After a few weeks of R&R, sharing our first Christmas and New Year at Terragong with friends, family and neighbours, it's back to work this week on renos and refurbs.
Over the holidays we made a start on the new woodland/wetland walk which meanders under and around the magnificent fig, magnolia, walnut, pine and pear trees on the western side of the house. We also took advantage of fine-weather days to continue planting the front garden beds with a variety of heritage climbing roses (which are already bolting up the veranda posts!).
Our master carpenter Red is back on deck this week, commencing work on the staircase, replacing and/or repairing balustrades (roughly a dozen which are either broken or do not match the originals), as well as completing restoration work to the highlight windows over the veranda doors.
Just prior to Christmas, electricians installed ceiling fans in all bedrooms as well as reintalled our refurbished chandelier in the library; our restorer in Sydney has rewired the fitting, adding new, taller wax candles from Paris. With the addition of the silk shades, it's a beauty! A matching silk chandelier bag (to hide the chain and wiring) is currently being completed by our seamstress.
And on a somewhat less glamorous (but completely essential) note, this week the engineers will be undertaking the geotech analysis required for the upgrade of the septic system!