2009/08/296.jpg


Spring!


https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2009/08/297.jpg


Chainsaw pic

http://www.aulro.com/app/data/500/bracke.jpghttps://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2009/08/298.jpg
http://www.aulro.com/app/data/500/bracke2.jpghttps://www.aulro.com/afvb/https://www.aulro.com/afvb/

[abaddonxi]

Oops, look like there's some kind of ban on chainsaws.

[rar110]

so there is a house in there:p

now get back to fixing something on the landy.

[Sly]

Make Tordon your friend:twisted:.

[abaddonxi]

Make Tordon your friend:twisted:.

No exercise, no chance to meet the weird neighbour, nothing to fight with the council about, nothing to brag about on here.:D

[abaddonxi]

Council Ranger came past, told me neighbours had complained and I'd best do something about it.


https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2009/09/1288.jpg


Three loads, each to above the roof.

In the afternoon I put a diff guard on the 110.

See, it's a Land Rover thread.:p

[dullbird]

mmmmmmm so neighbours complained coz your clearing up your house and its surroundings?????

mmmm nice neighbours:lol2:. must get me self some of those

[abaddonxi]

I thought it was the famous gardener next door, received nothing but scowls and grunts from her for six months, but finally got her chatting. She suggested I call the council and tell them someone had seen a snake, then see how fast they turn up.

Neighbour below is trying to bully us into planting a hedge for them, and cut down a tree, and really think that our garden is theirs.

Only one of the neighbours came by and introduced himself, and after meeting him I'd prefer that he hadn't.

[dullbird]

I thought it was the famous gardener next door, received nothing but scowls and grunts from her for six months, but finally got her chatting. She suggested I call the council and tell them someone had seen a snake, then see how fast they turn up.

Neighbour below is trying to bully us into planting a hedge for them, and cut down a tree, and really think that our garden is theirs.


Only one of the neighbours came by and introduced himself, and after meeting him I'd prefer that he hadn't.

:lol2:

I'm quite lucky where I live I have some really good neighbours, we even have street parties at christmas each year its held on someones front lawn and the entire street comes...

its funny because each year there is a neighbour that appears that no one knows:D

[stevo]

sorry about that cannot drive past free food

[dullbird]

sorry about that cannot drive past free food


you come along way......for a BYO:D

[abaddonxi]

Some pics of what I've been up to lately.

This is how the side garden looked just before we moved in.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2010/09/627.jpg


All of the stormwater to the house drained down that slope. A couple of months ago we re-dug all the stormwater drainage. The current plan is to make a two level retaining wall to hold the foundations of the house in place.



And after.

No pictures of me digging, sorry.


https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2010/09/628.jpg



My other assistants.


https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2010/09/629.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2010/09/630.jpg


Today, the top section of wall is starting to look like a wall.


https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2010/09/631.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2010/09/632.jpg


https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2010/09/633.jpg



The pile of rocks we've dug up. They were originally going to be a dry-set sandstone retaining wall instead of a wooden wall, until I realised how much foundation work was required. And that you would only be able to see it from a tiny part of that section of the garden.


http://www.aulro.com/afvb/app/data/500/medium/DSC_8103.JPGhttps://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2010/09/634.jpg

Oh yeah, definitely improved the property value there.

[Ace]

Looking good mate, i love retaining walls, building them can be hard work but its good to sit back at the end and admire your handy work.

Keep the pics coming, i love landscaping.

[Pedro_The_Swift]

I love watching Simon landscape,,:p
or clean the pool:angel:

[numpty]

Some good work there Simon. Will look great when finished.

[Pedro_The_Swift]

The shot with the trampoline--
That corner of the house has a good view? (of blue somethings--)

[Ace]

I love watching Simon landscape,,:p
or clean the pool:angel:

so you bought a pool so you could get a pool man hey pedro :D

[Pedro_The_Swift]

He keeps telling me he's gotta finish the landscaping first---:mad:

[abaddonxi]

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2010/10/1096.jpg (http://www.aulro.com/app/showphoto.php/photo/18668/title/img-0200/cat/500)


Some fella, won't call him a friend after this, gave me ten rolls of premium turf. He's a landscaper down in Vaulcluse, had leftovers and didn't want to see them go to waste.:twisted:

I was, optimistically, a day or so away from being ready for it, but turf apparently doesn't last well rolled up. So next morning I'm up early ordering a truckload of topsoil - only $200 - cos I live next door and they see me coming.

And the rest of the day was a mad rush of chipping up the old grass, backfilling the retaining wall with a bucket from the bottom to the top, then topping it off and levelling with the topsoil.

Finally at five in the afternoon I'm ready to lay down the first roll of turf, and it starts pour down. At first it's a gentle sprinkle and I think,
'perfect weather for this', and then the 20l bucket is filling rapidly and the stormwater drainage that started this whole sorry project is starting to look very inadequate.

So, quarter of a roll of turf done and I have to give up.

The next day we're off to my sister's new house for the long weekend and not back until Tuesday night, and I spend the whole weekend thinking about the turf gone bad and the truckload of topsoil washing down the hill.

Wednesday morning back to it. Turf and topsoil have survived, and at the end of the day I'd still only unrolled three rolls of turf.

So for my free turf I've so far spent $200 two full days of getting almost nowhere, a long weekend of worry and whinging, and I know that ten rolls isn't going to do the job, so I'll also have to get in another round of turf.

Nothing like free turf.

Does look good, though.

[Pedro_The_Swift]

you do realise you'll have to buy the same style of turf---:p

[V8Ian]

Ahh, the joys of renovation Simon. :D

[abaddonxi]

you do realise you'll have to buy the same style of turf---:p

Not at the rate I'm going.

[abaddonxi]

Today's effort. Got the ten rolls down.


https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2010/10/1066.jpg (http://www.aulro.com/app/showphoto.php/photo/18669/title/img-02222/cat/500)

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2010/10/1067.jpg (http://www.aulro.com/app/showphoto.php/photo/18672/title/img-02251/cat/500)

[abaddonxi]

Almost done. Cut up all of the wall capping pieces and the step treads today.

Stain and fix tomorrow.


https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2010/11/1613.jpg (http://www.aulro.com/app/showphoto.php/photo/18889/title/retainnov3/cat/500)

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2010/11/1614.jpg (http://www.aulro.com/app/showphoto.php/photo/18888/title/retainnov2/cat/500)

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2010/11/1615.jpg (http://www.aulro.com/app/showphoto.php/photo/18887/title/retainnov1/cat/500)


And then plant stuff.

[Pedro_The_Swift]

cash crop?

[abaddonxi]

cash crop?

Sandstone, lots and lots of sandstone.

[one_iota]

Of course you'll need a new mower now....maybe Ron can recommend one :D

[p38arover]

Of course you'll need a new mower now....maybe Ron can recommend one :D

Neither of mine work. One keeps blowing head gaskets and the other won't start.

[abaddonxi]

Nothing like a little rain to take the pace off your game.


https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2010/11/1161.jpg (http://www.aulro.com/app/showphoto.php/photo/18934/title/replant/cat/500)

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2010/11/1162.jpg (http://www.aulro.com/app/showphoto.php/photo/18935/title/retable/cat/500)

[Pedro_The_Swift]

hmmm,
post holes filled-
children missing from photo-

coincidence?

[Scallops]

Looks great! You have been busy. I'll look forward to strutting out there with my morning coffee. :D I see Rilka is still getting nuisance calls from that darned cousin of hers too! :p

[austastar]

Hi,
very neat job. You should be proud of it.
cheers

[abaddonxi]

Just like Narnia.


https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2010/12/1269.jpg (http://www.aulro.com/app/showphoto.php/photo/19126/title/img-07031/cat/500)

[p38arover]

Simon, that's looking really good! :thumbsup:


Of course you'll need a new mower now....maybe Ron can recommend one :D


Neither of mine work. One keeps blowing head gaskets and the other won't start.

Both working! Craig (aka DI on here and known as Disco Inferno on other fora) has fixed the head gasket problem (well, one of his mower shop employees has) and I fixed the other mower.

[abaddonxi]

Simon, that's looking really good! :thumbsup:





Both working! Craig (aka DI on here and known as Disco Inferno on other fora) has fixed the head gasket problem (well, one of his mower shop employees has) and I fixed the other mower.

Maybe I should talk to him about the brushcutter that was meant for Ron and came to me. I bought it a year and a half ago, Honda, straight shaft, on the theory that you buy quality and buy it once. The grab handle had a loose captive bolt, which I didn't find out about until the handle had spun around on the shaft and scratched it. Now fuel going straight into the oil.:(

Used less than a dozen times in that time.

[Pedro_The_Swift]

hmm a TD5 powered brushcutter?

:wasntme:

[p38arover]

Maybe I should talk to him about the brushcutter that was meant for Ron and came to me. I bought it a year and a half ago, Honda, straight shaft, on the theory that you buy quality and buy it once. The grab handle had a loose captive bolt, which I didn't find out about until the handle had spun around on the shaft and scratched it. Now fuel going straight into the oil.:(

Used less than a dozen times in that time.

Go and see Craig (DI) at Western Mowers and Chainsaws at Toongabbie. He likes Honda.

[George130]

Nice work.
I need to get back to my yard clearing. Should have the fire place ready before christmas so I'm now putting all the tree bits into wood and kindeling piles.